


I've got Gunmars blood in me baby~

by MajesticTrash



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons), Trollhunters (Cartoon), Trollhunters - Daniel Kraus & Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha Draal, Alpha Kanjigar, Alpha Steve, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beta Claire, Beta Mary, Beta darci, Beta shannon, Beta tobi, Creepslayerz, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Barbara Lake/Walter Strickland | Stricklander, Nesting, Omega Jim, Omega Verse, Out of Character, aaarrrgghh is a great guardian, all the humans and jim are in college, alpha aaarrrgghh, alpha bular, alpha gunmar, alpha nomura, alpha usurna, alpha vendel, barbara is not jims mother, beta barbara, beta notenrique, beta otto, beta walt, blinky is gunmars adviser, blinky mostly raised him, bular is best big brother, gumm-gumm aaarrrgghh, gumm-gumm blinky, gunmar is a good-ish father, jim is a gumm-gumm, jim is a half troll, jim is evil AF, mpreg down the line, omega blinky, omega eli, troll dicks have knots, walt is the high school principal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2019-07-07 05:16:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 49
Words: 450,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15901638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MajesticTrash/pseuds/MajesticTrash
Summary: Jim is a half troll. A son of Gunmar the black. Brother to Bular. a true gumm-gumm prince of evil. nothing says fun like being one of the things that go bump in the night. Everything is running smoothly until Jim meets the trollhunter Kanjigar and his son Draal the deadly. Jim's never experienced such kindness, seen such heroism!...why does he like it? his heart would NEVER betray his family and race.....right? Even evil creatures need to feel love however.





	1. Evil lives among us

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty dark fic i made. thought i would finally write one of the many ideas a few friends and i share about troll Au's. Being evil is fun, Jim can testify. have fun reading! i always love comments!

All trolls used to live together. Fighting, eating, and killing humans together. Eventually part of the troll race broke off from these ‘barbaric’ tendencies. They made a pact with humanity. Peace for space. Thus the troll lived among humans from then on out. With newfound freedom and ‘love’ for one another, they lived in relative harmony. From the love of humans and trolls, came a new species. The Half trolls. While changelings lived from one life to another, half trolls were the very middle. Taking both the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ side of both races. This split in race mixing together to make something new. 

Half trolls carried both genes of humans and trolls, gaining some from one side and the other.  
1\. half trolls can walk among daylight, feeling no pain.  
2\. half trolls live far longer than humans, but far shorter than trolls. Some of the oldest recorded half trolls lived to be only slightly over 800 years. They develop slightly slower than humans, but slow down even more within their young adult lives.  
3\. half trolls can get sick just like humans can. While trolls and changelings are immune to all diseases and illnesses, humans and half trolls can succumb to them.  
4\. half trolls are far stronger than regular humans, but not as strong as regular trolls.  
5\. half trolls look closer to their human counterpart, rather than the troll part.  
6\. half trolls are considered ‘lesser’ than trolls. They are above changelings, but only slightly.  
7\. half trolls need little rest compared to humans, needing roughly 5 hours or less within a 24 hour period. While trolls require only 3 hours of sleep.  
8\. half trolls can hibernate along with regular trolls.  
9\. half trolls are just as ‘adaptable’ as humans are. Having the same inspiration, ingenuity, and overall desire to change and improve. Regular trolls change very little over very long periods of times, if at all.  
10\. half trolls blood and organs, skin and bones, and overall biology are far harder and stronger than humans, but not nearly as strong as trolls.  
11\. half trolls can eat most things, but can get sick like humans can, while regular trolls can eat just about anything and everything.  
12\. half trolls have senses just as strong as regular trolls. Meaning they have excellent hearing, sight, taste, touch, and smell.  
13\. half trolls can eat human food just as well as humans can.  
14\. half trolls are a bit of a rarity, seeing as humans and trolls conception for them isn’t easy, as the seed and egg typically don’t take. So a half troll is something to behold.  
15\. half trolls can be just as feral as regular trolls, if not more so.  
16\. half trolls emotions are extreme. More intense than either trolls or humans.  
17\. half trolls are far heavier than humans, but nowhere near as heavy as trolls are.  
18\. while half trolls are well known in the human world, changelings have been kept hidden. Trolls do not wish to panic humans.  
19\. half trolls can only be born with a troll and human, or a half troll with a regular troll. Humans with half trolls cannot produce half trolls. The same applies for half trolls with other half trolls. For some odd reason, they cannot reproduce with one another.  
20\. half trolls typically have more fur than regular trolls, due to having human genes, and more fur than humans have hair. Half troll fur is stronger and thicker than human hair, but not as thick or strong as troll fur.  
21\. all half trolls no matter where they come from, have digitigrade legs  
(btw trolls DO have blood, organs, bones, etc. it IS cannon in the books, and I don’t mean the ORIGINAL book the show was based off of)

 

After the war with Gunmar the black, almost all trolls crossed over onto the new world.  
Generations later, the changelings had pieced together the killahead bridge. They managed to trick Kanjigar the courageous into opening the door way to the darklands. The dreaded dark under lord escaped and his army marched outwards, however, within the same day, they were pushed back and scattered, during the intense battle, almost all changelings were killed, leaving many non gumm-gumms to believe they went extinct. With the aid of powerful magics, the amulet marked Gunmar with a terrible curse. No matter what, his life was now tied to the darklands. He could never leave by any means. If he did, he would die instantly, with no possible way to revive him. So he now sits in the dark lands, on his horrid throne, waiting for the day one of his minions might somehow find a way to break the curse. After a long, long search, the few gumm-gumms, and even fewer changelings left, found a way around the curse. They could not break it, however they could reverse it in a very minor way. They could craft doorways, to the darklands. Opening and closing the doorways as they saw fit, Letting the gumm-gumms roam the world once more. However, the doorways had a limited amount of energy. Passing back and forth through them, drained them. Once all energy was drained, the doorways would collapse into useless rock. The dark under lord sits on his throne, seething with anger, watching his hoard come and go without him. The only smile that came on his face was knowing that he was slowly taking over. His gumm-gumms had skirmished with the ‘good’ trolls for decades now. The ‘good’ trolls made humans promise to stay out of the way, only trolls must fight trolls. The humans agreed, however they will defend themselves when need be.

 

With the changeling race ever so slowly growing again, with more gumm-gumms being recruited and made, with more doorways being created, Gunmar chuckles at the thoughts that soon, so soon, He will rule the world. If they found magics to reverse the curse, then they could eventually find ways to break it forever…..

Gunmar watched his hoard grow and gain. Becoming more numbered and stronger. Out of all of them few had made a name for themselves. One of them, was a half troll. An unexpected creature to rise up, seeing as half trolls were nowhere near as strong as regular trolls, she proved her worth and loyalty more times than Gunmar could count. Eventually the two fell in love. They had a child. A small half troll. A small omega boy half troll. Everyone was shocked. How could the all powerful dark lord spawn such a weak creature?! Such a small and lesser being?! Gunmars first born, an alpha son, bigger and more powerful than almost all of the other gumm-gumms, that made sense. Now the second, the exact opposite. So small and frail, an omega is already bad enough, but to have him also be a half troll….

Gunmar loved his newborn just as much as his firstborn. Bular asked why he needed another son, he was all that his father needed! He fought countless times, he has slain countless trollhunters, he’s been by his fathers side more times than any gumm-gumm. Gunmar silenced his son. Son or not, he is the one who makes the rules. No one commands or tells him what his business was. He held his small newborn son within his giant arms. He smiled and knew that this new addition, his hoard will grow far stronger. The whelp WILL prove he is worth his fathers time and energy. He had his blood after all. The mother however….

She had died right after the birth. Complications that they could not help prevent. She looked at her son and named him Jim. Everyone thought it was a weak human name. Gunmar silenced them, told them to never question his sons life. His race, his nature, his size, or his name. He is a son of Gunmar, And will be treated as such, Or forfeit your life if treated any different. The hoard bowed and obeyed. The son might be small and frail, but his blood pumped with the life force of Gunmar. He would be strong, powerful, and all around perfect. While others saw Jim as a small weak link to the hoard, unfit to be apart of it, Gunmar saw the true potential. A son who could walk among the humans. A son who could walk within the light. A son who held his blood. A son who could be what no other being in his hoard was, the strongest half troll to ever walk the world. He would be the perfect addition. Far better than any common mongrel. 

 

Gunmar needed someone to aid in the raising of the small whelp. He could not be raised by normal gumm-gumm means. It was too dangerous. To fully let the potential unlock within the whelp, he needed to be properly raised and trained by half troll means, which included human ways. His adviser, Blinkous galadrigal, brother to the former adviser, had offered to be the caretaker of the child. He had studied the human ways, their world, their culture, more or less. Information is power after all. He found the various relationships between humans and their young, interesting. How different they varied, depending on the circumstance. With this new job, he could show the dark under lord just how in disposable he was, and how far greater he was than any other other gumm-gumm, seeking to be the next adviser. The honor, of raising a spawn of the dark under lord, training and grooming him right, it would show just how perfect for the job he truly was. 

 

So the years went by, the training was made. The young whelp was growing and showing great progress. Gunmar was proud to see his son grow into something wonderful. He was growing at the perfect rate. Gunmar was proud of his adviser and gave him the honor of choosing a mate. Blinkous accepted it and decided he wished to mate the greatest general, the strongest gumm-gumm directly under Bular and Gunmar. Aarghaumont (honestly, to write easier, I’m just going to call him Arrrg) Gunmar allowed it to happen. The intellect of his adviser, with the ferocity of his strongest general, their whelps would be a more than welcomed addition to the hoard. The perfect combination of both. Jim loved his two little ‘adopted’ uncles, they raised him with care and love. Making sure to do it the correct ‘human’ way. Half trolls needed to be raised in a more ‘human’ environment. Gunmar allowed it to happen, seeing as it was properly drawing out Jims true potential. 

 

Many more years went by, Gunmars hoard crept ever closer to victory, tiny bits by tiny bits, gaining ground, followers, and victories. However, Gunmar needed some kind of push. Something to throw the balance to their favor. He could wait for Jim. He knew the son would be a massive success, a pushing point for them, as he was already showing his potential. Gunmar needed more however. Something else. So as he waits and plots, The years continue to go by ever so slowly….

 

Jim is now a young adult. He will soon turn 93 years old. Compared to human lives in their own development, he would be 22 year old. He had fun, and he was reckless at times. Blood thirsty and cunning. He was raised right, with good incentives along with his ‘adopted’ uncles love. Gunmar was satisfied at how his son grew and developed. He was becoming a wonderful gumm-gumm. Jim attended a human college in Arcadia. Jim had asked for it. Blinky convinced Gunmar that he needed to learn more about humans and the surface world. If he was to maximize his efficiency, then he needed to know how the world worked. The other gumm-gumms didn’t understand, or paid attention to the world. The changelings still had yet to reach their full body count than in past history. So Gunmar agreed. It also made Jim happy. It was a win win. 

Gunmar did love his sons, however he was a ‘tough love’ type.  
“fail me and you will be punished severely. Do well, and you will be rewarded.”  
Both the sons bowed and made sure to always seek out their fathers approval. Even having a little ‘sibling competition’ for it. Bular might be far far far older and stronger than Jim is, but Jim is a fast learner, another thing that gave him an edge over regular gumm-gumms.

 

Other than the few changelings left, and even fewer half trolls, he was the only one who could walk in daylight without any problems, therefore, he was given free reign access to come and go as he pleased. He was given his own personal device, a small amulet, carved from the darklands, infused with dark magics, and crafted to work only for Gunmars bloodline. Two of these devices were created. One for Jim, the other for Bular. The amulets could teleport the two back and forth an unlimited amount of times, something they took advantage of frequently. Jim was given full freedom to do whatever he pleased. Only if he still did what he was told to do, never to fail, and to report home every nigh. To this day he had yet to fail his father.

 

“dad loves me more” Jim would taunt playfully. Bular cared for his small brother, but was jealous at times. JIM had the extra help. JIM was cared for far better. JIM didn’t have to do anything nearly as difficult as he had to do. However, Bular did enjoy those facts at the same time. He watched his little brother grow and get stronger, improve and become valuable. He knew his little brother could never be as strong as he was, Jim NEEDED the support. Something that if he doesn’t get, he could not succeed. Bular didn’t need support. He did everything all by himself. He was proud he needed no one.

Jim loves his older brother, like with their father, he constantly sought out his praise. He wants Bulars affection just as much as their fathers. Gumm-gumms don’t ‘do affection.’ in their own right typically. You must be able to kill one another at the single word of Gunmar. Being too attached to someone, it made you weak. Jim NEEDED to be attached to others however, or else he would be weak, due to his human emotions. Another thing Bular was glad he didn’t need himself.

 

Jim’s life on the surface world was a fun one. He never had to worry about bills, or taxes, or jobs, or housing, or food, or anything really. He wandered around and went whatever direction he wanted to go whenever he felt like it. He had few problems and was fairly carefree. His two best friends, both regular humans, both betas, Toby and Claire were always there for him. The three were the best of friends. No one other than the gumm-gumms, and changelings, knew of Jim’s ACTUAL life. To everyone else, Jim was just a regular innocent omega half troll, a true carefree spirit that went to school, had fun, and didn’t worry or complain about much. 

 

Everyone knew he lived at his fathers home, a place far away. With his older brother, his ‘dads friends’, and two very close friends of the family. His ‘uncles’ Arrrg and Blinky. Everyone knew he came from a family of full blooded trolls, and his mother was a half troll. However she died while he was born. So he never really cared or thought about her, for he never knew her. He never had problems with questions that brought his family up. When asked he was always vauge.

“my dad is pretty stern. He runs a big troll place far underground. My brother is tough and tumble, a monster really. Some would say a true psychopath! I love my uncles, and they are a major part of my life. Our weird family gets along well, overall.” Jim wasn’t lying. It was all technically true. His friends would ask to come over, only for Jim to reply  
“sorry, but you literally could not survive where I live. A Trolls only living space. you’re bodies would literally be killed.” another truth. 

Walter stricklander was his ‘boss’ in a small way. Jim IS above him, however Walt gave him orders when he needed to. He didn’t mind it, he liked Walt. Him, Notenrique, and Ms. Nomura were his favorite. EVERYONE was afraid of Jim. No where near as afraid of as Bular however, but no one messed with Jim or denied him anything regardless. Jim was the ‘small talks’, to ‘touches everything’, to ‘doesn’t go away unless asked’ child of their big boss. Unlike Bular, Jim never lashed out or killed them, so they did breath easier when they spoke to him and not his brother.

 

“We’re a little busy Jim”  
“i really need to pay attention to this Jim”  
“When you leave, do you mind giving these papers to Sam down the hall? thanks!”  
“Sorry I can’t talk right now, I’m trying to prevent us from being exposed”  
“I’m sorry I can’t talk right now, I’m trying to focus on this important report. Oh and we found something fun to play with in the break room, some old sword”

Jim usually just sighed and left, he got bored from training all the time, He LOVED training, but still. When his friends were busy, and big bro wasn’t in the mood, Although he was always ‘Mr.grumpy’, he always made time for Jim however, Jim had little to do. When Jim was finished with school and his assignments, he got bored as well. He needed excitement. He WANTED TO KILL. Like any gumm-gumm, he craved violence, carnage, blood. He loooved it. It just felt so right. To watch others die, to kill them by his own hands. To consume them, it was all so...euphoric…he loved his ‘darker side’ but typically only ever brought it out when he was feeling sadistic, or hungry for humans, or both!. Although his biggest dream, was to to fight the current trollhunter. Kanjigar.

 

Kanjigar had been the trollhunter for many centuries now. He became the trollhunter when Deya fell in battle to Bular. Ever since then, he has led the ‘good’ trolls to victory! To prevent gumm-gumms from taking over! Fighting daily, being noble and well loved! Right by his side, was his son, Draal the deadly! The two became close after many years of being distant. Kanjigar now learned that being with others, and sticking together, made you stronger. Father and son, they kicked ass and took names. Jim had watched from the shadows with Bular of them fighting gumm-gumm warriors a few different times.

“tell me again, why we aren't down there fighting? I want to hurt them! I want to drink blood!” Jim said eagerly as he rubbed a hand on a horn, something he did out of habit when anxious or excited. Bular chuckled deeply. He loved watching his little brother be so blood thirsty and eager to fight.  
“I feel the exact same. I’ve fought him many times. He’s far more tricky than the others however. Hes even come close to striking me down. Patience little brother. Wait for your turn. Be smart. Father only wanted me to bring you along so you can watch him up close. Now, watch his movements. Study his blade work, his footwork, how he dodges and strikes back, his defense and offense. Memorize it well, If you wish to fight him one day, until then, you will need to remember every detail like you do your own body.”

“Mhhh. I want to kill him.” Jim licked his lips in anticipation.  
“no, that honor belongs to me. I shall be the one who will end his life,”  
“awww no fair! I want his skull for my collection!”  
“You may collect it, AFTER I present it to father.”  
“you and I both know dad will just crush it to dust.” Jim pouted to his big brother, who looked back at him with a smile and a chuckle. They loved to bond over fighting, Blood lust, and eating. Yes, eating.

As tradition, gumm-gumms ate people. Cats too. Jim never liked cats though, his stomach couldn't digest hair, so he always had nasty fur balls clogging his system, not fun. So he stopped eating them. Humans though, he loved them. His mouth watered. His stomach growled. His body ached for food when he was hungry.

 

Eating humans was like taking a drug. You feel such an intense high. From the killing, to the eating, to the post meal bliss. The more you ate, the stronger you became. That’s why gumm-gumms were physically stronger. They ate constantly, or tried to at least. 

Bular used to always hunt their ‘game’ for them, then they would chow down in some dark place, far away from everyone else. Bular actually LOVED to paint in the blood of humans. He was artistic like that (ACTUALLY CANNON!). The two loved one another. Bular was so happy when Jim hunted his first meal by himself. 

Many years earlier...

Gunmar had summoned Bular to his throne.  
“Jim has grown big enough to fight, hunt, and kill for himself. It is time he hunted his first human. Take him above to the surface world and show him how its done. Let him eat and kill for himself. Do NOT help him in any way, other than giving him advice and wisdom.”  
“it will be my honor father.”  
“My sons first hunt. Brings back memories of my first, and yours too. I remember teaching you so long ago.” Gunmar sighed in nostalgia.  
“I remember it was if it were yesterday father. I shall take my brother out tonight.”  
“Good. You may deliver the good news to him yourself.”  
“thank you father.”

 

So Bular did, that night the two hunted in arcadia. Jim was eager and excited, he watched his older brother hunt prey plenty of times before, now it was his time to shine. He lured a man deeper into the woods by calling out for help. Some helpless jogger who was passing by. Bad place, at a bad time. Poor soul. Jim then jumped him from behind and Grabbed the mans throat, biting into it. Tearing his jugular vein. Jim could already feel the euphoria envelop him. He watched the man writhe on the ground, chocking. Unlike his brother, Jim got no satisfaction with watching another suffer. Unless it was a strong enemy who had a fighting chance. This however, was a small weak slim human. Jim gave mercy always, killing them quickly typically. 

 

To him, humans were just everyday creatures, like dogs or birds. He didn’t feel any sort of attachment to them one way or another. At first, he saw them simply as cattle, until he made friends and noticed how humans interacted with the world. He began to think that humans were not as inferior as he once thought. So he gave humans chances to ‘prove themselves’ to him, aka, making friends and seeing if they were total assholes or not. When he hungered for food however, he only hunted the ones he wanted as prey. Sure he would snag some random human every now and again, but he preferred to pick out his meals. Typically people who are total assholes, cruel, or ‘bad’ in many different ways. After all, if you go to the store and by food, you usually will want to browse for whatever floats your boat. He would find a total asshole that deserved to die, and other times he he would ‘eat badly’ by hunting someone who ate unhealthy. Hey, he liked junk food too.

Of course he DID eat human food and regular troll food. Yet no matter what, nothing could top the sweet sweet blood and flesh humans had. He tried all other sorts of meats, they were good, but still, nowhere near as good. He did like a nice salmon every once in a while though. He also loved to eat human objects, a nice wooden spoon or blender worked wonders as a snack. Although, it did make him sick after a bit of time, he wasn’t full troll after all, so he couldn’t just always eat random junk without getting sick after a while.

Bular chuckled and grinned, looking over his brothers work.  
“Trickery. Then an ambush. You did well. Hmm...a bit on the small side. But that was whats available. Good job, father would be so proud if he could see. Now, dig in. nice and slow. Really enjoy your first kill. Love it. Remember it forever. Savor every bite. You may kill over and over, but this, this will always be your first kill. There you go, dig in.” Jim did. He enjoyed and memorized every chunk of meat. Every drop of blood that touched his tongue. Every tear and chew. Every swallow. He couldn’t finish it all though, he was still young in troll years, around 13 compared to human development. Bular ate the remains for him, they had to make sure to leave very little remains, or else be found out.

Jim just wanted to lay down and enjoy his buzz. Bular wanted him to, however the trollhunter always lurked around every corner, and Jim was far too young, too weak, too unprepared to fight an enemy like that, they had to leave. 

Gunmar smiled and chuckled even. His sons had come home, back from Jim’s first hunt. His son looked like he was in bliss, still coated in gore.  
“you really are my son. Go enjoy the rest of your night. You’ve earned it child. As for you Bular, you did good work teaching him.”  
“thank you father” the two sons spoke at once…. 

Back in the present...

Toby, Jim’s best friend in the world, tried to keep up with Jim while they walked out of their college campus  
“J-Jim wa-wait up! You’re legs are too long and fast! Slow down!” Toby huffed and puffed trying to catch up, Jim looked back and smiled  
“Sorry Tobes”  
“i-it’s f-fine. Just….just give me a second.” Toby said lifting up his index finger while bent over. Jim raised his head up and sniffed the air  
“oh Claires coming”  
“i don’t see her”  
“Shes about….one building away, and is coming in our direction...with….Darci...and...Mary”  
“Ooohh Darci huh? Dam, I wish I wasn’t sweating as much...”  
“someone still has a crush huh? Been having that since high school.”  
“Hey, maybe I’ll finally luck out. I am getting good grades” Claire walked towards them, saying goodbye to her friends. She smiled and waved, then did a little jog over. They all said hey to one another and talked about classes, after a few minutes they decided to head out.  
“so, you two want to go somewhere? I’m starting to get hungry plus I do want to find some new blankets and pillows for my nest.”  
“oh you omegas and your nests” Toby joked  
“Hey, at least I know how to make my room a little more creative, unlike Mr.dollhouse.”  
“hey! At least I can play video games and have the internet!” Toby was right, you didn’t exactly have your own internet or cable in the darklands. Jim always had to download porn onto his phone when he could. He was actually considering renting out a little place for himself, with the changelings help, it would be no problem. It would also be nice to actually have his friends come over to hangout for once.  
“You got me there Tobes.” Jim smiled as Claire checked her phone  
“alright boys, lets go get burritos. I don’t have much time today, so we can do that then I need to head home.”  
“woo burritos!” Toby cheered, but Jim pouted  
“aww, we had those yesterday. I wanted a lamp...”  
“we can go tomorrow if you want, I’ll have time” Claire smiled to Jim  
“alright, lets do that. This time Don’t order me the most extreme spicy ones, they killed me the other night.” the three laughed together, Toby cheered  
“on wards! To the land of spicy death!”

 

They all ate and talked, they always made a game of throwing their wrappers into Jim mouth, seeing if he could catch them. He almost always did. The three laughed and Claire left after a while. Toby and Jim now headed to Toby’s home. He was dropped off by his Nana today and didn’t have his bike, she forgot to pick him up, it was no problem, Jim just gave Toby a piggy back ride. He ran and scared Toby  
“slow down! What if you trip and fall! You might only get scratched up but I might die!”  
“quit exagerati-whoa!”  
“stop joking!”  
“haha!”

 

The two made it there in only a few minutes with Jim’s speed. As Jim let Toby hop off he looked over to see his neighbor Barbara lake.  
He waved and said hello, she was a really nice lady. Always busy and never had a child of her own. Her husband left her a while ago. Now she was dating none other than Walter. Jim always got a kick out of that  
“you, dating a human?”  
“love is a complicated thing after all. One day when you find a mate, you’ll understand.”  
“When I find a mate, he needs to be a stud. Besides, you know dear old dad won’t let just anyone. They have to be the strongest of the strong. Some lucky gumm-gumm will eventually sweep me off my feet. Then plow me in my nest until-”  
“Stop, I don’t need to hear the details.”

 

Jim headed inside with Toby, he had to duck under things and shifted carefully around the cats and furniture. Toby said hi to his nana and gave her a quick kiss before the boys headed upstairs. It was a fairly mundane evening, the two ate snacks, played video games, and overall just hung out. Jim checked his phone, the sun was setting now and he had to leave. Toby complained, he always had to leave at sunset

 

“Sorry, but my nights are usually packed with family stuff remember? Tonight my brother and I are going to hangout”  
“you always do family stuff, bleh. So whatcha gonna do tonight?”  
“he’s gonna teach me how to fight with swords and stuff, fun!”  
“ohhh can you train me to kick ass!”  
“maybe one day, I still need to practice myself.”  
“can your brother teach me?”  
“trust me, my brother pretty much hates EVERYONE except our family, and still. Hes a very big  
‘ugh whatever! I do what I want! Just leave me alone!’ type. Hes not emo, think punk ass dude who thinks hes invincible”  
“sounds scary”  
“pfft maybe to some people, well gotta go, talk to you tomorrow. Oh and don’t forget to bring the rest of your homework, I can’t cover for you anymore.”  
“i will I will mom!”  
“hey, I raised you better than to talk back to your mother! Wait until I tell your father!”  
“haha, okay see ya!”  
“see ya”  
“oh but please be safe! You and Claire are my only friends! If you die then I loose 1 half of my entire social life!”  
“I’ll be safe, trust me.”  
“Yeah but with all those people missing and its just crazy out...people can sometimes hear shouting and things.”  
“I’ll be fine. Trust me! Look at me, who’s gonna mess with me?”  
“still!”  
“Alright, mom, I’ll be safe.”  
“you know how much I worry young man. Staying out so late.” The two hugged and Jim left. 

 

When Jim was far enough from everyone and everything, he took out his amulet and was about to teleport home until he stopped and his ear twitched  
“You shouldn’t be spending your time out with that human so often” Jim rolled his eyes and turned around to see Bular leaning his back up against a tree.  
“Stop stalking me! he’s my best friend, remember rock for brains?”  
“My punk ass can do whatever I want. I’m going to assume that is an insult. Also I am invincible too by the way, and someone needs to keep an eye on you” Jim rolled his eyes

 

Bular just watches as the sun finally set.  
“Are you ready to get started?”  
“still too early Bular, he won’t be out for a few hours. Besides I need to go get changed and put my bag away.”  
“i honestly don’t see the appeal of this human society”  
“I like it, I learn, and it makes me feel good, helps to keep me even remember? You wouldn’t understand.” Jim smiled and winked. Bular grunted in annoyance at that  
“hurry home, brother. Oh, and father wishes to speak to you.”  
“about?”  
“i don’t know, he didn’t say”  
“why not just ask him”  
“YOU might get away with questions. I don’t. Soon he will get sick of it.”  
“He hasn’t yet, besides, information is key”  
“Fathers adviser is teaching you too much about thinking, and not acting.”  
“It’s helped me this far in life, look before you jump. Why else does dear old dad keep him around. He’s been a bigger help than most others.”  
“you have a point. Hurry home, you’re wasting time.”  
“As you wish, master Bular. Dark prince! Inheritor of the throne! Master of slaughter! Bane of the trollhunters! First son of Gunmar!” Jim said condescendingly as he took a deep bow. Raising one arm up

“i like what you say. Keep this up and I might even let you stay by my side as my champion.”  
“oh! What an honor it is to serve thee!”  
“Dear brother. I’ve always wondered how Half troll flesh tastes like. I doubt father would be too upset knowing his second son had died in battle by a sudden accident.”  
“I’m going to tell dad on you for saying that!”  
“Ha! Like our father would care for our childish bickering.” the two shared a dark smile before Jim did a quick teleport to the darklands…..

Jim had teleport into his room, he shouldered his backpack off right when he heard his door knock. He walked over and opened it  
“Master Jim! Welcome home.” Blinky clasped his four hands together as he greeted Jim.  
“Hey Blinky, Caught me at my usual time. How are you?”  
“Well! You’re father wishes to speak to you, as soon as possible.”  
“Which is a nice way of saying ‘get my ass over to him pronto or else’”  
“Yes, I suppose that would be the more...direct answer.”  
“Alright, I’ll head over to daddies Throne room in a few seconds”  
“no no, please leave now he truly requests you come to him the moment you arrive back home, which suffice to say is this exact moment”  
“alright alright I’m going, oh and tell Arrrg I said hi”  
“i shall”  
“hey before I go, is dad in a good mood or a ‘kill on sight’ mood?”  
“hmmm, hard to tell this time. He seemed….conflicted. Best hurry along before his mood turns sour.”

 

With that Jim hurried along through the twisting corridors and turns of the darklands. He remembered when he was very young, walking around having elite guards by his side every second when he left anywhere. Gunmars little son hardly could raise a sword, let alone defend himself. It was fairly safe that deep within the kingdom, still better be safe than sorry. He would see Goblins roam around at times, he would wave and say hello, he would usually get a hello back, but in goblin. He knew a little of their language, but not much. 

 

Finally Jim approached the throne room, the guards stationed outside opened the massive gate for him.  
Then he walked through the ever familiar room. Throughout all his life he walked through this room more times than can be counted. He remembered playing by his fathers throne. Watching fights in a gladiator style combat. He remembered father killing off soldiers that disrespected him, or questioned Gunmars judgment, or had their loyalty in question. Jim remembered sitting on his fathers throne when Gunmar wasn’t on it. He pretended to be the new leader of the gumm-gumms, ordering pretend soldiers to fight and move out. He pretended to swing a giant blade around, he imagined himself big like his father, ruling with an iron fist. He pretended to absorb energy from the throne like his father did. He pretended to have his own loyal adviser to guide him. 

 

Gunmar thought this was amusing, to see his ambitions young son imagine such things. However he did tell him to stay off his throne. Not even Bular dared to sit on it. Fearless and playful, That’s how Jim was. Gunmar approved. 

Bular Hated ‘babysitting’ his little brother. He had better things to do than to watch a small whelp cling to his side like a tick would on a human. Constantly having a barrage of questions aimed at him from Jim. Why did he not have a tail of his own, why were his legs different, why was his older brother so tall, why was his horns smaller, why this and why that. Bular didn’t see why Jim couldn’t just be baby sat by goblins. They took well enough care of the human whelps, so why not Jim? No, their father would never allow such small weak pathetic creatures to watch over his son. When Blinky was busy and Arrrg was sent out fighting, it was up to Bular to watch the whelp. He would much rather be splitting skulls, instead of keeping a child from climbing on him like some play set.

 

Jim knelled at the throne.  
“Hey dad.”  
“Hello son. Welcome home”  
“Thanks. So, you needed to talk to me?” Jim raised his head and looked into his fathers glowing eye. He did look conflicted, bored almost.  
“How is your training going?”  
“Good, I’m passing all my tests and getting good grades, I feel like I’m really accomplishing school.”  
“hm...” Gunmar looked at his son. He didn’t care much, or at all, of his ‘human studies’. It was worthless information to him. Jim enjoyed it, so he allowed him to speak to Blinky about it. That way he could ‘express himself’ in a positive way. It’s worked all of his sons life, and hes been doing great, so Gunmar allowed it to continue  
“And your actual training?”  
“Great! I know how to slice a head off in one go” that made Gunmar perk up a bit. Hearing about how his sons improvement in combat always made him smile. His little whelp, growing up to be able to kill any foe. He couldn’t wait to see his son slay many foes at once, bringing home heads to show him. When Jim had his first kill, Gunmar swelled with pride. His little whelp had his first time, and loved every second of it. He truly was his fathers son. Even though he was smaller, an omega, and a half troll, he still had his fathers blood coursing through his veins. One day he will be as mighty and blood thirsty as Bular is.  
“Good. Good. Do you have any news to share with me?”  
“Not anything important. OH ACTUALLY I DID find out some trollmarket information. Just a tiny bit, but it is something to note” Gunmar perked up a bit more  
“oh? And what might that be?”  
“Exactly every four nights, a scavenger will come out. We now know of where they typically open their portals AND a small scheduled. We could press the scavenger for information, then kill him of course.”  
“You make me very proud my son. Hmm, yes, that is something to note. You may take your leave now. That is all I called you for” Jim felt amazing, hearing his fathers approval always made him want to jump for joy.  
“thanks dad, goodbye” Gunmar waved him off as Jim got off his knee and headed out. He made a small ‘yes!’ motion with his arm when no one was looking.

…………………………

 

He walked some stairs and a small bridge, around a few corners came a very large door. He opened the door to his room. A very large cave stretching high up and deep. It was lit up by many green crystals jutting from every part of it. From very large to very small. He breathed in, he always felt relaxed in his room. It was large and circular in shape, almost like a cone. Triangle from the ceiling, going thicker and outwards down. He had a good sized nest in the right side of his large room. It was decorated with pillows and blankets, and the occasional crystal and skull. He closed the door behind him and started to undress. In the very back, he had his own bathing pool and toilet as well as a sink and mirror. He enjoyed human bathing supplies, bath bombs that sparkled, shampoos and conditioners (they worked WONDERS for his fur. It gets so tangled and knotted at times.) soaps of all kinds really. Jim walked over and started to run some hot water in his bath. They did have plumbing deep down. Crafted metal parts and stone aqueducts moved water from one place to another all around their ‘dark’ kingdom. 

The darklands naturally felt cold and empty. Devoid of life, light, and heat. They survived though, it hardened them. Jim hardly felt the cold anymore. The nice hot baths were always such a treat for him. He would just clean himself up then relax. Letting everything go.

He threw his dirty cloths in a nearby hamper. He always went to the surface world to clean them, laundry mats were always far better than having his cloths roughly cleaned by servants. Trolls didn’t exactly have hygiene as their top priority...Jim liked to smell and look nice though. Not filthy and grimy. The only time he did enjoy it, was when he was killing something and eating. Around the dark kingdom, he was known as the ‘pretty omega’. Just for being fluffy and smelling good, well groomed as well. Blinky told Gunmar that Half trolls and humans needed to be clean and sanitized, else they fall to sickness and possible death. Gunmar let Jim do whatever he needed to do. He never bothered on telling him what to look like. It mattered little. While others would wear armor around at all times, Jim would just wear ‘casual human cloths’. From T shirts to Jeans to jackets to scarfs to everything really. 

 

The trolls didn’t understand why he wanted to wear such delicate and soft garments. ‘it won’t prevent a sword or weapon from killing you’. He just said it was a human thing. They usually didn’t care about prying further. So typically in a full room there would be guards, armed to the teeth, then a little fluffy soft ‘casual’ Jim. Some trolls would wonder what the ‘imagery’ and ‘words’ on his shirts were. 

“papa skull is this band. Bands are human bards gathering together to sing and try to be famous”. The trolls again, didn’t pry further, simple because it mattered little to them. Occasionally Gunmar would look at one of his shirts and be curious for a moment on the imagery, from something of a cute animal, to something of skulls. He didn’t bother for too long with the curiosity. Jim explained that it also helped him to ‘blend in’. So they just let him go about his daily life, as with everything else. The trolls didn’t speak ‘human’. They found humanity too complex and over the top. So many different words and languages and philosophies and cultures. The trolls thought it was unnecessary, and wouldn’t matter in the end. When they rule the world, none of that will matter. 

Blinky was the only troll in the entire kingdom that was interested, he loved hearing about human history and culture. He loved to read just what humans studied and thought, he was fascinated by this small race, going to such extremes, and inventing things that trolls would never have conceived, or wanted. Troll Technology was far more advanced in ways, while humans in others. Still, he loved to read, these creatures lived soooo small and little, for such short periods, have developed MASSIVELY within centuries! Cultures and kingdoms coming and going so quickly, things changing from one way to another so fast. Trolls in general thought humans changed too fast, too much. They typically never invested much time, since they know its just ‘a current phase’ when dealing with human society. They could blink, then suddenly three whole human civilizations would come and go.

 

So many stories, so many tales, so much that happens within a decade! The amount of change is so extreme! that’s why Blinky loved it, human ingenuity never slept! They never stopped for a moments breath on changing things that they already had! Inventing and improving everything at every moment! He would spend a lot of his downtime learning and reading, when he wasn’t advising or needed elsewhere. Thus, he was an excellent teacher to Jim. Giving ‘private lessons’ on every subject possible. He did slow down plenty of times, he knew he would overwhelm Jim if he didn’t. 

 

Jim’s room had a few Bookshelves filled to the brim with books of all things, biology, to science, to math, to history, to philosophies. Jim did love to learn, but he got a headache at times. Because of Blinky, he did so well in college. He did have troubles at times, but nothing Blinky didn’t know, or at least would research and memorize in such a small time frame. His room had wardrobes, Shelves with various things on them, tapestries depicting Gunmar in various Battles, figurines of shows and movies and book series he enjoyed. He explained to others that they weren’t for eating. Or playing with, just to look at. He explained it was the same as skulls or trophies. He had various types of crystals all over the place. One very important spot was dedicated to magic.

Dark and wretched magics. Books and scrolls and all things that have studied the TRUE history and styles of magics. Jim found it fun, exciting, and somewhat of a good thing. He DID want to break his dad out of the darklands. Gunmar loves that his son is practicing magic to free him. Bular never bothered with it, ‘leave the thinking to others.’ he would say. Another thing Gunmar liked about Jim, what he lacked in brutal strength, he had wisdom, intellect, thinking, planning, ideas. Jim also wanted to use magic to improve himself in every and anyway it could.

 

A knock on Jim’s door caused Jim to open his eyes and call out  
“Who Is it?”  
“Blinky, Master Jim”  
“Come in!”  
With that permission, The Troll let himself in.  
“Ah, forgive me for disturbing you in your hour of relaxation, but I needed to speak to you before you departed on your outing with Bular”  
Jims eyes opened wide quickly. He totally forgot he was supposed to do that, He was so thankful for Blinky reminding him. Jim really should get the troll something nice. The half troll got up out of the tub and grabbed a towel. He began to dry off as he walked over to Blinky. He didn’t care if Blinky saw him naked, he had raised him since birth anyways. Not only that, but nudity among trolls was as common as wearing cloths. No one cared or had a ‘beauty’ stigma, like humans did. Jim could walk around the entire kingdom naked, no one would bat an eye.

Well….some alphas might steal a glance at him, Jim didn’t mind. It’s nice to feel attractive. However no one would dare look at him without the proper reason. He was a son of Gunmar, no one dared to court him or make any kind of move. Jim is better than EVERY lesser troll, his father says. He is ONLY to be courted by the strongest, most powerful, most deadly alpha trolls. Not only that, but Jim was allowed to be the one to decide. Currently he had no suitors, he was a good age to start thinking about raising whelps, but he wasn’t commanded to have any at the time. Jim did imagine himself with an alpha. He did enjoy feeling overpowered. At someones mercy. He did have heats, he had needs. Thankfully humans had ‘invented’ toys for situations such as these. He loved the ideas humans had. And so many choices too! He felt good being able to pick and choose what pleasures he wanted. 

 

“Master Jim, I was hoping to ask if you could spar with Arrrg soon? It would please your father, better your training, and let you spend time with him. He does miss that.” Blinky smiled and blinked all his eyes. He was one of the strongest and biggest gumm-gumms. If Blinky never claimed him for a mate, Jim probably would have himself. Arrrg cared so deeply for Jim, he could be very sensitive and gentle, a quiet caring kind giant. Then like the other side of the coin, he could be a powerful dreaded monster. Jim loved spending time with the big alpha, they had plenty of fun moments. When he was young, Jim would ride on the big trolls back while the two laughed as Arrrg climbed and jumped and ran around. Jim would fall asleep on his back and be carried to his own nest. When Jim got scared, he would hide under Arrrg, behind on of his thick powerful arms. 

 

“I’d like that, tell him I want to spend a day with him soon, when I get time. Bring it up with my dad though, just to make sure I don’t have anything important to do within the next week or so and well you get what I’m talking about” Blinky happily nodded.  
“Would you want my assistance in donning your armor?”  
“hm? OH uh, sure yeah, I could use the time saver.” 

 

With that they got to work. Jim’s armor was crafted from the dark metals and stone of the Darklands. The best of the best was used. Sleek black and blue armor, it fit his body snug. Giving him proper agility. The armor glowed in the dark, just like his fathers own skin. The helm would open up when he needed it to. When it was closed The eyes glowed like his fathers own eye. The armor had claws and sharp digits for piercing, cutting, and helping him to climb. The armor was crafted to look intimidating. To show fear. To put anxiety directly into the hearts of his enemies. From the top, traveling down his neck and in between his horns, were rows of little blades. Attached to the helm. 

 

For intimidation, and also quick easy to use blades when he needed them. The chest of the armor had a skull of Gunmar etched into it. Classic Troll art style. The armor could help Jim hear breathing and heartbeats nearby. A true hunters capabilities. The spine was thicker and tighter, letting him not have to worry about being attacked from behind and harmed too severely. The Helm disguised his voice, letting him talk without anyone knowing his true identity, making it deeper like his fathers. There wasn’t a single inch of him that wasn’t covered. The armor was heavy, but it was easy to use after wearing it for a short while. Jim’s body grew accustomed to it. It was specially crafted for him and him alone. It was like a second body to him. His own carapace. No extra room at all. It cling tightly. Tight enough to have no difficult in movement, but still easy enough to breathe normally. It had small green crystals adorned on it and facing outwards like spines. Around the waistline, and shoulders, going down right at the top of the neck. Jim could move around easy, without any of them piercing his armor. Yet if an enemy attacked him, they would possibly feel nasty backlash of energy from touching them. 

 

(I based this idea off of monsterhunter. A mixture of the Gore and nergigante armors)

 

To anyone looking at him, he looked like a slim troll wearing armor that resembled the dark under lord. His father was pleased in its design and properties. Jim loved his armor, he made sure to take the greatest care of it. He grabbed his sword and locked it onto his forearm. He slid it through the straps, between the elbow and wrist. It faced outward instead of inward. If he moved his knuckles towards his chest, he could potentially touch his sword.

The sword was magical itself. It could shrink and grow. Shrink to the size of a dagger, and grow to the size of a short sword. It glowed blue and was spiked, like a tiny tiny version of his own fathers. It was serrated with crystals, tearing into skin like butter. He did a slight breathing exercise to steel his nerves. He closed his eyes. Breathing in through his nose, and out through his mouth. He opened his eyes and smiled. Tonight, he would eat. He licked his lips and fangs. He couldn’t wait to taste the sweet blood. 

Blinky looked him over  
“there. All finished, now hurry along, I believe you’re late” Jim’s eyes flashed wide, oh fuck he super was!  
“thanks Blinky! I’ll see you later! If I can I’ll bring you back a rib or something!”  
“Good bye master Jim. Enjoy yourself!”

 

……………………………….

 

Jim had teleport, the first thing he saw was a snarling Bular in the shadows against a tree.  
“What took you so long?!”  
“Sorry I was busy”  
“Hurry up whelp! We’re late as it is” Jim sighed, his big bro was right. The moment Jim started to walk over to Bular, The alpha troll sniffed at the air, then met halfway with Jim and started to smell him  
“WHAT FOOLISHNESS IS THIS!?”  
“what now?”  
“You smell of soaps!”  
“yeah...i might have bathed before coming.”  
“You dare do that! you’ll get us caught” It was then that it dawned on Jim. He always did use strong and nice smelling sundries. Shit, his scent was too strong. One whiff and they could easily be found.  
“okay that’s my fault. Look how about I go roll in some mud somewhere. Easy fix.” Bular snarled and stomped off.  
“You’ll get us killed whelp. Or more likely, YOU will get killed. Then father will blame me for your stupidity.” He did have a point. Tonight was important. It was another recon to watch Kanjigar. Tonight was a big step though. They had ordered an ambush to happen, catching the trollhunter off guard, putting him in a dire position. There, they will watch from the shadows. Learning what flaws he had when surprised. Learning every weakness of their enemy was important. Use it against them when in combat. Blinky and Arrrg had helped to train Jim to fight and kill.

 

Rule 1. never show fear, remorse, exhaust, or weakness. If an enemy slices your limb off, you laugh and smile. Show them you hardly feel anything.  
Rule 2. always strike to kill, do NOT hold back. If you fight, you always end their life. Kill everyone. No matter who or what they are.  
Rule 3. never back down or flee unless absolutely needed. Use everything to your advantage. Aim for every weakness and opening. Kill your enemies family, children, friends. Slay everyone to leave a message. Make sure to always show how filled with blood lust you are.

 

The two gumm-gumm brothers quietly stalked nearby. A large swath of forest, untouched by any, lay before them. They had only to wait a tiny amount before the trollhunter arrived. Jim had splashed in the water and mud to hide his scent, and camouflage himself before the arrival. They saw the glorious trollhunter move along the river, walking through the forest calmly and alert. Jim licked his lips and started to stroke his armored horn. He was eager for blood. For carnage, for fighting.  
“Shhh. Still yourself. Calm your nerves.”  
“i know, I just...i want a piece of him...i want to collect him..i want to eat him...please, just one bite. I want to drink his blood. Just one handful.” Bular looked over and smiled at his little half brother, both meanings. Different mothers AND him being a half troll. He watched his brother squirm in anticipation.  
“No. I itch to fight just as much. We are only observing.”  
“no….no we can take him...the two of us and our soldiers...yeah...yeah….kill….lets go...lets kill….”  
“Easy boy. no. father would be displeased if you got hurt. Even with all of us together, you are still to weak to fight him head on. He would strike you down quickly. Hows about after this little show, you and I go get something to eat. Will that curb your lust for now?”  
Jim whined and groaned. He nodded though. He could eat….and he really, REALLY needed to scratch his violent itch. Big bro knew best. Jim really was weaker. He hated that. He wanted to be stronger. He was pushing himself too quickly though. He isn’t full troll. 

Kanjigar stopped and looked around. He sniffed at the air. He smelled...something sweet….only a small fragrance...but….  
His focus broke as he was suddenly alerted by a small noise. He looked around and carefully scanned the area. His gaze looking at every small leaf and rock. Once and a while gumm-gumms made a move in Arcadia. The trollhunter tried to hide this from the humans above, not wanting them to be scared ad panic. What they don’t know cant hurt them. The ‘good’ trolls always dealt with the issues properly and efficiently. There was no evidence of any fighting after he finished cleaning up. Kanjigar snorted into the air and took another step, before hearing a rock drop into the water. He turned around to see nothing, except a small frog jump and swim. 

Kanjigar made sure to be aware, to be afraid, to be ready for anything and everything around every corner. This area he was never assaulted, or even had seen any gumm-gumms. Which would also have made it a good surprise point. His guard would be lowered, and with the thick wooded area, it would be easy to hide. He wasn’t foolish. He knew what could happen.

Jim made a small sad whimper. Bular had to pet him to calm him down.  
“If you keep this up, he’ll notice us. Now hush.” Jim’s nerves did calm down a bit when his big brother gently pet him. He took his large stone hand and gently moved it from the front of Jim’s forehead, to the back of his head. It made Jim purr in delight. He always loved to be pet.  
Jim looked around, trying to figure out where the best ambush spots would be. Bular noticed this. He had been training Jim to find the areas to hide. To use for both offense and defense.  
“Good. Notice the trees. How thick the trucks are on the right side of the river. Notice the placement of the river bed. Deep but not too deep. It would slow movement down, also would make too much noise and alert your prey. See how the wind moves, it shifts from left to right. It is weak, and blows only gently. Strong enough though to rattle the trees. Causing noise, movement, and obscurity. Our placement is downwind. Meaning he has a far less chance of smelling us. Notice the ground beneath your feet. How soft it is in some areas, harder in others, how slippery it gets closer to the river.

 

Always remember your footing, where you step, how you step, and when to step. Look at the small creatures in the water. They make little tiny noises, cause distractions like how that small creature did. Remember when the sun will rise. Remember how many hours you have left, and when to retreat. Where the sunlight will be shown the most, and least. A good warrior memorizes every detail of the battle field, get a better advantage on using it against your opponent. So, little brother. Where do you think our men are?” Jim squinted and focused. He looked around. Where would 10 gumm-gumm soldiers hide...they were big, bulky, and not stealthy in the slightest. They needed a place to aid them in all three. A place that would naturally support these things they lack.”

“right side of the river. Thick trunks. Downwind. Lots of noises from the trees. The swaying hides their shadows.”

“Good. Good! you’re getting so much better.” Bular patted Jim on the head. Making Jim purr a bit from the much welcomed praise at his growth and training. Kanjigar looked around once more. He turned to leave slowly. He stopped mid step. The crickets stopped chirping, the birds stopped talking, the frogs stopped croaking. The whole forest became silent in one moment. Like someone pushed the mute button on the world. Kanjigar knew something was off. He mentally prepared, going through his training memories to figure out what his next move was. He stilled his breath and tried to relax as much as he could, to make the need to breathe as little as possible. It made listening to noise that much easier.

 

There were a few tense moments of silence. Kanjigar felt tense. He always trusted his instincts. They rarely ever failed him. He looked around and noticed a large rock was out of place. Something someone would hardly notice, but a warrior memorizes every detail of the land. Kanjigar summoned his sword and grasped it in a ready motion. The faint glow reflected on the river surface, making it look like the moon was out. Kanjigar made sure he had his back toward a tree, feet on solid ground. Making sure he wouldn’t slip, or be attacked from behind. 

 

In a single moment, he was jumped. The gumm-gumms made a large circle around the trollhunter. They surged forward and attacked. Slashing and hacking, thrusting and deflecting. Jim was mentally cheering. Not for the gumm-gumms to win. Not for Kanjigar to win either, no. he cheered for more violence. More carnage. He wanted to watch death. Even if it were his own fathers soldiers. As long as there was blood and death, he got satisfied. Fighting made Jim energetic and eager to jump into the fray. Sadly this one he had to sit out. He dreamed of the day he and his big brother slew the trollhunter. Jim could ‘get all the goodies’, while Bular would get the glory. Jim wanted to stuff his face with the trollhunters guts and blood. Taking his own trophies home as well. He didn’t care if Bular received more credit. He honestly just liked to see his big brother be proud of Jim, same went with their father. As long as he accomplished things, he would receive praise. That’s all Jim truly wanted. Recognition. He wanted to prove to everyone, that he wasn’t some small helpless half troll omega. No, he was a son of Gunmar. A lethal and dangerous being, NOT to be trifled with.

 

Kanjigar resorted to dogging attacks and counter attacking. He used the numbers against themselves. Two gumm-gumms had impaled one another with their spears, causing them both to crumple up, fall to the ground and die. Blood spilled out of their wounds and into the river, causing it to turn red. Shortly after the gumm-gumms turned to stone. Jim wanted to cheer out and demand more fighting. He was excited and couldn’t sit still. His brother had to keep petting him, just to keep him from bouncing up and down with energy. Kanjigar had decapitated two trolls. Blood spilled from their necks. They dropped to the ground. Then shortly after, turned to stone. Jim wanted to rush over and lap up the blood as quick as he could. Screw eating a human! He wanted what was in front of him! Even if it didn’t taste nearly as good!

 

Bular pushed him down until he sat cross legged.  
“stop moving. you’re getting to excited! I know what you’re thinking. I would rather drag you back to home than have you run over and join the fight.” Jim started to move his leg. He needed to calm down. He breathed in and out. It didn’t help much, as the scent of death was starting to stagnate the air. A sudden shift in the air and he noticed an unfamiliar scent…..  
Jim’s curiosity piqued and he looked around, sniffing at the air to find this mysterious scent. Suddenly he heard roars and a sudden ball crash from the woods and slam into a gumm-gumms back. Then having an ax buried deep within the gumm-gumms back almost as quickly. In a flash a blue troll with a spiked back and large horns joined the fight. He hacked and slashed and killed the reminder of the soldiers.

Jim’s eyes opened as he looked. Strong, big, ferocious, knows how to spill blood and kill. He swallowed and stared.  
“who is that?” Bular snorted and spoke with distaste  
“that pathetic whelp is Draal the deadly. He is the one and only son of the trollhunter.”  
“A son of Kanjigar? Mmmh...he knows how to kill so well. So….natural….” Jim licked his lips and purred.  
“Do not even think about it. You are not going to even imagine an attempt at a courting. You will be courted by the strongest and most worthy of our fathers army. You will bare his whelps. Not a whelp from the trollhunters foolish boy.”  
“fun killer, I can’t even imagine for a second without you being on my ass. I just wondered what he would be like back in my nest~ I bet he takes what he wants when he wants it, he would demand me to-”  
“enough. Focus. Stop having your mind on your upcoming heat.”  
“I can’t help it. Dear brother. My body demands a mate.”  
“You will receive one. Now enough with this talk. We should depart.”  
“aww...already?”  
“i did not expect his son to show up.”  
“why not just kill them both right now. His strong son just arrived to the party~. The trollhunter is weakened by using up a lot of his energy. We can slay them.”  
“no. Even in his weakened state, he is not to be trifled with. Even the both of us combined could not take him down. With his son here now, our chances are none what so ever.”  
“I could distract his son~”  
“Enough. let’s get you fed and back home. I can practically smell you going into heat already.”  
“goodbye trollhunter. Goodbye Draal~” Jim purred one last time as he took his last look at the two.

 

…………………………..

Jim burped after he ripped the last piece of meat off a bone. He felt a lot better, his thinking became clear. With all the excitement and entertainment~ it riled him up a bit too much~. If Bular wasn’t there to stop him….He might have started to fight….or hump….probably both. Bular was right, his heat was coming soon, in a few days give or take. Jim felt lonely whenever he didn’t have a mate, he’s never actually had a mate before. Sure he might have had some strong gumm-gumms get invited to his nest~ but they didn’t last long. Mostly because Jim was a ‘mantis’. He occsaionally liked to finish the night with a good meal. Unless they were REALLY good at sex. Then he would keep them around. However, when dear old dad found out, those gumm-gumms usually didn’t see the next day. Pity. Jim really liked them. Oh well, more flesh to be had. He was still young by troll years, but he was an adult now, it was time to get serious soon.

 

He didn’t mind thinking about his future mate, plenty of studly warriors to choose from, and he knows for a fact they would LITERALLY do anything for him. Trained to obey every word without hesitation or thinking, trained to have their bodies as strong and enduring as possible, and trained for intense lust for blood and violence. A perfect combination. Jim also knew that there was no higher honor than to be mated to a son of Gunmar, except BEING mated to Gunmar. So more than enough would try to prove themselves worthy enough to court. Bular didn’t think or care for courting, he would much rather be out killing than sleeping around. Besides, if he liked someone, he wouldn’t have to waste too much time, since everyone did practically throw themselves at his feet. Jim wasn’t a whore, he just took what he needed when he needed it. When you’re hungry, you stuff your face. The same rules applied. At least in his head. Gunmar never cared about either of his sons sexual activities, just as long as neither of them ends up having whelps with an unworthy mate.

 

Gunmar had final say on who would be mated to who. That didn’t apply to just his sons, but his entire hoard. He needed only the best of the best to breed. Make a better army that way. Love mattered little to gumm-gumms, still, Mates are mates, affection is there. Even Gunmar has fallen in love twice, so he doesn’t disrespect it, he just makes sure it doesn’t blind or prevent anyone from doing their jobs. He wanted his sons to have whelps eventually. His linage must be continued down the line. Creating the greatest of future gumm-gumms to rule over the world eventually. Gunmar by no means plans on ‘retiring’ anytime soon. Still, always have to look towards the future. He knew Bular wanted to be the inheritor to the throne, Jim didn’t. That suited Gunmar just fine. His sons wouldn’t fight or kill one another over It, Unlike other princes, who would conspire against one another for their fathers thrones. Gunmar loved that his sons never truly fought, He loved that they worked so well together. Truly a deadly pair. He was so proud of his spawn.

 

He wanted his grandwhelps, and so on, to be only the brightest and most ferocious. Thus, he would allow the proper selection of mates for his sons, and so on. Out of the two sons, Jim wanted to be mated and have whelps the most, not immediately, but far sooner than Bular wanted. He wanted Jim to decide for himself who his future mate would be, out of the ones Gunmar picked of course. Jim had good judgment, so he trusted his son would make the right choice. Omegas typically were fewer in numbers, and thus were required to bear as many whelps as they could. Jim however was the exception. He could choose how many he wanted, as long as he had at least a single whelp. 

 

The ‘proper’ gumm-gumms worthy of Jim, were invited to his nest. As long as they weren’t killed by Jim, or Gunmar, then they would just go back to their post and pretend like nothing happened. No mention of it, no flirting. Like it never happened. Professional. Jim wanted only the best of the best for a permanent mate, he had his eyes on a few, but he never thought too heavily on the subject. 

 

Jim and Bular arrived home after their little outing. Jim had yet to settle down, he was hungry for blood and craving violence like someone would crave chocolate. He thought about how he would satisfy his dark needs, before his attention was pulled back into the real world by Bular.  
“You did well tonight. You need to learn to pay attention and not be distracted by physical needs. I understand you’re an omega, and you’re heat is soon. Still, if I weren’t there to settle you, I’m more than you you would have been captured and killed.”  
“yeah probably, thanks for keeping me alive”  
“I won’t tell father about that. Only report that your learning is showing great progress”  
“thanks Bular, I appreciate it, now if you don’t mind, I’m going to get cleaned up and go to bed” Bular nodded and departed. Jim sighed and decided to just sleep off his urges. He had school tomorrow and needed to be able to pay attention. His mind did have a sudden though….Where was Bular when Jim was talking to Toby? Jim would need to figure that out tomorrow when he and Toby hungout. 

 

………………………………….

 

Jim yawned and stretched, cracking his bones and doing light stretches as he woke up. He got himself ready for school, said his goodbyes, then left to the surface. He now stood at the entrance of his college, waiting for Toby. His friend usually rode his bike there, but recently he accidentally crashed down a hill, bending it pretty badly. Jim offered to try and help fix it by bending it back into place. Only to make it a bit….worse. Too much strength behind it. Snapped in half like a toothpicks. He promised his best friend that he would buy him a new bike. It was only fair. Jim never had money, he never really needed it usually. Everything he DID get was from the changelings working in the area. He would go over to them, get a fistful of cash, and spend it on whatever he needed or wanted. Jim watched the sun rise higher in the sky, the sunlight touching his face, warming it up. 

 

He smirked. Bular would have cried in pain. Jim thought that was funny, of course he didn’t want his brother to die or be seriously hurt, but it was like watching a friend trip and fall. Epic fail. His thoughts turned to his older brother. This evening he needed to scout around his friends home. How did Bular hear them? Where was he? There was only a few trees around, and he’d be dammed if he sat on the roof of the house. He was way to big and burly, he would have been spotted immediately. Not only that, be he wasn’t exactly a feather. He stopped around and shook loose stone naturally, unless he truly tried his best to be silent. 

“Hey Jimbo” Toby greeted Jim, causing Jim to focus on his friend. He watched Toby close the car door and say goodbye to his Nana.  
“Toby pie, don’t forget tonight’s bingo night. I’ll be gone, Stay safe. Oh and tell that tall friend of yours to not eat the cat litter”  
“Nana, he doesn’t do that. I told you, I’m the one who took it out last night.” Jim rolled his eyes and smiled. He would never eat cat litter. Yuck. Although, his brother might. Nana drove off blasting rock and roll in her car. Toby walked over to ‘his tall friend’. The two hugged and walked to their class.  
“hhiii Jim!” Jim stopped and smiled, he heard his small friend greet him from behind. Turning around Jim saw his little friend, Eli, next to his boyfriend Steve. The two had a bad history, but they grew out of it as they got older. Steve revealed his real feelings he was afraid to talk about, Eli accepted his apology, the two went on some dates, and now they’ve been a couple ever since. Jim remembered that their second anniversary of them dating was coming up...or recently passed...either way. Eli ran up to Jim and gave him a big hug. Well, big to Eli. He was like a twig. Hardly had any weight on him. Jim was somewhat glad for that. No troll would try eating him, he was too small, not worth the time. 

“Hey little guy, How are ya.”  
“Great!”  
“Hey Jim”  
“Hey Steve” The big alpha hugged Jim. He had good weight on him, he was beefier than when he was in high school. He was growing into a good sized alpha. It was a funny sight really. 4 humans around a tall Half troll. It kinda looked like one of those old games where kids would run around a pole with ribbons. The time was getting too close to the start of Toby and Jim’s class, so they said their goodbyes and left the couple…

 

It was noon now, Toby and Jim left their class. The two met with Claire at the front of the College. They all went to some store to pick things out. Jim picked out a few things to eat, and a few things to use in his nest.

Toby looked at Jim’s selection of pillows and blankets.  
“Heat soon?”  
“Yeah, Need something new to ‘freshen’ up my nest. Something new to give it color. Something to brighten it up a bit.”  
“Nice...i guess?. Well I’m happy for ya big guy.” 

Jim was awkward during his first heat when he was on the surface with Toby. He honestly felt really weird being around a human, and on the surface world in general. Little little time after time he got used to it and didn’t feel awkward as he once did. Claire got some cute purple blankets to go in her room. Toby didn’t bother buying anything, he didn’t invest much time in the whole ‘decoration’ scene. After they finished shopping Claire left to go home, Toby and Jim did the same.

……………………………….

Jim and Toby had finished hanging out, Jim really wanted to stay over longer, but the sun was setting and he needed to leave. He needed to do a couple more hunts, before he would stay in and hunker down in his nest. He needed to fill up on humans as fast as he could, before he couldn’t for a while. Jim started to leave the home when he stopped.  
“you know, I don’t like you spying on me” Jim said turning around and looking at the side of the house, seeing his big brother Bular. Bular had stood in between a tree and one of the large rocks.  
“Someone needs to look after you, especially with the trollhunter on high alert now, and you going into your heat soon. You are far to vulnerable right now.”  
“I’m fine. Love you too big bro, thanks for looking out for me and wanting to protect me, but if the trollhunter is on such high alert, why come out here and have the chance to be found?”  
“You and I both know he doesn’t leave until the sun has long since set.”  
“Exactly! Which means there is no need what so ever to protect me.” Bular growled in his throat lightly.  
“When do you plan on eating the whelp?”  
“I am not going to eat Toby anytime soon, he’s my best friend”  
“Hmph, Friend. Our kind don’t do friends. Makes you weak, grow less violent.”  
“well I am part human, this helps me grow. Besides if ANYONE will eat any of my friends, It’s going to be me. Remember that, and make sure everyone knows it too. They’re off limits.”  
Bular just sighed through his nose and started to walk away into the woods. Jim followed right behind him.

“come. Little omega. Let’s get you fed before we go home.”  
“now? it’s still early, someone could see”  
“Now is the best time. Plenty of humans are out. Bigger buffet. High risk for high reward. Besides, it’s best to get you home as soon as possible. Let you get ready to nest.”  
“awww aren’t you so sweet to me.”  
“I am your brother. If I don’t look out for you, I will be seen as a terrible sibling. Besides, I’m more than sure father would be upset if something happened to you.”

“Eh, sounds right” Jim casually said while Bular looked back and smiled.  
“Have any particular human in mind?”  
“hmm...i have been looking around...there is a couple….But I’ll take what I can get.”

…………………………..

Bular leaned up against a tree. He watched the sun, finally starting to set. The sunlight fading quickly. He looked down to his little brother, happily moaning and digging into his ‘dinner’. Jim swallowed and said  
“Mhhh...I’m going to miss this. I always feel a bit sad when I have to go so long without it.”  
“it’s hardly any time at all. Besides, I do hunt for you when you’re stuck in your nest.”  
“I know that, but I love the thrill of the hunt. I miss it.”  
“I know you do. You almost finished? The trolls might depart from their safe little trollmarket soon”  
“Ah, sweet sweet safety. Who doesn’t love it? I wish I could kill a few of them before my heat”  
“Why don’t we go find some then little brother. Make it all the more worth while for you.”  
“I’m too stuffed” Jim let out a loud burp.  
“Besides, I’m getting sleepy. I want to lay around and enjoy my euphoria.” Bular nodded looking at the few pieces of meat left on the bones of the carcass.  
“Well, I won’t want to stop that. it’s always so lovely. Let’s get you home, I’ll deal with the mess later. I doubt the trollhunter will be out earlier than usual.”  
Jim burped again then wiped his mouth, he got up and grabbed his backpack.  
“Lead the way my bloodthirsty brother.”

…………………………

Jim laid in his nest, post bath. He was warm and clean and still riding his high. He felt so good in his nest. He relaxed his muscles and laid back fully. He covered himself with his new blankets and laid his head on his new pillows, they did spruce up his nest well. He moved a skull out of his way, tossing it down to the floor. He closed his eyes and breathed. Counting down until he fell asleep. The sounds of the darklands quietly echoed around him. He was curious about his future, the armies were growing, a massive movement would occur sometime in the near future when a planned doorway would open. He smiled at the thought of his father marching onto the world, one day he hoped that he personally would be the one to break the curse. His father would be so proud. His mind started to fade away into sleep. His last thoughts were about his impending heat. Who would he invite back to his nest this time….hmmm….

 

He loved his life.


	2. meeting 'his hero'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim decides to leave the nest for a bit, get some fresh night air, stretch his legs. until he runs into none other than him, his brother, his father, his whole race's greatest enemy. the trollhunter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> time for a chat and a trip. how does Jim keep that lying little smile? he'll never tell.  
> 

Jim had gone into his heat. He stayed in his nest almost completely, as he usually did. He missed the thrill of the hunt, to run around and breathe fresh air, not the stagnant air of the darklands. although he didn’t mind, he was fully used to it, but he would love to run around and kill something. Seeing his friends would also be nice. Play games with Toby, Talk about boys with Claire, Spend time with Eli watching lame fail video's and creepy conspiracy theories. Funny, a lot of them talked about ‘are gumm-gumms secretly real and alive?!’. Jim couldn’t help but smile and chuckle. He always loved stuff along those lines. He was LITERALLY living proof. He was in the back of the stage, behind the curtains, going along and pulling the strings. Watching the audience gasp and awe at the ‘play of life’.

 

He loved watching the changelings just go by in life so normally. Right under the surface, behind the happy smile and warm friendly faces. Behind the 9-5 jobs and nice neighbors. The kind old woman across the street who loves to feed the birds. The dog walker taking a walk around the neighborhood. The quiet librarian sorting through books. The manager checking inventory at a store. A wedding photographer snapping photos for someones special day. All of it was so...fake….so...funny! He knew alllll the secrets. The hidden things behind everyone’s backs. The truth to all the conspiracy's was known well to Jim. He lived it, literally. He watched his little friend Eli talk about his own theories and ‘pieces to the puzzles’. He loved his friends, he always got a kick out of them trying to ‘find the thing in the dark’. He was standing next to them. Right in the open. He could get caught any second.

He closed his eyes and felt warm sense of pride wash over him. He was on the inside to everything. There literally wasn’t any other enemy. He WAS the enemy, the secret things that went bump in the night. The bogymen that parents told stories about to scare kids. The monsters that hunted in the forests. The things that made people ‘go missing’.

‘missing persons’ poster, those always made Jim smile. Sure he loved blood and gore, all kinds of violence in general, but whenever he looked at those photos. He didn’t feel much. He just saw past food. Already eaten and well, yeah. He never thought twice about the people he ate, it was just like if someone ate a steak. You only think of if it tasted good or not. Not a twinge of guilt or remorse. He never cared about peoples ‘friends and families’. The only people he ever cared about were the ones he made friends with, the ones he liked. All others were just walking potential dinner, or potential friends.

 

Most people think the gumm-gumms were made up, a story to be told. Something that didn’t actually happened, just something the trolls told so they ‘could have a scapegoat to get away with the eating and killing of humans’. Trolls never openly spoke about gumm-gumms, making many humans all the more suspicious. The truth of the matter, the trolls just didn’t want the modern humans to be afraid, attack them, think of them as the enemy. Humans did have a tendency to instantly point fingers at the first thing they saw. Jim was the son of the gumm-gumm leader. His blood, his body, his very being was from Gunmar the black’s bloodline. He was his son. His offspring. The most evil creature to be born, well, third. 1st was dear old daddy, the 2nd was his older brother Bular, then little Jim. He was one of the darkest sins to trollkind. He loved it.

Jim sighed and gently rubbed his chest and tummy. He lay naked in his nest, feeling the after glow of his orgasm. Two guards came into his room and removed a now fresh corpse laying at the foot of Jim’s bed. Jim had a nice fun few hours with a studly alpha he checked out. Sadly, for the alpha, he just wasn’t too good. He was fine, he got Jim off well enough. However, in the end, he just didn’t make the cut. So Jim had a nice post orgasm meal. The partially eaten troll was picked up and carried out of the room, the remains were cleaned up and disposed of. Jim watched and smirked. Then said to himself  
“funny. He was better to me dead than alive.” Jim purred at himself. He would clean himself later. He just wanted to finish riding out his current bliss. He closed his eyes and let it wash over him, on and off, flowing through his body like the tides on a beach….

A few hours later and Jim was bored. He already had sex twice that day, and only 1 corpses eaten. He didn’t feel like just laying around though. Usually he was more than happy to relax in his nest, but he had the itch to leave, and leave he would. He ordered a guard near his room and told him to tell everyone that he is not to be disturbed under ANY circumstance. Unless his own father demanded him, other than that, all others should be waved off. Jim loved that he was in the highest position, well second. His father was highest, he was second along with his brother. Jim loved that he could give orders out and others would follow no matter what. Most people can’t say they could do that now can they?.

Jim decided to ‘sneak out’ that night, well, surface night. Since nothing really changed in the darklands. Jim had plenty of things that told time. He got ready and was about to head out when he remembered to pick up some stuff from some stores. A few books Blinky asked for, some snacks, a couple movies, and birth control. Condoms weren’t exactly a thing for trolls. Surprisingly birth control worked just as good on half trolls as it did humans. Trolls couldn’t carry any diseases or illnesses, so Jim didn’t have to worry about catching anything. 

He grabbed his little amulet and turned it 360. it glowed green and swirled, then instantly he was right outside in a grove of trees. He adjusted his back pack and started to walk. Jim had fun, well as close to walking around as you could get. The night air was fresh and cool. The lights from the city flashed brightly and sparkled the night. He didn’t have much to do, all his friends said they were busy, so he had to make something up. He COULD hunt….but he wasn’t hungry. He only ever REALLY got his itch for blood lust scratched when he was fighting a REAL enemy. Someone who was dangerous, someone who could fight back and defend themselves. Not just a crying human who ran away shouting for help.

He walked around until he came down the slope and into the canal. He didn’t even notice the figure next to him.  
“You should be careful.” Jim jumped and instinctively reached for his sword, he wasn’t equipped with it however. The voice came from none other than the trollhunter.  
“No need to fear. I am simply making my rounds. I make sure to be very thorough. Make sure to protect us all” Kanjigar winked  
“You...scared me…..trollhunter…” Jim said with a cruel smile forming on his face. He calmed himself and reminded that he was ‘in disguise’ so to speak.  
“My apologies, didn’t mean to startle you. I’ve never seen you around these parts, are you new here?”  
“no….no...i mean, no I’m here often, everyday, but the ‘day’ part is when I’m around. it’s not surprising you’ve never seen me. My name is Jim.”  
“Nice to meet you Jim….”  
“That’s all. My mom named me that when I was born, she died though right after.”

“I am truly sorry to hear that. Family is very important.”  
“Nah it’s fine, It’s not like I knew her or anything, but thanks.”  
Kanjigar suddenly started to sniff. The wind had changed, blowing against Jim’s back.  
“I must say I’m surprised you’re out and about...”  
“I was growing restless in my nest. I needed to stretch my legs. Believe it or not, omegas do like to do something other than lay around” Jim winked

“Well, please be careful. I wouldn’t want someone to force themselves onto you.”  
“I’m surprised a big guy like you hasn’t tried to make a move”  
“No. I have far to much discipline too have my mind be muddled with such...intimate needs.”  
“Oh? or do I just not smell good enough to you” Jim smiled mischievously and winked. Kanjigar wasn’t sure how to respond to that, he said nothing in reply.  
“Oh I’m just messing with you. You want to know something, I’ve always wanted to meet the trollhunter…..up close. I’ve only ever seen you from a far, or heard of you.”  
“Well it’s always nice to meet a fan”  
“I sure am a big fan. So, there are rumors going around...is it true gumm-gumms have been sighted?” now THIS made Jim smile. He wanted to hear what the ‘glorious’ trollhunter had to say about it.

 

“No. those are just rumors being spread to get people jumpy. We only asked for everyone to be careful because of the missing people. Wild animals have been attacking lone humans. Nothing more than that, both us and humans are making efforts to protect everyone from any further fear. Keep together and be aware of your surroundings.”  
‘ha...haha...HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA’ Jim smiled wide and laughed in his head.  
“oh? Good, I was afraid all those people went missing because of gumm-gumms eating them.”  
“Well I’m glad the truth has you more relaxed and smiling. Still, someone as vulnerable as you shouldn’t be out alone. A half troll omega in heat all alone at night. isn’t exactly the safest thing right now. With no one around, no one could hear you shout for help if anything happened.”

“i promise, I’ll be as aware as you are. I keep hearing things...but….do gumm-gumms exist?” What was Kanjigars play now? What move would he make. He WAS dealing with an ‘ordinary citizen’ after all.  
“yes. In the past, in our...darkest history. They did exist. However they are not around any longer. Humans might not fully believe it, but believe me. They aren’t around at all these days. The age of gumm-gumms are far behind us. You can trust me after all, I’m your trollhunter” Kanjigar smiled kindly. The type that any good leader would develop. The kind that always gave the message of  
‘no need to panic. Stay nice and calm. Everything will be alright’.  
“Really? So all the rumors of gumm-gumms running around at night fighting you aren’t real? WHEW I’m so glad! That scared me honestly!” Jim gave a sigh of relief. He always was great at acting.

“I’m glad to have set your mind at ease. Where is your home?”  
“oh...uh, pretty far, but don’t worry I’ve always been fine!”  
“Chance and fate are no laughing matter. It would put MY mind to ease if I knew you were safe. Have you ever been to trollmarket?” Jim’s eyes suddenly went wide.  
“No...not at all...”  
“I would very much appreciate it if you came with me there. I could give you a room to stay in, just until the day comes when it’s much safer to be out and about.”

“No no, I’m fine, maybe next time.”  
“I insist. It’s dangerous out and We could open up the doorway right here” Jims eye’s widened more. He didn’t realize THIS was the spot.  
“oh...uh….I think I’m...”  
“None sense. As your trollhunter, it is my duty to protect everyone. Trolls, humans, and half trolls. That does include you”  
“Protect me huh? Never thought i’d hear those words from you”  
“Oh? Why would that be”  
“oh I ONLY MEANT that I never thought I would get to meet you in real life! Uh actually...could I have your auto graph?” Jim actually thought this would be funny, he could show Bular. He would be PISSED.  
1\. he left when he was in heat.  
2\. he didn’t tell anyone.  
3\. he had NO WAY of protecting himself.  
4\. if the soldiers were sent out that night, they might mistake Jim as a common blooded unimportant half troll, and attack him before they had a chance to realize who he truly was.

“do you sign these often?” Jim handed Kanjigar a blank sketch book and a pen.  
“Not often. Usually only humans ask for these sorts of things. Humans aren’t partial to….trolls, especially now with tensions higher. We keep to ourselves, the humans do their own things. Although I haven’t met many Half trolls.” It was true. Half trolls were more than scarce and exceedingly rare.  
“Not surprising. I typically don't care but...i have to admit...sometimes it does get lonely not having much to share with others about my kind.”  
that was true. Jim did occasionally want to be around another half troll at times. 

“Another reason to come to troll market, not that you'll find any half trolls there, but perhaps you might find something you may enjoy to fill that loneliness in your heart and mind. Have you been around a large number of trolls at once?” Kanjigar asked while handing back the now signed page. Jim smiled at it, troll writing, something almost all humans didn’t know. It was hard to teach and understand. Only really bright minds could learn it. Also trolls weren’t eager to teach it. Not because they wanted to keep it secret, but because they never felt like teaching it. To them, it felt like teaching flies how to talk. Before they could truly learn anything, they died from their short lives.

“No actually….well...” Jim wasn’t lying in a way. Being surrounded by his fathers armies his entire life did count. although not many were the ‘social talkative’ type, if any at all. Jim had his brother, and Blinky to talk to, although both typically were busy most of the time. Blinky being busy with advising and Bular being busy with training. Bular would much rather fight than listen and have any kind of conversation that wasn't important. Arrrg wasn’t the talking type to hold long conversations with or much to add to it, and Jim's father was busy with other things almost always. Jim did consider going with Kanjigar….but every time he thought that, the next thought stopped him dead in his tracks. 

The ward. It kept ALL gumm-gumm’s out. Jim IS a gumm-gumm. The second he couldn’t walk through the portal, the second he was exposed, the second his whole life crumbled to ash. No more friends, college, laughter in the sun, hanging out. Nothing.

“I’m honestly afraid of going….” Not a lie.  
“Do not be afraid, worse case when going is you trip and hit your head.”  
“Does...the ward to….protect everyone from gumm-gumms entering...still a thing?” Jim swallowed. Kanjigar could easily tell the young half troll was anxious.  
“Yes, but do not worry, like I said, there are NO gumm-gumms around. I know they are the stuff of nightmares, but have no fear about them. I’m literally right by your side as well. Come, let’s walk together. That will settle your mind”

This was it. Kanjigar was pushing Jim forward. He opened the portal and tapped Jim’s shoulder.  
“Omegas first”  
“I really-” Jim was nudged to the front of the portal. Jim’s head tried to quickly figure out which routes he could take that would help him run off and hide from the trollhunter. No matter which way, the trollhunter could just easily smell him.  
‘why did I think to leave!? Why!? This was such a stupid move?!’ Jim yelled at himself. Jim’s thoughts turned to lying!  
‘i told him my mom died when I was born! I never knew her! I could just tell him I had no idea I carried gumm-gumm blood!...then what?’  
“come on then, the portal will close.”  
“see the thing is I really never take portals. I mean, I have a few times but-” Jim was pushed into it. He shouted and held his arms to cover his face. He closed his eyes and was ready to embrace whatever would happen. Nothing. His breathing steadied and he slowly opened one eye. The crystal staircase lit up before him. He did it. He was on the other side!. 

“see little guy? Nothing to worry about. Just one little quick step. You feel fine?” Jim just nodded his head in response.  
“i was...nervous...cause...i uh...didn’t think it would work on half trolls! Yeah...I thought humans couldn’t enter here...”  
“That isn’t true. Humans can very well enter here. We don’t really like to be open about it though. Lets keep that a secret between us alright?” Kanjigar winked and patted Jim’s back.  
“So...the ward….it keeps gumm-gumms out...”  
“Yes yes, no need to fear little one” Kanjigar chuckled at the ‘scared child innocence’ of Jim. He was very young to trolls. 22 years old if it would be in comparison to human development. to trolls? that one was difficult to know. trolls lived such long lives it was hard to nail exact comparisons to the other two life spans  
“If I’m honest...i was afraid I might be one” Kanjigar chuckled loudly and heartily  
“Why would you think that?!”  
“i never knew my mom...and I know that the troll blood of their species passes onto half trolls.”  
“There is no blood of gumm-gumms anywhere. You clearly are not. Or at least, maybe the human part of you isn’t.”

Kanjigar chuckled deeply before patting Jim on the back more.  
‘so...my human part negated the gumm-gumm blood...interesting….’ Jim thought, a sickening smile started to form. He shook it off just as quickly. He needed to appear ‘innocent and young’ to the mighty trollhunter. Jim looked at the glowing staircase in front of him, he took a few steps on it, he wasn’t very impressed, the darklands had similar staircase’s like this one. It was when he reached the bottom did he see trollmarket. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened  
“whoa….”  
“Whoa indeed. Welcome to trollmarket little one.”


	3. A Heartstone. And a StoneHeart. (too cheesy?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's life just got a whole lot more interesting. who knew being by the trollhunters side from here on out could be so ...exciting!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a very fun chapter to write. I'm excited to see what everyone thinks! I can't wait to keep this story going, i hope this interests people!

Jim looked on in awe at the sight of it all. The massive heartstone was the GREATEST thing Jim’s eyes have ever laid on.  
‘so….that’s where dad was born...from one of these things...’ Jim thought to himself as he stared at it, mouth agape.  
“Wondrous, isn’t it? The true lifeblood of trolls.”  
“Why is that exactly? No one ever explained it.”  
“Why back when we still ate humans, they gave us the energy we needed. However, when we stopped that barbaric tradition, we became….hungry...weak. We needed some other kind of nourishment from some other life giving source. Thus, we sought out the heartstones. Where there is one, we make a home. Some troll’s have adapted to not needing one, but for the most, we rely on them to give us life and health. Trolls can be recharged then leave when they want to, however eventually our energy wanes and we return to ‘freshen’ ourselves up. Tell me little guy, do you feel any different?”

Jim closed his eyes and focused. He honestly didn’t feel anything.  
“no”  
“well, this is your first exposure, so that would make sense, you also might come from a bloodline of trolls who no longer needed its energies.” Now THAT was ironic. His father was born from one, consumed the energies, and needed them to be stronger. Eventually his strength would wane, that’s when gumm-gumms would set out to hunt down humans and bring them back to the darklands. Eating humans did give them the original energies they needed, so having a heartstone wasn’t the most demanded thing at the moment for their survival. 

“Come, let us walk these streets. Tonight you shall be my guest.”  
“That is an honor!” Jim loved this, he would rub it in his brothers face soooo much! To LITERALLY be sleeping near the trollhunter. If he could kill him, ohhhh Bular would be pissed beyond belief.  
“think nothing of it little one.”  
“Wait, what about your rounds and such”  
“I’ve done my share, I have others who are helping me for the next few nights.” THAT was something to note. He would have to share it with the others when he came back home.

‘Home…..should i leave when no one was watching? Wait, would the portal even work inside trollmarket? i also didn’t have one of those devices to make a portal out of there…..ohh, i could use one of those large ball deceives I’ve heard of, the kind that travel vast distances in such short few moments. i could leave on one, then teleport home. 

Wait, what if someone sees me using it? What if i got caught. They wouldn’t think anything more of it, my story about my life might be affected by it however….’ Jim’s thought process was stopped when he heard Kanjigar clear his throat to get his attention.

“We will have to fetch you a scent stone. wouldn’t want to rile up the alphas haha”  
‘shit. I forgot I was in heat.’ Usually omegas are consumed by it, Jim usually was, however with all this going on, his mind and body were distracted. He still smelt strongly of heat though…  
“Yeah...scent stone….what’s that?”  
“I’m surprised you haven’t heard of them. it’s a stone omegas use to mask their heat, keep them from being hassled and ‘bothered’ by alphas.”  
“Yes please, I need one of those” Jim did want one, mostly to experiment with.  
“Come little guy.”

The two walked the streets, Jim couldn’t stop to focus on one thing, there was just to much to look at! The vendors and trolls and lights and sounds and smells, it was all very overwhelming. He’s been to ‘human’ places, where there were plenty of crowded areas, usually it wasn’t difficult. Being the tallest one usually and humans didn’t have strong scents like trolls did made it easy to handle. This, this was something else. 

“I can tell you’re a bit overwhelmed. You will get to see everything soon enough. we’re almost to rot guts.”

“what?...oh….” The two stepped up a stone staircase and stood in front of a large door like shape. Kanjigar pounded on the door, a small circle opened, revealing a giant eye  
“Welcome trollhunter, what can I get you?”  
“scent stone” he said while another opening revealed another eye  
“ohhh look! A half troll! Haha, he smells funny”  
“Don’t laugh at our customers! How many times-” the voice got cut off as the opening closed  
“hold a tick” the other voice said. Now the only sounds coming from the door were muffled arguing. Kanjigar let out a sigh, then looked over to Jim and gave him a smile.

“Don’t think anything of it, they’ve always been like this. Although little comments like that...won’t be uncommon here. Rarely do your kind travel here.”  
“Yeah, as far as I’ve known, my kind sorta just wonders aimlessly around the world. We don’t really have any one place we belong.” that was true. They were considered ‘mutants’ ‘unnatural’. Some beings hated and shunned them, others accepted them, the majority however just didn’t pay too much mind to them. Some thought of it as an omen. Maybe good, maybe bad, to see a half troll. Still, seeing a rare creature isn’t your everyday thing.

“-and next time don’t even imply that, it was over a century ago. Now then, where were we...ah, a scent stone! Here, just for our wonderful trollhunter and his new mate”  
“oh no! You have the wrong idea. This here is simply a newcomer I met tonight. I thought he could use a safe place to stay for the night. Wait until the night has ended and the sun has risen.” Kanjigar said while clearing his throat and taking the stone. Jim laughed mentally at that image. Him, dating none other then the trollhunter. What would his brother, or even his father think?!. Jim couldn’t help but smile at that.

“here, all you have to do is rub yourself down with this. You can wait until we return to my home.”  
“Thanks...i don’t have any money though to pay you back”  
“humans and their currency. No little one, we don’t do that sort of thing here. We share what we have. Sure payment is nice, depending on who you ask and what you want however.” Jim weighed the stone in his hand, it was fairly light and solid, yet smooth, like marble, and cool to the touch.

It didn’t take long until they arrived at a huge cave. Kanjigar walked through a medium sized hallway until it opened up to everything, a few different rooms snaked throughout the cave, short passage ways led to other rooms. Jim noticed one room filled with various weapons and armors from all kinds of eras. One room must have been some sort of relaxation area, it had plenty of comfortable places to sit and lay. Books to read, and socks to eat. 

Jim always thought that was nasty. he’s smelled human sweat, not something he enjoyed. He tried to eat a sock before, only to gag and spit it out. There were a few other rooms filled with random human junk. For some reasons trolls loved junk. It was as good to them as it was to us, so no one really cared if they took it. Also helps clean up when we no longer needed anything. Circle of life? Another room just filled with boxes of, what Jim assumed would be, extra things of various natures. Looking over at the various sizes of the boxes.

“here is where you will be staying little one.” Kanjigar lead Jim into a decent sized room, it had a basic bed with nothing on it. It just looked like a big slab of rock. Which it was. Trolls didn’t really ‘do’ comfort. They didn’t need it. They did only sleep for 3 hours a day, so why bother with bedding?. Jim just sighed and groaned  
‘great. My back will be killed laying on this. Rip.’  
“If you need any form of comforts you can just ask.” Kanjgar said politely, noticing the worried look on Jim’s face.

 

“Okay. I need to ask. Why exactly are you doing this? Hosting me, inviting me into your home, taking care of me, wanting to look after me, YOU DON’T NOW ME! I could be a gumm-gumm spy for all you know!” Jim smiled at that last comment. Kanjigar smiled kindly back and replied  
“I am your trollhunter. I protect everyone. You need a safe place, I am providing it. I want you to feel safe and secure. Where you come from and who you are does not matter to me, you are still very young, one day you will understand my words well. I would never send a little one like you out into the streets to fend for yourself. Finding a place to spend the night here in trollmarket would be very long and exhausting. You need plenty of rest in your state.” Kanjigar walked over and put a hand on Jim’s shoulder.

“Never forget that. If you ever need anything, just call. As the trollhunter I answer any call to aid others. Now, are you hungry? I have plenty of food” the sudden images of Jim killing at eating his ‘ex lovers’ filled his head.  
“No thanks, I’m pretty full. I ate before I left home.” Kanjigar nodded and walked past Jim.  
“My home is your home for the night, help yourself to anything” Jim looked at the trollhunter, trying to understand. Being so…..kind. Gumm-gumms only took. Were commanded to do things. Jim only ever was provided whatever he wanted because he was a son of Gunmar. He was allowed to have anything he wanted at anytime. No one was doing it out of ‘kindness’ or ‘selflessness’, simply for having to do it out of loyalty. Sure, he knew humans did it, but to be so...open about it. It just didn’t fully register with him. 

Being ‘warm and friendly’ was the opposite of gumm-gumm nature. It was so...alien to him. When he first went to the surface world years ago while attending high school, he didn’t understand so much. Sure, Blinky taught him many things about how humans interacted with one another and the world around them, but to put it into a living experience, it was different. You can read and study all you want, it never truly prepares you for living it though. Jim then understood that most humans wanted a ‘you do this for me I do this for you’ style. Sure so many humans were different and varied on their own ‘philosophies’, but most of the time everyone wanted something in exchange. THAT made sense to Jim after a short while. Thankfully most people didn’t think too much about why he acted so strangely and didn’t understand many concepts, being a half troll did have its perks, like being allowed having others think he didn’t know much because of his race, and NOT because he was a gumm-gumm raised in the darklands. Haha.

“Father, I have dealt with the gnome situation, no need to rush over.” an unfamiliar voice spoke out down the hall. A large blue troll with huge horns and a spiked back entered the room. He looked over to Jim in wonder. Until the scent of heat hit him. He sniffed a few times, then his eyes had a relaxed lustful look to them. Kanjigar cleared his throat, The blue troll snapped out of it and nodded to his father. “Jim, this is my son. Draal. Know as Draal the deadly.” The memory of Jim watching Draal and his father kill the gumm-gumms who ambushed Kanjigar in the forest. Bular had told Jim the name of the son in disgust. Jim was meeting him up close, he was even more handsome. Jim purred a bit, his heat was starting to ‘speak up’ to him, he didn’t know if he liked that or not.  
“Hello Draal...its nice to meet you..”  
“Likewise...”  
“Huh….I thought the trollhunters weren’t allowed to have kids” Kanjigar looked at Jim, his face had a tint of slight worry.  
“there is no law preventing us from having whelps….it’s just not something that usually happens. I am the only trollhunter to have a whelp.”  
“huh...interesting..” The two large alphas must have known Jim’s heat was starting to flare up. Kanjigar looked between the two others in the room.  
“Jim, why don’t you go to your bed and prepare for sleep, I shall fetch some blankets and pillow for you.”  
“I’m surprised you have some, trolls don’t usually ever use them”  
“We like to keep them around, just in case for guests such as yourself.” Jim nodded with a thank you. Even though it wasn’t technically an order, it was strongly implied for him to leave. Jim wanted to stay, meet Draal a bit closer up~ But he didn’t want to seem rude. He DID have manners after all. Probably the most mannered gumm-gumm that ever lived, well, except for Blinky. 

“Thank you, I will. Goodbye Draal, I really hope to see you again very soon.”  
“Yes...perhaps we might see one another in the future” That clearly meant that Draal didn’t want to ‘get in trouble’ by succumbing to his natural responses, he was to strong for that! To willed! He would never just jump on some random omega in heat. That would be dishonorable and selfish. Jim purred lightly before leaving to his temporary bed chambers. No doubt both alphas heard that last purr, Draal’s mind went back to feeling a bit lustful~. He hasn’t had a mate in centuries, he’s been more than ‘pent up’, so to speak. An alpha does need to feel the soothing touch of an omega from time to time, something he’s ignored. He needs to focus on improving his battle techniques, rather than search for a mate.

A bit later Jim was given plenty of items to comfort him to sleep. No matter the position and placement however, he just couldn’t fall asleep. His heat was starting to really burn him from the inside out. He needed attention. ASAP. If he was home, he could just find a lover to take for a few hours, here, he couldn’t. He tossed and turned in his makeshift nest, another reason he had a hard time sleeping, was the fact that he was sleeping on solid rock, rather than soft mattresses at home. Back at him, It took a while to gather up what he needed, but finally he had made the perfect nest. Only a few adjustments here and there from time to time, but other than that, it was perfect. The size, shape, volume, weight, placement, everything overall. 

He roughed it out camping plenty of times throughout his life. Partially from training, and partially from camping out with his friends. He loved those times, being deep in the woods, telling scary stories, playing pranks, taking ‘spooky walks’ through the forest (although he never feared. After all he WAS the thing that went bump in the night, and he could easily see in the dark, and he had excellent senses, so nothing surprised him.). He remembers one time Eli was scared

“what if something comes to attack us! What if monsters are around! What if-” Steve interrupted  
“babe, chill! See that big half troll with us? Jim’s the scariest most dangerous thing out here!” Jim smiled and made a ‘whisper roar’ and bit at the air.  
“Okay, you’re right….” Jim chuckled  
“ah, don’t be scared! Steve’s right. don’t worry, your big half troll will protect us.”

Back in the present, Jim groaned. He rubbed his face and sat up. He couldn’t lay down. He needed to HUMP! A part of him wanted to rub himself down with the scent stone, but the more ‘feral’ side of him just wanted to wonder around until he found a nice sized alpha….  
He shook his head, he would attempt to do his usual ‘post sex meal’ and he didn’t want to risk being caught as a murderer. He reluctantly grabbed the stone and rubbed himself down with it like it was a bar of soap. That did help to cool him and relax his body, if only a small amount. He laid back down and drifted off to sleep finally….

…………………………….. 

 

Draal walked around trollmarket trying to clear his head. His body demanded he return home and ‘visit’ the omega in his nest. He pushed those thoughts away and distracted himself with the noises and lights of trollmarket. He first tried to go to the glug pub, but that didn’t help that much. Then he decided to do what always helped clear his head, train. He went to the heroes forge and started from basic movements, to more advanced things. He noticed his father walking towards him,  
“Good stances. you’re truly becoming a great warrior.”  
“Thank you father”  
“So, what do you think bout our little guest?”  
“The half troll? I don’t think anything of him.”  
“I saw the way you looked at him. I’m proud you did not succumb to your base desires.”  
“I tried not to.”  
“I’m assuming you’re clearing your head?”  
“Yes...I feel ashamed to have my mind on him...”  
“It is natural, do not punish yourself for thinking of basic needs.”  
“How do you do it?”  
“With great willpower, training, and being used to aiding all trolls at all times. You get used to building up a proper tolerance to it.”

 

“I wish I could be the same.’  
“One day you will be, keep this up and you will have the will of a thousand. The little one is still afraid of gumm-gumms. He couldn’t stop talking about them and being scared. Cute”  
“Yes, children do fear the stories, his parents must have spoken to him about it. He will grow out of his fears, as all whelps do” Kanjigar smiled and summoned his blade  
“Shall we spar?”  
“I would love nothing more.” so the two started to train with one another, slowly becoming more advanced in their efforts. Eventually, like every time, Kanjigar had Draal pinned to the ground, sword to his throat.  
“You are getting better! You actually made me nervous for a bit” Kanjigar said offering a hand.

Draal took it. He sighed but nodded  
“Yes. I wish I could improve faster though.”  
“in time. There has never been a warrior who took up a weapon and became great in a day.”  
“Wise words as ever father….not to return to the subject...but...who is the young half troll Jim? I’ve never seen him before.”  
“Ah, yes, he said he was new here. He only walked the surface during daylight, then returned home. A place apparently very far away. Makes me wonder why he would travel so far from home just to be here, not even for trollmarket either. Not much goes on around here. Hmm. I should ask more about when when he awakens.”  
“You bring a stranger into our home without knowing anything about him?..i trust your judgment father but...isn’t that a bit...dangerous” Kanjigar chuckled  
“What danger could be possess? You laid your own eyes upon him, hes practically harmless! He is far to young, in heat, and small. Which is why I feared for his sake. Thus invited him into our home.”  
“I see.”  
“Do not be so mistrusting son, have faith in others. No one has stabbed us in the back for centuries, open up a bit more. It would do your heart good.”  
“thank you father, I will take these words and remember them well…. Who is Jim’s father?”  
“I do not know. All I know are what I’ve spoken of. The only other thing I know about him is that his mother died shortly after him being born and naming him simply Jim.”

“I feel sorry for Jim. I hope his father loves him dearly. Does he have any relatives?”  
“Not that I’m aware of. If he had more to his name, I could find out and help him return home. When he awakes we should ask him these questions. It is always good to be able to talk to someone. Humans are very sensitive creatures, Half trolls especially. Not to mention that he has hardly any of his kind around.”  
“Yes, I haven’t seen one in centuries myself. A part of me thought that they had perhaps gone extinct.”  
“Extinction is possible for his kind. So few remain in the world. With their kind never having a proper home in any one place, its even harder to come by them.”  
“Do you think he might stay? I know his home is with his father, here he will be safer, and closer to where he wishes to be. You could put in a good word to Vendel and let them move here.”  
“Someone does have a slight attachment already?” Kanjigar chuckled  
“No! I only meant for his own safety. I do not wish for him to come to harm, being so far away form everyone else, and him being so young, I do not wish for the child to come to harm.”  
“I know exactly how you feel. Perhaps I could convince him to move here.” So the father and son continued to train with one another, until they themselves retired to bed. Kanjigar checked on the half troll one final time, he was sleeping peacefully. Kanjigar felt relief from learning this, then returned to his own bed.

 

………………………………….

Jim woke up. Yawning and stretching. Rubbing his eyes and looking around, he panicked for a split moment, noticing he wasn’t in his own room. Then realized what happened yesterday. Many thoughts came into his head. All along the lines of  
‘stalk the place.’  
‘find weaknesses.’  
‘search for clues and information that can be used’  
‘search the area for any and all details he could use to his advantage.’  
‘find out how gumm-gumms could march into this place.’ His mind stopped as he smiled. No, he decided not to do any of that right now. Now is the time to keep his cover going. 

After using the bathroom (he was disgusted, well not more than usual. Trolls used public ones dotting trollmarket. Jim had known Gumm-gumm bathrooms. Not pretty. But these somehow were worse.) He managed to finish up after being a bit shy from everyone, then cleaned himself up in the nearest bathing area (oh how he longed for ACTUAL soaps. These were basic foul ones. At least they helped clean himself. Since trolls never had much to do with hygiene, these were mostly for other species of trolls who needed to bathe themselves in water to keep them alive, like river trolls.)  
(IF ANYONE WAS WONDERING ABOUT RIVER TROLLS, those are the trolls Jim finds in, well, the river, when hes looking at his reflection in the water after running away from Claire when he first turned into a half troll)

He realized he didn’t have any other cloths. A part of him was thinking about just being nude. He really didn’t care either way. However with his heat….he didn’t feel like exposing himself. Well, he tried to as little as possible, even with his mind and body nagging him to go get laid. He just wore what he wore last night. Not like it was sweaty or filthy, so he didn’t have much of a problem with it. Other than smelling heavily of his heat. 

He soaked his cloths and tried to scrub it out, to only have it slightly less heavy. He rolled his eyes and knew it was the best he could do. Rubbing the scent stone on himself, he returned to his temporary room and retrieved his things. His ear twitched as he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around he saw that big lovely troll Draal~.  
“why hello there~ come to visit me?” Draal shook his head and pushed away those desires.  
“No, I’ve come to ask you to come with me. Spend the day with my father and I. We wish to get to know you, and possibly talk you into living within trollmarket. For your own safety and company. It would also allow you quick access to the surface above.”

Jim’s eye twitched he smiled wide  
‘invite me...to live here...with my father….oooohhhhhhhhh if they only knew..’  
“You know what. Let me think about it. I’m more than sure my father would love to be here. However he is a bit...stuck at the moment. Maybe one day you could help me untie him from his...job.”  
“Oh? And what might his job be if you don’t mind my asking.”  
“It’s...difficult to explain. What is easiest to explain is that he watches over a few of his...closest friends. Gives them housing, guidance, and he helps lead them in ways. Hes very loving like that.”  
“Where do you and them live?”  
“oh far far underground. it’s VERY hard to get to. Only a few ways of getting there. Don’t worry, I know how to. However my dad is VERY secretive and somewhat…..paranoid. So he doesn't let anyone tell others where he lives or how to get there.”

 

Draal just nodded  
“I won’t pry. I would still value your company, if you’re willing to give it.”  
“I don’t thin I’d mind being near you~”  
“i...i did not mean it like that….i only meant...my father and I would both like to know more about our guest. Nothing...more...than that”  
“Sure. If you ever want to know more though, more...personal….things, you just ask. I’m ALWAYS willing to show you what I know.”  
Draal shuddered and visibly was fighting the urge to mount him. Jim smiled evilly.  
“Let us leave at once. I do not like to keep my father waiting”. Jim sighed through his nose. He was looking forward to any kind of ‘attention’ he might receive. Well, no big deal.

 

Jim walked behind Draal, wanting to touch his spiked back, not out of lust or anything, but just because he thought it must feel cool! He also wondered how the hell he slept. He assumed it must just be on his stomach, or on his side….still. At least he was a troll and didn’t need more than 3 hours. Jim would feel horrible if he had to deal with spikes like that, always hard to sleep with, always afraid he might tear up his blankets and nest, and shirts?! No wonder the big guy doesn't wear anything. Jim stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw the TINY stone bridge that lead to an arena looking area. There was no way he was about to cross something like that. The fall didn’t even LOOK like it ended when Jim nervously peaked over its side  
“Hey so uh, I think I’m good. Better get home before dad freaks out!” Jim said then suddenly thought  
‘oh fuck. His dad WILL freak out if anyone finds out he was gone’.  
“Nonsense. It is a simple walk”  
“YEAH FOR YOU, BUT HEY, GUESS WHAT, I DON’T FEEL LIKE FALLING TO MY DEATH!” Jim backed up and yelled. His heart pounding. Yeah, he LITERALLY was willing to fight and kill things 10 times his own size. Falling? There was NO WAY he could kill that! No running away, no patching yourself up, no getting back up. It was just drop and plop. Death.

“Oh come now. See? I walk just fine.”  
“I’m good thanks. Well I’ll be seeing you around!” Jim saluted as he turned around and started to walk back. Only to be grabbed by Draal from behind  
“It is simple. Let me assist”  
“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Jim tried his best not to look down. He held his breath preparing for the worst

This was it. The son of the all mighty Gunmar. Lord of the underworld. Killer of all. Devour-er of hope. The bane of all life. Killed by falling to his death. Would his family and friends ever even know? Not like they could just be sent down here to scoop up his remains. Jim didn’t tell anyone where he went, who he was with, or even leave any kind of clue at all. Jim ALSO Didn’t mention who his family actually was, so no troll would be able to search, and even if they did, they would just end up finding out who he was the son to. He wondered how his funeral would go. Gumm-gumms who died were just moved, ground up, and used as grave sand. Would his father mourn him? Or his brother? Or blinky? Or arrrg?. Maybe they might give silence for a moment or two. That was most likely the closest thing he would get. He never got to have an actual mate. Have his own whelps. Become an official general in his fathers armies. Grow up to be the most powerful Half troll in all of history, past and present and future. 

Maybe he deserved this. He didn’t have very good karma after all. Even if that’s only a human concept, he still thought about it every once in a while. He never told his family where he went. He never told anyone the truth of his life. Evil does die horribly, at least from all media he was exposed to. Being the ‘good guy’ was too overrated. So ‘stuffy’ and not fun at all. If he had his dying wish granted, it would be about saying goodbye to everyone he cared about. Maybe even getting a hug by his father and brother. Blinky gave him plenty of those, Blinky knew humans needed physical affection to be ‘emotionally healthy’ and he was right. Jim loved them and felt better. His father never even touched him in his hole life. The one time probably was when he held his ‘newborn whelp’. Other than that…

 

“See? Not a problem at all.” Jim opened his eyes and looked. Flat ground. A lot of it. He had never been more thankful for solid surface in his whole life. Draal put him down gently and patted his head.  
“Now, that wasn’t so bad now was it?” Jim was speechless, he just blinked. Then wondered how the hell was he going to get back across. He wished he had wings like Walt had. Plus that would just be awesome in general. Jim turned around and looked in awe at where he was at. (I honestly don’t feel like describing the heroes forge. We all know what it looks like XD)  
“Welcome little one, to the heroes forge.”  
“This place is a graveyard?”  
“No. a training area where heroes are forged. We fight beneath the sight of the past trollhunters, in honor, and valor.”  
“Wait...these are the past trollhunters?”  
“yes. More or less.” Jim looked from statue to statue. He could actually make out a few. He knew from what his father and brother and Blinky told him about them. He smiled, he knew Bular killed PLENTY of them. He wanted to try and see which ones were which. It was like a nice graveyard of old, His brother would be proud of how many were here. He imagined his brother pointing and laughed at which ones he killed, how he killed them, and when. Jim would smile and ask for more information. The two loved to bond over their kills. Jim loved to bond with his brother in general.

 

Suddenly a blue light and fog appeared in the center of the arena. Kanjigar had manifested  
“Whoa...what kind of magic is that?”  
Kanjigar looked over at Jim and did his patented friendly smile  
“I had just left a thing called the void. A place where the spirits of the past trollhunters exist. They watch over me and all those I encounter and aid. They give me counsel when I need it.”  
“Wait….watch? Like….spying on…me?”  
“no no, do not fear. They only watch me, although, I suppose they could see you. Since you are currently with me.” Jim swallowed nervously. He tried not to make it obvious, but his eyes quickly darted around, looking at every detail he could. Making mental notes of everything. If they found out….how could he ever show his face? Not just here. But the surface as well. His mind had a sudden idea. He remembered being taught of many different magical devices by Blinky. One was a scry talisman. Something that actually PREVENTED one from being watched by magical means. He would need one asap. Then again...if he was invisible to the ghosts….they would notice something was wrong...they would tell Kanjigar….he would wonder why and ask about it…  
“Little one, are you alright? You look nervous?”  
“i...I’m fine...i just don’t like being watched...” Kanjigar laughed  
“No need to worry! Like I said, they watch me, no one else.”  
“still...i am with you. They can see our interactions….”  
“i think your fathers paranoia is rubbing off on you”

 

“a healthy amount of paranoia can save your life.”  
“True. Still you have nothing to fear. If it will soothe your mind, I shall ask them to ‘look away’ when dealing with you”  
‘PERFECT!’ Jim hadn’t even considered that! Still. The scry talisman would be useful. Just in case  
“Thank you. That really does help me stay calm. I very much enjoy my privacy. I try to keep it.”  
“Well then, I will make sure you do. However I DO wish to ask you questions. Personal ones. If there are any you do not wish to answer, I shall not pry further.” Jim was thinking of how to deal with this situation….yes...he would answer….keep up his image.  
“Sure. Go ahead.”

 

Kanjigar asked various questions, basic things about his life. Jim answered them all in a simple way. He WAS telling the truth….just not the whole truth. He lived in a very large area deep underground with his father, close friends, his brother, and his uncles. Even though they weren’t related, they were close enough to seem like family. Jim told them about his college and his relaxed life, liking his friends (though he kept their names and traits to himself. They didn’t need to know that. Or at least, not yet) how his mother was a half troll and his father and family were all full trolls. Jim told them about his overall life. He told them no lies. Easy peasy. keeping his image lasting as long as possible.  
“and that’s about it.”  
“Seems like very laid back life. Enjoy it while you can little one. Comfort slips by faster than we expect. Not that there is anything to worry about of course, just some wisdom from my own experience.”  
“I’ll keep a mental note of that.”

Draal headed over to a large stack of weapons, picking up an ax and readying himself for combat.  
“My son and I were about to do our daily spar. Do you know how to fight little one?”  
“Yes actually. My uncles, bother and sometimes even my dad taught me.”  
“Oh? Would you like to spar with us?” Jim smiled. He would be able to fight both of them! Learn their moves without having to risk his life. Being able to truly study them up close.  
“Yes! I would love to. Go easy on me though, I’m not that good!” Jim chuckled and walked over to the weapons. He used a short sword, it was as close to his own sword that he had. He already figured out a plan. Feign ignorance, like all other times, do only basic steps. Make sure not to show he’s holding back. If he went all out, he could be exposed in future fights. After all, if you fight an enemy once, you typically remember how they fight next time. With jim training to fight the ‘good’ trolls. He could easily be spotted by how he battled.

 

So they fought. He could tell the two alphas held back heavily. Jim was working perfectly. Tripping at times, using basic moves. Pretending to ‘forget’ stances and other things, making sure to show how vulnerable and weak he was to them. Not too long later he gave up. He said he was tired. He lied. He could easily keep going. But he couldn’t show his true stamina or else be exposed in the future.  
“Jim...you said your family trained you...just them?”  
“yeah, just them”  
“you fight like a gumm-gumm.” Jim suddenly swallowed and stilled himself. The door behind them was closed, and there was no way he was about to cross that dam bridge, even with his dexterity and accuracy.  
“i...uh...i”  
“Relax. It simply is a very old very basic technique. Do not fear, I am in no way of accusing you of being one. All trolls used it in our very early days. Your family sounds very secluded, it makes sense they would only know the basics.” Jim sighed heavier than he ever had in his entire life. His body relaxed and he already felt better.

 

“So, while you are here, is there anything else you would like to do? Sunlight is almost upon us.”  
“wait...is it really that late...early I mean?”  
“yes” Jim’s mind was working away. The gears in his head turning. How would explain to his father of why he was gone for so long. No doubt they already discovered of his absence by now.  
“Actually...i would more than love to see your heartstone...up close.”  
“Ah, truly a marvel to behold. Not a problem, would you like to leave now? Or take a rest.”  
“now would be preferred...uh...can one of you carry me across? I really don’t want to fall”  
the two alphas laughed.

 

…………………………………………..  
(you all know what the heartstone looks like, no need to explain it.)  
Jim was wordless. He had never seen anything so...beautiful before! So full of life and energy and wonder and power. He touched the stone. It was soft and warm to the touch. It made him feel healthy and alive...too much...he felt stronger. A small black dot started to form. His ‘veins’ started to glow blue. He had his fathers ‘veins’. Whenever he got very tense, horny, blood thirsty, angry, or any very extreme feeling, he glowed like his father did. He always wondered why he did and not his brother. Then again they both came from the same father but were very different. Jim pulled his hand back as quickly as he could. The veins in his arm faded. He sighed as he looked to see the black dot disappear.  
He also saw that Kanjigar and Draal didn’t notice. He was glad. He was only wearing a T shirt and shorts. He would have easily been spotted. He looked himself over all around, checking to see if he looked or smelled any different. Thankfully he didn’t. 

“Ah, trollhunter. What brings you here?” Jim noticed an old tall troll. He practically was 4 of jim combined in size and weight.  
“My new friend here wished to see the heartstone. I wanted to grant his wish.”  
“Mhh? Oh my.” the old troll walked very close, too close, into Jim’s ‘personal space’. The old troll started to poke and prod him, opening his mouth and moving his head around. Tapping his horns and even petting him, Jim purred at that.  
“So very young. And an omega half troll? Where ever did you find him? He appears very healthy too...hmm...strange….I’ve never seen his specific breed before.” Jim’s eyes cleared up from the enjoyment of the petting.  
‘did this old dude know the differences between half trolls!?’ to the untrained eye, it was VERY difficult to tell the differences in species. You had to be very well known in troll biology to see the smallest ‘tells’ that told the story of what breed of troll the half troll had in their genes.

“i found him wondering around the surface last night. I brought him here to give him a safe place for the night.”  
“yeah...The trollhunter was nice to me”  
“where did you come from little one?”  
“uh...I really can’t say. that’s private. Just somewhere far underground and away from everyone.”  
“cut off from mainstream trolls...makes sense...no wonder you are such a rarity. I can’t put my finger on it, but I think I might have seen your troll heritage before….hmmm….”  
“I’m sure it’s not impoa-”  
The old troll opened Jim’s mouth again and looked closer  
“The teeth from the human side of him is common, but the canine and incisor's seem to come from a more carnivore variety of troll. The tongue is larger than usual half trolls, typically evolved to consume meat easier. The ability to rip and tear into meat is far easier than other troll breeds thanks to the teeth. These breeds typically require a lot of protein to stay healthy. His fur has a shiny healthy coat, well groomed, and soft too. His weight for his size is good. He needs a bit more meat though. His sensitivity to having physical contact means he has a bit more of domesticated troll in him, combined with the human, I saw hes typical to being very emotionally extreme. He appears to need more physical contact though. He seems to be lacking enough of it. Has he been properly nesting?”

“perhaps it would be best for him to speak for himself.”  
The old troll let go of Jim’s mouth, Jim rubbed his jaw and adjusted it.  
“yeah...i have a good nest back home...i guess I don’t much physical contact...and I do eat plenty of protein...more you say? Well I’d be happy to take your advice. I also use a lot of very good shampoos and conditioners too. so..uh….you could tell all that just by looking at me?”  
“Yes. I have been properly trained to handle any medical emergency. It also helps that I read a lot and lead the trolls in troll market.”  
“Wait...you’re the head troll around here? The king?”  
the three full trolls laughed

 

“No no, I am no ones king”  
“master?”  
“no. although I like the sound of master Vendel.”  
“oh, so your name’s Vendel….didn’t you battle at killahead bridge? Actually come to think of it, you all did. When Deya threw all the gumm-gumms into the darklands.”  
The three trolls quieted down. Jim mentally kicked himself. Did he say to much? He had no way out but a single hallway, which currently was blocked by the trollhunter and his son.  
“You are good with troll history? Typically humans don’t exactly, teach that” Vendel chuckled  
“is...that...a bad thing?”  
“on the contrary. It’s good to always learn about ones history. Are you the type who spends most of their time with humans?”  
“yeah actually”  
“that also makes sense. I could tell”  
“how exactly?”

 

“posture, the way you speak, you base your looks more on how humans groom themselves, and the words you say”  
“oh...uh...thanks?” Kanjigar put a hand on Jim’s shoulder and the two walked over to Vendel’s table  
“I was wondering if we could get Jim here a pass from you, to live here. He was considering it and it would be best.”  
“yes, I agree. Little one, do you get into trouble often?” Jim’s mind flashed back to all the people hes killed and eaten, to the trolls hes fought.  
“nope.”  
“Would you like to live here? I suppose I could make a quick exception, due to your rarity. It would be safer to house you here in trollmarket.”  
“well hold on wait, I never said I wanted to live here! I just said I would think about it”  
“The offer is on the table then. You have a very short life. Just think of it more. When the time comes to agree, simply see me here. Oh, we should get you marked.”  
“marked?”  
“Yes, to prove ownership.”  
“uh...I’m sorry what?”  
“Kanjigar, do you not wish to own him?”  
“Wait wait wait why would he own me!?”

 

Kanjigar looked at Jim with a bit of a strange smile  
“You most likely have never heard of this, not that it would be surprising, but half trolls are typically owned by full trolls. Like how humans own dogs or cats.”  
“so...I’m your pet?!”  
“only if you choose it to be.”  
“Okay hold on, I’m not a dog!”  
“Do not fear, the way humans own pets and trolls are very different.”  
“so….lets just say I go through...whatever this is. What exactly would go down?”  
“what would ‘go down’ is you are marked, a small symbol that I own you. You move in with me, I take care of you, and you go about your life In the safety of trollmarket. To come and go as you please, without being harassed by any other troll. With me being your legal owner, any and every troll would have to speak to me before trying to court you”

“so...i can do whatever I want, while being ‘owned’ by you...and go wherever I want...whenever I want?”  
“A simplification, but yes.”  
“okay...hypothetically, if I wanted to take someone to the bone zone...i could just...do that?”  
“if you would like to ‘the zone’ which I’m assuming implies more….physical needs...yes...although if anyone would want to ‘properly’ court you, they would have to go through me. You can stay here and feel safe, be closer to your friends, and have good perks. I ask you to accept this offer. I know it will have a great impact on your life, this is no simple matter. However I insist. There is no greater honor than being owned by a trollhunter.”  
“so...others have done this?”

“of course. it is a custom for trollhunters to own their own Half trolls. How would humans put it...like...hmm...a squire to a knight.”  
“so...being close to you….always...learning from you...watching you...knowing every secret and weakness….knowing where you are at all times...and I get to go wherever whenever without being questioned….”  
“I...wouldn’t put it like that….but...i...suppose so?”  
“alright, lets say I wana have sex with your son, is that allowed?”  
Draal suddenly started coughing, chocking on his own spit. Kanjigar was stunned  
“i…….i guess?….”  
“well, looks like you just got yourself a new pet. I’m in.”  
The three trolls still looked at him strangely. From the ‘odd’ questions to the….other question. They moved on and prepared the small ‘finishing touches’ for his new ‘pethood’.

“so….what’s going to happen exactly?...whats that big brand for?...uh why are you coming close to me?” Vendel held a brand and said  
“Hold still now, this will only hurt for a mere moment or two. I shall put the brand on your neck. This will be permanent. For the rest of you life. Are you prepared”  
“Okay so, I thought this brand was like, a painted on thing!” Jim’s back was now against his ‘soon to be new master’. Kanjigar spoke softly  
“Do not fear. This will only take a moment. Although this will hurt….yes, this will show that you are mine from now until all of time.”  
“okay, lets say I want to go live with my dad, go back and forth for however long I want, that’s allowed right?!”  
“yes. I would never prevent you from visiting your family, unless i say otherwise for whatever reason. although i will be fair in my judgement”  
“Okay but like...my privacy is still a thing? Even from the ghosts?”  
“yes. I swear on my honor. I will not force you to answer anything you do not wish to speak of, unless it would be a threat to your life”  
“including my dads business and secrecy?”  
“yes, Including that.”  
“never ever?”  
“never ever. Now, I’m going to gently hold your head to the side. You might also wish to bite down on this.” Kanjigar gave jim a tough piece of leather from a nearby shelf.  
“Okay...like getting a tattoo...except those can be lasered off, and a brand goes straight to the bone...”  
“hold still now. Take a nice deep breath. Now.”

Outside in trollmarket. Trolls just went about their business. Until they heard a loud scream. Most of them turned to where it originated from, the heartstone.

Jim was in tears and hot neck burned. He had broken limbs before, had deep wounds. But this, this was on a different kind of level, a different kind of pain.  
“owowwwooww”  
“Good. Then the marking is done and all is made properly. Welcome to your new home Jim.”

Jim’s mind wanted to make a cruel laugh, one to try and hide the pain, and the OTHER…..this was part of a major plan he had in store…..watching the trollhunter..messing with him….living two lives….Jim loved this excitement. He wanted to lie, to kill when someone was just around the corner. To act innocent and ‘weak’. He had a big plan for the future. One that would end up releasing his father. Once more by Kanjigar’s own hand. The cure to the curse was here. The magic’s must be studied. If he found out HOW the curse was made. He could reverse it completely.  
“come little one. I promise to always treat you right. First thing we shall do is prepare your now permanent room with proper nesting supplies.”  
“sounds good...uh...I’m going to go be with my dad for a bit...Tell him the good news that I have the honor of being THE trollhunters….pet...” Kanjigar tapped his shoulder and agreed.  
“I shall arrange more cloths to be brought back to our home in your absence.”  
“Sounds great...i can’t wait….so...can I look more at the heartstone?”  
“of course. Vendel, would you give the boy a tour?” Vendel nodded and motioned for Jim to follow. Withot anyone noticing, he grabbed a small hammer and nail….

 

……………………………..

Jim had re entered the darklands. His neck was still killing him, but the pain was fading. His new ‘master’ had given him a horngazel, to go back and forth whenever he wanted. He left trollmarket to ‘tell his dad the good news’. Which wasn’t a lie. Oh how his father will get a kick out of this...He would have killed him on the spot, if not for his lovely plan. Jim had teleport back to his room, he missed it. He was eager to get back to his ‘regular life’. With a bit more...’fun’ now. He had a proper quick bath, clean cloths, and got himself dressed, all within 10 minutes. He walked out and noticed the guards gasp.  
“Hey”  
“MASTER JIM. YOUR FATHER REQUIRES YOU AT ONCE!”  
‘well shit.’ Jim thought. He did see this coming. He had his whole speech worked out though. Jim walked to his fathers throne room, along with his 4 troll guard escorts. Jim didn’t care, even now when he was older, he was escorted at times. The door opened and He saw his father visably looked surprised  
“Hey da-”  
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!? I HAVE SENT OUT SEARCH PARTIES ALL OVER THE DARKLANDS! I EVEN SENT YOUR BROTHER TO THE SURFACE WOULD TO SCOUR FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF YOU!” 

 

“I’m sorry i-”  
“YOU ARE TO NEVER, NEVER AGAIN LEAVE WITHOUT TELLING ME. YOU HAVE FAILED YOUR ONLY CHANCE AT FREEDOM!”  
“Okay, I knew you would do something like this. Please just let me expla-”  
“WHAT WORDS COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TO-” Everyone in the room gasped. Jim had held a very large chunk of heartstone. He chipped as much as he could, however he could only get a good fist sized chunk. Hardly crumbs compared to the actual thing. But this would be the thing to convince his father, and even relax his anger…  
“Dad, let me explain EVERYTHING. Oh by the way, I’m now owned by the trollhunter, see my mark?. Now then. Let me start from the top. Please, no one interrupt me until I’m completely finished, thank you…..

Jim had explained how he would shadow the trollhunter, while still doing his usual plans, he would learn every detail of the trollhunter, including his schedule. He would learn how to break the curse and find a way inside and out of trollmarket. Only he was able to come and go freely now. Gunmar practically drooled as he looked at the stone Jim held. 

“...so that’s what I was thinking. Here father, for you. I can now EASILY acquire more and more and more. For you of course. I just need to be able to do my plan to it’s fullest.”  
“yes….yes I see….hmmm...this will be perfect….do this my son. I have complete faith in you. From now on however, you will tell me when you plan on leaving our kingom.”  
“I promise. No more sneaking off. The moment I come home, I will tell you. Well….after a nice bath. Other than that, I will bring home news.” Jim Handed his father the stone. It was drained within seconds.  
“i want more...”  
“You will have more dad, I promise. Just give me time and let me work with as much time as I need. be Patient. that’s what we need now.”

“Patience for heartstone and the capabilities of freeing me and learning every detail about the trollhunter? Oh yes. This is a fair trade off. You have done so well my son. I am so proud of you.” Jim felt warm and happy on the inside, to be praised by his father! It was on of his most wanted things in the world!. His father even pet him. Jim felt like he was in heaven, approval AND being pet?!. There was nothing in the world he would trade for this moment. Gunmar spoke softly to a nearby guard  
“Send word to the search parties. Recall all of them post haste. Blinkus, you are to send word to the changelings that my son has arrived, tell them to send word to Bular. Tell him I wish to speak to him about our ....good news”

“it will be done my dark underlord. Jim, I am so happy you are home safe”  
“Thanks Blinky”

 

With that, the plan was set into motion, and Jim’s life was about to get a whole lot more interesting. What else could he want? To be free to do whatever pleased him, AND to have the perfect cover at all times, AND to be in such a fun amount of danger of getting caught. What more could a half troll ask for?.

 

“WHAT?! YOU, YOU’RE LITERALL GOING TO BE NEAR HIM AT ALL TIMES?! Do NOT kill him brother. He is MY prey. Understand?!” Bular snarled at Jim, who just sat smugly in his nest showing Bular his ‘signature’ he got from Kanjigar, as well as tell him the ‘good news’. Gunmar had already explained to Bular about Jim’s plan. Bular couldn’t believe what his younger brother had done. He didn’t know it if was a brilliant masterpiece of a plan, or a foolish quest that would get him, and everyone, exposed.  
“I like to think of it as a bit of both, my sweet big brother” Jim laughed and he tossed a skull in the air like someone would a ball.


	4. never a dull life, always full of surprises!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> praise is one thing, affection is another. murder is always fun though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE SHORT CHAPTER! i just had a big chapter idea and i didn't want to write one that was waaay to big. so i thought about breaking them up to be easier. ALSO I JUST STARTED A NEW TROLL FIC. which i realized had a LOT of similar elements. that story and this one are NOT CONNECTED IN ANY WAY. i guess the other one is more 'light and fun' while this one is dark and evil. they will most likely have a lot of things in common, but only general things like sexual energy or 'ideas' i write. i just wanted to make sure everyone understood so it didn't seem like a re-skin, WHICH I REALLY WANT TO AVOID!. well anyways if you want, you can check it out!

It was a month now and Jim’s life was even better than ever. Dear old dad was happy whenever he got a nice little heartstone, Bular was jealous and that made Jim laugh, Draal was feeling awkward from all the ‘sexual energy’ Jim kept throwing his way, and Kanjigar loved him and kept him safe and gave him whatever he asked for. Jim laid on his side, watching Draal and Kanjigar spar. He ate food and watched them go. Such raw muscle and power. It made Jim purr in delight. His heat had passed but mmmhh...either one would do so well~ the father was dedicated, strong, a true leader. His son was untrained, full power at all times, act first think later. Either one would make an incredible lover~. Kanjigar only saw him as a horny teenager who was having childish crushes, something he would ‘eventually get bored of and move on’. Maybe that was true, maybe not. Either way, Jim was GOING to have one of them….maybe both….no...now THAT was pushing it to far…..still….it was a nice thought~.

 

Jim hardly had to lift a finger for anything. He could go anywhere at anytime without being questioned. He loved his freedom, and that’s exactly what he got. Oh no! However, Kanjigar wanted him to be safe! Not just the usual protection but, extra! Why you ask?. A random sudden surge of murders were taking place! Three trolls were murdered and partially eaten! All within the month! Everyone was on the verge of utter panic. Thankfully dear Kanjigar soothed them. No one knows who could possibly be the murderer, it could be anyone! But who?!. Only 3 new people had been to trollmarket!. A Kubera, a river troll, and dear little Jim. Three creatures know to be VERY peaceful! No way it could possibly be one of them! Could it?

River trolls have NEVER been reported to have a single violent bone in their body, sure they would defend themselves if attacked, but who wouldn’t?

The Kubera was only around for a short while, saying that he was traveling the world! Wanting to see the sights, smell the smells, taste everything new! Could he possibly want to...taste troll meat?!

And Jim. Oh little Jim. The little one running around experiencing life like he never knew possible. Look at him! What harm could he do? He hasn’t even been seen hurting a gnome! Let alone be a murderer!. When he wasn’t out and about he was always next to the trollhunters side! Or his sons. So who could the murderer be? Sure, the trolls in troll market would fight among themselves, but could that have driven them to commit….murder?! Treason?!.

Jim smiled and licked his lips. He purred at this fun new game. Watching everyone become unsettled, tensions rising, everyone suspicious at everyone else.

“Jim, it is time to leave” Kanjigar said as he finished up his daily spar  
“Yes my trollhunter”  
“Perhaps next time I could teach you a bit more, if you’re interested”  
“that sounds nice, maybe I will! Just don’t be too hard!”  
Kanjigar laughed, like he would be hard on such a little one? Nonsense. Jim got up, dusted himself off, then when walking past Draal he tugged on his nose ring a little  
“You ready to go home big guy?~”  
“Yes...” Draal brushed Jim’s hand away and tried to ignore the lustful gaze and the purr to match. Jim had gotten used to crossing the bridge now, it was like nothing to him….just as long as he didn’t look down.

“Father. Jim keeps….”  
“Relax. His heart has an interest in you but it will fade. It has only been a month.” To trolls, time was very minor. Since they lived well over 1000 years, days were seconds to them, weeks minutes, and so on. So they knew Jim’s ‘attention’ to them would only last for a tiny bit longer.

“He looks at me with that gaze and purrs”  
“Relax, he does the same thing to me at times. His emotions are still developing. He is an omega, being around strong older alphas is triggering his own nature. Let it pass and think nothing more of it” Kanjigar said like he really was talking about a teenage crush, which in all honesty, was true to them.

…………………………..

Jim had a fresh kill between his teeth, he was starving! This was literally the first person he ate in a whole month! He was savoring every bite. Nothing compares to humans after all. It was nighttime now and everything was pretty dark. He heard a noise coming closer to him. He was getting ready to pounce. He was too full to eat anymore. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t bring something home for later…  
He was getting on all fours preparing himself to strike. Then he saw someone walk by with a flashlight. His eyes reflected against it, Jim tried to hide in the bushes and stay still. He noticed it was some random jogger. Maybe he should grab something for the road…

he heard more footsteps behind him. Larger. He then quickly picked up the familiar scent of his master. His trollhunter. He needed to leave ASAP. He quickly fished out his amulet, grabbed the corpse and teleport. As fast as a blinking eye, he returned back to his home in the darklands. He took a deep breath. He LOVED cutting it close, but that was a bit too close for comfort. He dragged the body over to an open spot in his room, he would deal with it later. He was tired and wanted to sleep off his meal. He quickly bathed and then flopped and curled up in his nest. He groaned realizing he had to ‘report in’ since he was technically ‘grounded’ by his father. Jim got up, opened his door, walked down the corridor, shouted at a nearby guard to tell dear old dad and his big bro he was home and going to bed. Nothing new to report otherwise. The guard nodded and ran off. Jim went back to his nest and closed his eyes. His mind quickly did a re cap of that day, other than watching the studly alphas spar, and his kill, he really didn’t do much that day…..

……………………………………………….

Kanjigar sniffed the air. He was doing his nightly routes when he came across a familiar scent. It was his ‘pet’. Not only that...but blood. He worried that the little one got into some sort of trouble, he cautiously followed the scent trail until he was closer, a small flash of green happened and Kanjigar finally made it to the small area. There were chunks of flesh, a few broken and chewed bits of bone, and the heavy scent of blood. Kanjigar sniffed around more, there was no evidence of his pet being around other than his scent…. Kanjigar didn’t know what to make of it.

‘a fresh kill. His pets scent. A small green flash. What happened here?..hm...smells like human….another poor soul who traveled alone. No matter how much I warn them, they never listen. Typical human. Well, nothing I can do now but alert the authorities. Humans need to handle their own….these teeth marks….sharper….’ Kanjigar knew full well that there were no animal attacks. A cover up he used. He lied only to protect others. Even if it dammed his own soul in the process. Kanjigar got up and walked on-wards into the night... 

………………………………………………….

Jim woke up, his head was groggy and filled with sleep. He searched for the noise that disturbed his sleep.The loud bang on his door rapidly over and over. He yawned, rubbed his face and called out  
“who goes there?”  
“A LOYAL SERVANT OF GUNMAR THE BLACK, GUNMAR THE SKULLCRUSHER, GUNMAR THE DARK UNDERLORD!”  
“okay….what do you want”  
“YOUR FATHER REQUIRES YOUR AUDIENCE!”  
“what for?”  
“YOUR FATHER DID NOT SPECIFY, THE GREAT AND ALL POWERFUL GUNMAR THE BLACK, GUNMA-”  
“ENOUGH! Go, I’ll leave in a few moments.” The yelling and pounding was making Jim’s own head pound. He got up, and got ready. He left in a brisk pace, knowing well that he really shouldn’t be late when dear daddy tells him to hurry his ass up. As Jim got closer to the throne room he heard roaring over and over chanting his fathers name. A few guards noticed his arrival to the front entrance, they saluted, bowed and then opened the door. Suddenly the massive noise of cheering blasted his ears. His headache grew 10 times larger. He wanted to retreat and go somewhere quiet, but he had no choice in the matter. Dad was NEVER to be ignored.

Jim noticed his father giving out another ‘heartwarming speech’ to his army. Pumping them up and making sure they are prepared for any fights that would take place anytime soon. Jim slipped past everyone by going to the furthest side of the room and quickly walking over to the side of his fathers throne, where his older brother Bular stood. His father and brother noticed him coming up to them, Gunmar looked back at his army and kept up his ‘pep talk’. Jim stood next to his brother now who leaned down and spoke into his ear  
“You’re late.”  
“sorry, overslept. Besides the guard-”  
“failed to do his duty? He will be punished.”  
“no he did it right, I just was late from my own dicking around. Late night out.” Bular just grunted in disapproval and stood back up fully.

“...WE SHALL SHOW THEM FEAR! THEY HAVE BEEN FOOLISH ENOUGH TO THINK OF US AS MERE MYTHS. FALSE TRUTHS. SOON, THEY WILL KNOW THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS! THEIR HEARTS SHALL BE FILLED WITH NOTHING BUT DESPAIR AND HOPELESSNESS! MY SON, BULAR, OUR DARK CHAMPION AND FUTURE LEADER WILL STORM THE SURFACE WORLD ALONG WITH YOU AND CLAIM WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS!” 

the army roared out in cheer and chanted Bulars name.  
“AND MY SECOND SON, JIM, SHALL LEAD BECOME YOUR FUTURE GENERAL AND LEAD YOU ALL TO BURN THE WORLD!”

FAR less of the crowd cheered, most of it died down, the few that DID chant Jim’s name were as pumped up as ever. Those were the smart ones.

“DO NOT THINK OF HIM LESSER! I WILL NEVER SAY IT AGAIN! THOSE WHO DO, SHALL BE SLAIN AND REPLACED! WHO OUT THERE DARES TO DISRESPECT HIM AND MYSELF?!”  
the army roared back up and chanted Jim’s name just as loud as Bular’s or Gunmar’s.  
“MY DARK PRINCE ALREADY MASSES STRENGTH AND SOLDIERS EVERY NIGHT! WHILE MY SON OF DUSK SPIES ON OUR ENEMIES RIGHT UNDER THEIR VERY NOSES! HE FILLS THEIR HEADS WITH DOUBTS AND PARANOIA! HE MAKES THEM FEAR AND SPREADS HIS LIES! HE CORRUPTS THEIR HEARTS AT EVERY MOMENT!”  
the army continued to roar out, now chanting both the sons of Gunmar. Roughly a half hour (surface world measured of course) the army was dismissed. Gunmar started to walk out and to one of his many ‘personal projects’ such as ‘taming’ the dangerous creatures that lurked within the darklands. 

“My sons. Come.” Gunmar made an ‘annoyed’ tone.  
‘uh oh, what did I do this time?’ Jim wondered in a quick panicked moment.  
“Blinkous, you are dismissed.”  
“Thank you my dark underlord.” Blinky bowed and headed his own way.  
Bular and Jim quickly caught up to their father’s pace, a fast one to Jim, he always had to do an awkward ‘in between’ jog and speed walk.

“Bular.”  
“yes father?”  
“my heart swells with pride for you. You are doing excellent work.”  
“Thank you father. It is my honor.”  
“the soldiers. Loyal they call themselves. Yet they follow you more than your own brother. Pathetic.”  
“It’s...alright Dad….I kinda expected it”  
“BUSHIGAL! They should know better than to EVER think lesser of you. It is pathetic that you assume you would be denied proper praise.”  
“I’m...sorry?”  
“no. I do not consider you pathetic my son, my love will never end for you. No, what I consider pathetic is the fact that you ASSUME that. Meaning you knew it would happen. Meaning that it WOULD HAPPEN. Which it has.

That is no way for my ‘loyal’ followers to think. I should kill the half that dared to think lesser of you. Teach them a valuable lesson. I’ve had to repeat myself over and over to them about doing that. Yet they do not have it in their minds at all time.”

“well, to be fair, a lot of them do, especially mine”  
“yes. Because those assigned to you are the wiser ones than the ones who are disrespectful to you. When they do that, they disrespect me and your mother. I will think of a fitting punishment for those who cheered only for your brother and myself. In the meantime, Bular you are dismissed. Go about your own activities once more.”  
“Thank you father. The ones in my charge will be dealt with post haste.”  
“a fitting thought, no. I will be the one to punish them. I will be far more cruel to them.”  
“thank you father.”

“so...dad.....does...that mean I can go?”  
“no. you are to continue to walk with me.”  
“okay...uh...bye Bular”  
“goodbye little brother.” Bular walked off leaving Jim alone with his father. Jim always did feel a good amount of fear for Gunmar. Even being his own son, that did not mean he would not be punished. Not only that, but being an omega made Jim feel more vulnerable when he was around far more powerful alphas. He had gotten used to Kanjigar and Draal, just barely, but still. His father was by far the biggest and more threatening one he’s ever been around. It made it even more the intense because Gunmar had not spoken to his son for a stressful minute. Jim half expected to be hurt by him, something that was rare, but not impossible. Suddenly Gunmar had stopped and slowly turned around. His single glowing blue eye was like a sword piercing into Jim’s eyes. He felt so exposed and vulnerable. Gunmar always knew Jim was like this. He tried to look calmer and less ‘i could tear you apart like I could kick a pebble.’ he is his own son. Even though he was a gumm-gumm prince, nature still wasn’t something easily changed. He didn’t want Jim to stressed out, human emotions did do a lot to their own bodies, stress kills, something Gunmar wanted to avoid. His son’s life was already short as it was, he had no desire to speed things along.

“My son.” Gunmar said in a much quieter and calmed voice, something to help ease Jim’s anxiety.  
“yea dad?”  
“You are doing very well. I wanted you to understand that, I am very satisfied by your progress. I only wish your mother was here to witness your growth. You are becoming such a proper son. So strong and smart.”  
“thanks dad, I really appreciate it”  
“Always keep in you heart that my love for you is as unconditional as your brothers. You are...softer. Weaker, due to your human side. I should have not raised my tone as much as I did. Do not think you are to go without punishment for your actions though.

“I promise, I won’t do that again dad” Gunmar nodded and looked his son over. His heart twitched in joy at how quickly his son was growing. So few years and he’s already becoming a proper gumm-gumm warrior. A small sadness shadowed that joy however, knowing that far sooner than any other gumm-gumm, he would have to have his son’s funeral so quickly. Such a small short life. So little compared to the others. His son was a small fleeting season. He had to savor every moment he could, before he grew old and died. 

It really was not that long ago since he held the small crying whelp. His heart had felt happier than it had in years. Only after did it turn cold once more when he watched his lover pass before his eyes. Only able to hold her son and name him before she left to join the dead. Gunmar grieved but he could not show weakness, besides, his newborn needed him. He took the newborn Jim back into his arms and walked away. Letting his followers tend to the body and have a proper gumm-gumm funeral. Gunmar looked at the tiny new life in his massive arms. He was shocked like everyone else when it turned out he was a half troll omega. No matter what though, he was his son. That would never change no matter what he was born like.

“thanks dad, I appreciate it...but...why the sudden affection? Not that its bad! Just...I’m wondering is all”  
“Humans require affection. You need it as well. This is how human fathers interact with their whelps, is it not?.” Gunmar got down on one knee and hugged his son. Jim’s skin crawled and he shivered and felt like he was experiencing something that wasn’t mentally understandable. His father…...hugged him?! The closest Gunmar ever got to showing affection was giving his children praise.  
“D-dad? W-what are you doing?”  
“this is a ...hug...is it not?”  
“yeah..it...is….why though?”  
“This is what humans do to show affection. I will never stop loving you son. Now, you are dismissed to do what you like.” Gunmar stopped hugging his son, got up and left. Leaving Jim feel weird and...he really didn’t know what to think…  
‘well, that was….strange. Did that just happen? Or do I have a concussion’. He was used to hugs. All his life Blinky hugged and cared for him, giving him plenty of emotional support. Blinky knew well that humans needed to experience a positive atmosphere, so that’s what he always gave Jim. Jim stood there still unsure what to think. He loved it. But it did feel so...different. He folded his arms around himself and hugged. He stood there and closed his eyes, reenacting the scene mentally. He wanted this, he wanted more. Not just out of greed, but a want, a need, to be loved.

…………………………………….


	5. hello! welcome to the Janus order!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please, have a seat, relax, and enjoy your orientation video! we even have a very special guest in it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a fun chapter! i plan on making a lot more changeling interactions in the near future too!

Jim breathed the fresh air deeply. He walked through the halls of his old high school. It was mostly empty, only a few handful of students lingered for their own business whatever that may be. Jim walked in front of the principles office. Walter strickler it read. Jim was about to knock when he heard whispering. Slight laughter and sweet voices speaking to one another. The door suddenly opened up  
“-Well I guess we’ll just have to put a pin in that, I can’t wait to see you again soon. Oh sorry! I didn’t notice you there” Barbara spoke as she opened the door and then almost bumped into Jim.

“that’s alright, no harm done.” Jim smiled as the woman nodded and left. Jim watched her leave, looking her over from behind. He stopped as she turned a corner and left.  
“Please Mr.strickler don’t give me detention! I promise that fight with Steve wasn’t my fault! He started it!” Jim smiled, walking into the office, closing the door behind him while locking it and speaking to the changeling in charge.  
“Haha. I think we both know for a fact that you did start it, you simply waited for an opportunity.” Walt joked back. Clicking his pen closed.  
“So, shes your type huh? Red heads?” Jim said sitting in a chair.  
“Hair color doesn’t matter, although it is lovely. Besides, we all have our own types. You prefer to eat yours.” Jim smiled and shrugged  
“Well, I’ve got a lot of my dad in me, what are you gonna do. So, what did you need to talk about? Not every day you call me over for orders. Or did you just want to visit? Miss me already?”

“No actually, staying away from you tends to help me focus on my work. Actually this isn’t an order, more of a friendly request”  
“ohhhh I wonder what that could be? A changeling asking a son of Gunmar for a favor isn’t very smart, and here I thought you were smarter than that”  
“Trust me, I don’t request anything important unless it’s absolutely needed. Well this is a simple request, something I think you might be interested in”  
“Tell me, oh great changeling in charge of our order”

“hm, that has a nice ring to it. We are going to make a new orientation video, something updated for today’s time, the previous one is outdated too much. I was wondering if you would be interested in partaking in it, it would be a simple ‘meet and greet’. Much like how your brother did before.”  
“Hmmmm, video huh? So what would I have to do, and why not just ask Bular again?”  
“You would simply have to say hello in the video, smile and just say thanks for our hard work. You know, simple things. It wouldn’t be anything personal so don’t worry. It does greatly improve morale when newcomers get recognition from someone far higher up on the ‘food chain’. As for your brother….well he was very….stubborn, about partaking in the other video. I did not want to, bother him with another request.”

“yeah, we both know that means he straight up would rather tear your head off than be bothered with a dumb recording. You can say it.”  
“I prefer not to speak ill of Gunmars children.”  
“You all say that, but I get it. don’t want dear old dad finding out you talked shit about us. I sure hope you don’t about me at least! I thought I was everyone’s favorite!” Walt smiled and chuckled a bit  
“Which is exactly why I’m asking you. Everyone prefers your….company….rather than your...brothers. You are far...easier to talk to than he is.”

“No on shits their pants around me when they come near me you mean.”  
“some would put that in familiar terms.”  
“sure! I’d love to go in a video! Sounds fun!”  
“splendid! Then would you mind popping over to our little ‘clubhouse’ and film tonight? We had already planned on doing it, then just cutting your scene into it, but if we can film the whole thing in one take then that would be wonderful.”  
“Can’t wait to see my face on the big screen! Always wondered what it would be like if I were an actor”  
“i know for a fact that you are only as good as you are a liar and a violent sociopath.”  
“hey, everyone has their pros and cons! And what did you honestly think was going to happen when I was raised around master liars and manipulating changelings and bloodthirsty gumm-gumms?”

Walt chuckled  
“you’ve got me there. Well, come by around 7. I’ll see you there, oh and look nice please, this will be the first time anyone outside of Arcadia will have seen you . The recording would be nicer if they saw someone who wasn't blood and organ stained, unwashed, and grime covered, like potentially other important gumm-gumm figures.”  
“Well I am the pretty one. I’ll make sure I look good. wouldn’t want everyone to see the video and think I’m just as unapproachable as my brother.”  
“Excellent. Then I shall see you tonight. you’re excused. Do you want me to write you a hall pass?”  
“I think I’m good. Might grab something to eat for later though. don’t worry, I’ll be nice and clean for tonight.”

“Just don’t get caught.”  
“like I ever do”  
“you cut it to close. Too many times have we had to cover up your tracks.”  
“well technically that is your job!”  
“I’m not here to babysit you”  
“Aww, you would make a great babysitter! Alright, I’ll leave. See ya!”

……………………………..

“Welcome to the Janus order”. The elevator said as it stopped lowering.  
“ugh. I’ll never get used to that feeling...” Jim said, walking down the now lit up hallway. Jim looked around, the familiar plain walls, the busts, the various operation rooms. Jim waved to some changelings from time to time  
“heyyy chad! Nice haircut”  
“Emily, haven’t seen you in a while!”  
“jack! Your favorite pain in the ass is here!  
“Sammy, look who’s here! Oh let me take that for you, I’m heading this way anyways” Jim smiled, he did love the various emotions the changelings had for him. The new recruits feared him and tried not to get in his way, or wondered why he was there since Jim was hardly known. the older members would smile and greet him casually like they would to any common person or secretly roll their eyes or groan that Jim was there. He really DID try to be a distraction to them, it was fun messing with them. He had visited frequently when he had down time and didn’t feel like doing much else. He would mainly walk around, talk, try to see any ‘big plans’ that were about to occur. Listen in on the various messages being sent across the world. Try to understand (and fail) the very complex systems they had set up. Things of that nature overall.

He knew his way around well enough, but the very deeper levels made him lost, it was a real maze at times. He slowed down as he smelled a familiar scent, he grinned evilly and crouched down. He snuck up next to one changeling and roared  
“OTTO” the changeling screamed and dropped onto the ground trying to backaway.  
“you….you scared me...yet again….” Otto’s breathing was rapid. He adjusted his glasses and stood back up. Jim LOVED to scare the polymorph. He startled so easily, and it was just fun to mess around with him. He was one of the top tier in charge, and THE most afraid of Jim. He took Jim’s status by heart. He never saw the happy fun having half troll, he only saw a son of Gunmar. Jim found it amusing.  
“How’s my favorite polymorph doing?”  
“b-better now that I’ve become more...awake. I’m so thankful that you consider me your favorite.” Otto dusted himself off, still shaking. Even if he WAS mad or upset with Jim, he would NEVER dare show it or speak about it. He was too smart for that. Jim could technically kill anyone he wanted to at anytime. Even though he never did. Still, everyone always remembered that fact.

“Hey so, I need you to do something for me.”  
“anything for the son of mine kaiser”  
“I’m totally lost. I’m supposed to be apart of the new orientation video thing...oh..oops, was that a spoiler?”  
“not at all, I was heading there right now”  
“cool! I’ll follow”  
“This way, please, and thank you for letting me be in your company” The two walked down a few hallways. It was fairly silent, neither one of them talked. Otto had nothing to say, or was too afraid of how Jim would react. Almost all the changelings knew how Bular was, or heard stories of him. How demented he was and how cruel and dark and terrifying too. No one dared come near him if they didn’t absolutely need to. Jim though, they almost always relaxed. He was on totally different levels of being able to be near him without fear of sudden beheading just for looking at him for too long.

“We are here, please, after you”  
“thanks Otto, fist bump” Otto was always socially awkward in general, let alone with Jim. He smiled nervously and did it. The room was filled with cables and cameras and a lot of TV screens. Tons of flashing buttons and dials and everything else that was needed to record and shoot things. The room was fairly busy overall. The usual broadcasts were happening along with the new recording of the orientation video. Walt was talking and looking into the camera with his usual charismatic self.

A changeling woman in a mask carefully walked up to Jim, like he was a wild animal that could kill them at any moment, which in all honesty he could, and spoke softly  
“h-hello Son of Gunmar. We know you’re about to be part of the video, please, walk this way over to the other side of the room with me, we’ll get you camera ready”  
“what, my pretty face not ready? Or is my fur a mess? Do I have meat in my fangs?” Jim said jokingly and kindheartedly. That seemed to visibly relax the changeling.  
“I had heard that you were a bit more...approachable than your brother, not that I’m saying anything negative in anyway!”  
“nah it’s fine, I try to be. You can be chill around me, just as long as you don’t mind me being annoying” Jim winked and chuckled. The Changeling laughed lightly, although Jim couldn’t tell if it was genuine or just trying to go along with Jim so she didn’t get killed.  
“Lead the way, let’s get me all pretty!”

Jim felt relaxed. A few changelings were tending to him, checking him over, picking bits of lint off of his shirt, brushing his fur (which caused Jim to purr. That shocked the changelings, they all actually stopped for a split moment. A son of Gunmar….purring?...then they went back to work) and overall groomed him.  
“Alright, you’re about to go on. When Stricklander calls your name you go on. I recommend just taking a deep breath and don’t worry about a thing, just relax and have fun with it” a changeling said.  
“are you ordering me?! Are you honestly telling me what to do?!”  
“n-no! I-I’m so sorry I swear i-”  
“hahaha! don’t worry I’m just playing with you. It’s fine, thanks for the suggestions though, I appreciate it” The changeling just stood there not knowing how to react. Jim just smiled widely.  
“t-thank you?...I’ll just be going if you excuse me...”  
“Go ahead, I won’t stop you” The changeling nodded and left quickly.

“…...and as a very special treat we even have an heir of Gunmar himself!” Walt waves over to Jim to come. Jim walks, stupidly looking into the bright light and then blinking. He looked at Walt

“Now, I know you must have been expecting Bular. Now you must be asking yourself  
‘who is this, a half troll? Surely this must be some kind of jest! A little light humor?’ well not at all! He truly IS a son of Gunmar. This is Jim, Son of Gunmar, brother to Bular. He has happily accepted our invitation to appear in our video! Please introduce yourself”

“uh, hi, I’m, well, Jim. Nice to meet you. My dads Gunmar, as was said. And uh, yeah my big bro’s Bular. Weird that I’m a part of the family huh? Well long story short, mom was a half troll, dad and her got...uh...i mean they...well you know...and then here I am! Mom died when I was born. Named me Jim, so uh, yeah...surprise! I exist!” Jim did slight jazz hands.

“Thank you very much. Now, the reason hes hardly know is because we keep it that way. To the world, Bular is the only son Gunmar has had, but this is clearly not so. Our young friend here is currently 92 years old, still just a child really, so he has yet to make a name for himself. Jim lives a regular life, going to college, hanging out with his friends, buying pizza. This is his life, also his perfect cover! He walks among our enemies, spies on them, collect notes, learns the very secrets they try to hide. He comes and goes without anyone the wiser. Jim here is not only a half troll, but get this, an omega! Yes you also heard that right! The second son of Gunmar the black, the skullcrusher, the dark underlord, is a half troll omega! Now how, is it possible that our very lord has spawned one?

Well it’s from his mothers side! At the second battle for the bridge, a powerful and loyal half troll worked her way through the ranks until she was by Gunmar’s side. Then, the two fell in love and well, Jim was born. What you see here is in front of you is a spawn of two beings so unlikely to be together that nature herself crafted him to be perfect!. A child who comes and goes freely, wherever whenever! He even walks within trollmarket itself! When not learning, he goes about his life as any normal person would. So if you see him come and go, which is something very common, simply leave him be. Maybe say hello or nothing at all, whatever is natural to the situation. Other than that, if he ever asks for anything, be it money, food, water, shelter, you are to give it to him without question.

Never forget, his appearance may fool you, but he is just as deadly as his brother. he’s also far friendlier, he likes to be greeted.”

“Yep, just say hi to me every now and again! I promise I wont bite! Haha! Unless I do”

“he’s also got a good bit of humor to him, but never. EVER forget. He IS a son of our lord. Many have treated him….with less respect than he is entitled to. let’s just say Gunmar himself ALWAYS deals with them. You DON’T want to be on his bad side. But in all honesty who does!. Well that should wrap this portion up. In summery, hes our little secret! don’t let anyone find out, just yet. You are to respect and provide for him. And don’t forget to tell him whatever he wants. He has maximum clearance. From anything minor to the highest secrets, he is allowed to be told. Well, it was wonderful to have you Jim”

“thanks, I’m glad to have done this, I bet my big brother Mr.grumpybutt didn’t do as good as I did”

“Well his words, not mine! So, any last thoughts Jim?”

“hmm...nope! Just keep doing your thing! OH WAIT THERE IS ONE THING! I doubt you get told this enough but, from me to you. Thank you. We really could NOT do this without you! Every little detail, every small little cog in the great clock of our...whatever, is important! Keep up the great work! OH and believe it or not, but my dad and brother both do appreciate what you’re all doing. Working so hard and doing so well! You could never tell, but trust me, I can. They are thankful...in...their own way….but from me to you, thumbs up! Keep it up! Hey maybe you might get that promotion you want! I believe in you! Teamwork makes the dreamwork!...and….stuff, hang in there baby?..uh...that’s all I got, stay positive!..and...uh...keep pushing through!...every...light has it’s tunnel!...wait...reverse that. uh...yeah so fun being here!”

“Well thank you again, we all appreciate your words and time, now how about you say goodbye Jim”

“Goodbye Jim!”

“See? A good bit of humor!. Well now that our special guest has had his turn, next I’m going to talk about the politics in your area. What you can do and how to do it!.”

the camera cuts and everyone gets to work editing what they have already recorded.

“so..uh..did I do good?”  
“you did splendid!”  
“really? I’m pretty sure I messed up there at the end”  
“oh no one will mind, although I do appreciate you giving praise to us, we never get anything like that from the...higher status. It will really boost morale around here to know that everyones work is being noticed and appreciated”  
“anytime! So am I done here? I’m getting hungry. I think I’ll go get something to grab. It should be dark enough to find the good meat.” Jim licked his lips.

“Well, I suppose you should do what you will. Please try not to make a big mess”  
“nah, I love making messes”  
“very well. Do as you will.” Otto walked up to the two of them  
“well done! I must say you did quite well. Better than...previous guests of all kinds we’ve had on here”  
“Thanks Otto, I appreciate it. Alright, take me out of here, I feel like eating. If I don’t leave soon, I might have to have a bite on someone. One less changeling won’t be too bad.” Jim growls and licks his lips.

 

“ha...ha you r-really do have a sense of humor”  
“I’m not kidding Otto. I don’t joke about my ‘eating habits’.” Jim looked serious, then smiled  
“or do I?” Otto backed up a bit and waved his arm out.  
“this way...son of mine kaiser...” The two walked the halls, it was the usual silence until they turned a corner and a few changelings stood in a small group.  
“you go..”  
“no you...”  
Otto spoke up to them  
“Why are you lingering around? Get back to work!”  
“we uh….wanted to meet Jim, uh I mean..the son of Gunmar Jim!”

Jim smiled in surprise  
“why? I’m just your daily average half troll omega son of the darkest creature. No biggie”  
“He is funny” one changeling whispered. Another one walked up to Jim nervously.  
“i uh...we...were wondering..if...maybe...we could get your autograph?” Jim gasped and laughed  
“Me?! Autograph?! Seriously? I mean, sure, but it’s not like I really have one. This is the first time anyone’s ever asked me for something like this.”

The changeling group made little glee noises. They took out pens and paper. Jim reached for a pen then started to write.  
“so...what’s your name?”  
“mark!”  
“to mark...from...Jim...teamwork makes the dream work….”  
“oh my gosh I got one! Everyone at home is going to be so jealous!” the changeling Mark laughed a bit and left. Jim stood there for a couple minutes signing. He liked it surprisingly, it was neat getting this kind of attention, like he was some celebrity. After he was finished the group dispersed and went their separate ways. Otto cleared his throat  
“i don’t...suppose...you might be willing to do….one more?”  
“aww okay. Just for you!”

 

Apparently word traveled fast that he started to sign things. More and more changelings came up to him. All asking for his signature. Apparently being the direct son of Gunmar was something to be excited about. It’s not like Bular would ever sign anything, so getting the second son to, well it made peoples day. Jim had nothing left to do that night, he could wait a bit longer to eat, if it meant making some people’s day. He did like to see them happy little worker bees. He knew just how well having a positive work environment did matter. Jim couldn’t help but really enjoy the attention, he even let some of them pet him THAT was nice for both parties. Jim didn’t even realize that it was now 2 hours later. He did chuckle to himself, he got so caught up in his newfound fame that he didn’t even pay attention to the time. His hunger now did spike and he decided to leave, he left quickly, he decided that he would give out more ‘attention’ to the others when he came back. He did visit often, so it’s not like everyone won’t get to meet him, and hey, when you get to meet a celebrity, that’s always awesome!.

 

Jim had found some unlucky bastard that happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Well two. A couple drunks walking around laughing. Oh well. Parties over. For them. Jim typically never ate anything ‘spiked’ but hey, alcohol did tenderize and flavor meat. So After his meal and a half was done with, he brought back what was left home. Stored it, and got ready for bed. He had a long day, he was ready to hit the nest!. He had finished a nice hot bath. He was soft and warm and dry and fluffed up, his eyes closed and body relaxed. He was counting gumm-gumms in his head...slowly drifting off….until a sudden pounding at his door woke him up. Now he was pissed, he was PERFECT. Now it was ruined.

“WHAT IS IT?!”  
“Master Jim, sorry to disturb you, but I was hoping to talk to you. In private.”  
THAT always meant Blinky needed to say something important that couldn’t wait. Something no one else should be hearing. Jim knew how to keep a secret. So Blinky always would confide to him. Jim got up and opened the door, he was too tired to put cloths on. Not that he cared anyways. Blinky quickly walked in while covered in a hood.  
“What’s wrong Blinky?”  
“ah master Jim, I do dearly apologize for the inconvenience. You father...well...he is a bit….upset at something, something involving you. I wanted you to be able to brace yourself before his arrival, which should be any moment. Perhaps it would be wise to ready yourself for his soon to be sudden appearance.” 

“oh shit! What did I do!? what’s he mad about!?”  
“i wouldn’t call it anger per say, more of….upset with you. Or at you, either way it does involve you. Do you want me to aid you in dressing?”  
“eh I’m to tired and I really don’t care. Everyone has a dick. Not like he hasn’t seen mine before.”  
“yo-” 

“SON. YOUR FATHER IS HERE. YOU’D BETTER BE IN THERE” Gunmar yelled down the hallway. It loudly echoed into the room, booming all around Jim and Blinky. Really making it seem just how deep and powerful and foreboding Gunmar really was. Suddenly The door to his room was opened, two gumm-gumm elite guards opened it, and stood back as their ruler steeped through, along with Bular.  
“Hey dad, hey bro”  
“Hello little brother.” Bular said in a monotone voice.  
“Why are you nude? Why are there corpses in your room? And why did I just receive word form the Janus order about you?”

“well first, I took a bath and was about to sleep. I think my heat’s coming again pretty soon. Been feeling...emotional...ya know? My ‘inner omega’ coming out. Second I was hungry and had a little dinner before coming home, and then I thought that I would just finish it later. And third, well I went to visit in arcadia, made a fun video and then signed some stuff! They think I’m a celebrity!”

“what is this celebrity?” Gunmar asked in curiosity. His son always did say things he didn’t understand. The human world had ridiculous concepts all the time. Blinky spoke up and replied  
“it’s a being of great fame and well respected to the humans.”  
“ah. Good. They are treating you with the respect you deserve. At least the impures know what’s good for them.” Blinky sighed slightly in relief. Knowing that at least Jim was being taken care of by their order.  
“Yes, the impures have a great fondness for your son. He visits and checks up on them frequently. He helps ‘boost their morale’ in the sense that his presence causes them to work faster, harder, and more efficient. They have already grown double their usual rate within the past month. His very being is helping your army grow my dark underlord.” Blinky always did know how to ‘talk Jim up’. Making sure Jim was always seen in a positive way. It wasn’t just Jim’s neck on the line. It was also his. Blinky was his main caretaker. Which also meant that any progress Jim made was a reflection on him. Fail, Blinky is punished for not doing his job well enough. Succeed and Blinky is rewarded.

Gunmar smiled and did a purr  
“good. I enjoy this. you’re doing well my son. Keep it up. Even if the impures hassle you. At least they give you the respect you are supposed to receive. Hfmph. To think, lowly impures are smarter than trained perfect gumm-gumm warriors in knowing how to treat my own son.”  
“truly ironic my dark underlord. That just goes to show that the Janus order is far more intelligent as a group. Not just respecting your son because they have to, but because they want to even more so than others do. He does hold strong sway over them. No wonder they have been growing back to their proper numbers as past history once had. And their grip on the world too is growing stronger. They have already discovered many secrets that aid us. Sadly, none to aid you I’m afraid. Or at least not yet. Still they search relentlessly.”

Gunmar nodded  
“good. Good.” Jim laid in his nest and covered himself with a blanket  
“uh..dad...did...you need anything specific?”  
“Yes. You’ve been around the arcadia post very often. I was wondering why. Now I know just how well you were doing all this time. And not even telling me for personal reward! You truly are growing wonderfully my son. I am proud of you.”  
“thanks dad….is that all? I just would really like to get some shut eye….meaning I would like to sleep.”

Gunmar looked around his son’s room. He hasn’t been inside of it in a while. It has changed greatly. Gunmar liked to know what his son was interested in. even if it was useless human things like music and trinkets. Still, if his son enjoyed it, then it mattered to him. Gunmar had always thought to himself about his plans after he took over the world. He knew he would give his children their own parts to own for themselves. He had a few ideas on letting Jim have a nice little kingdom to rule and watch over. Something of a decent size to help train him for larger kingdoms. Baby steps. Let him get a feel for it first before doing something big. He didn’t want his son to be overwhelmed. 

Gunmar had also thought about letting his son be in charge of the humans in his son’s kingdoms. Jim enjoyed their company. Perhaps leave some of them alive so their bards could sing for his son, like how Jim greatly enjoyed it. Gunmar never understood it. If it wasn’t a powerful booming war chant, then it didn’t matter. Human music and words sounded stupid to him. Useless. His son enjoyed it though, and that’s what mattered.

“i shall leave you to your nesting my son. If you require anything, simply ask, as usual”  
“thanks dad, I’ll make sure of it.” Gunmar knew of his son’s ‘little adventures’ with his soldiers. If they weren’t virile enough to please his son, then they weren’t good enough to breed in his army. He needed only the best soldiers. So he let his son get away with it. Although, soon he will have a true mate, one he will NOT kill and devour. One Gunmar would approve of, one that has proven they are worthy of courting his son, breeding, and having whelps. Until then, his sons nature needed to be met. Blinky told him that omega humans need the ‘company’ or else they feel lonely and depressed. Another reason Gunmar let it slide. 

Gunmar nodded and left, the guards and Bular followed. Blinky sighed in relief far after the dark underlord had left.  
“I feared he would have been far more upset.”  
“same here. So what exactly made him upset?”  
“i don’t know exactly. All I know is that it had to do with those subjects. Well, whatever the case, his mind has been put at ease. More or less. Well, I shall leave you now master Jim. I hope you sleep well. Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the gnomes bite!” Blinky smiled and left.

Ever since Jim was small, he always did little things like that. Do things that human parents would do to their children. Well, it made sense, Jim needed to be raised in a human fashion. No one else really understood the little details like rhymes and stories that didn’t involve battle and murder. No one really understood the little good night’s and ‘tuck in’s’. Well, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Jim was growing emotionally healthy. Well, as healthy as a son of Gunmar could be. Jim went back to counting gumm-gumm’s in his head and drifting off to sleep….


	6. emotions are difficult. they suck.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim thought he understood his own brain that night. he was far from it. why was his heart acting up so much?.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> felt like something fluffy was needed for what is to come. i hope you enjoy it!

“focus brother. Focus.” Bular grunted in annoyance. His brother was getting fidgety from watching fights. He whined and couldn’t just sit still long enough. Bular loved teaching and showing his brother how to kill, however it did become a hassle just to try and reign him in.  
“I...i just...i need blood...”  
“Why father gave you permission to go on another outing with me while you enter your heat is beyond me.”  
“Dad knows I can’t just sit still at times.”  
“You should be in your nest. Not hungry for blood.”  
“I haven’t had any visitors recently~ I need SOMETHING to satisfy my needs, and violence is a good one.” The two sibling gumm-gumms watched Kanjigar fight. Killing and hacking many warriors to bits.  
“We’ve seen him fight before. I’VE seen him up close! let’s just kill him already! what’s there to teach?!”

“shhh. Still yourself. it’s good to be lustful for carnage. it’s another to rush in and get killed. Even gumm-gumm’s need to watch and learn.”  
“carnage is our way of life! Let me go. Pleaaassseee!”  
“No. it’s bad enough you’re in heat. Let alone having you be too invested in your own cravings to focus on your defense. it’s just as important as offense.”  
“you always rush in and do extreme things! You don’t hesitate or think!”  
“Do not compare yourself to me. Besides, that is MY way. Not yours. I know how to handle myself. In every fight, you need to be able to know your enemy. I’ve studied them up close and from afar. I might be the type to rush in, but that’s only because I’m strong enough to defend myself.”

“i-”  
“hush. Yes, you can. However you let your blood lust get the best of you. You’d rather go reckless than focus on keeping yourself alive.”  
“ughhhhh! Pleassee! I need something!”  
“You can hunt a human-”  
“NO. I don’t WANT that! I want troll blood!”  
“When we get home you can hump and eat your fill. Until then-” before Bular could grab him, Jim had charged off on all fours, ducking and running through the trees. He shoved his helmet on and drew his sword. He quietly landed behind Kanjigar. What few gumm-gumm soldiers that were left looked at their leaders son, they slowly backed up, knowing dam well to stay out of his way.

“You retreat? I’ve never know your kind do such a thing” Kanjigar said with a smile, he never wavered or became over confident, still, he did enjoy the sight of his enemy possibly learning their lesson for the first time.

“nah. We don’t.” Kanjigar heard a voice behind him, quickly turning around he noticed a decent sized gumm-gumm. Covered from head to toe in dark armor spiked with green crystals.  
“I’ve never seen you before. Are these your men?”  
“so to speak. They belong to the sons of Gunmar.” Kanjigars mind stopped for a moment. He must have misheard….sons...plural...meaning more than one….no...that wasn’t possible, this gumm gumm was simply trying to distract him.  
“You’re a bit young and small to challenge the trollhunter.”  
“I love the danger. Now, why don’t we have a little bit of fun.” Suddenly the gumm-gumm soldiers were killed and Draal, who then rolled up into a ball and rolled to his fathers side, then un curled and too a battle stance.  
“i thought the trollhunter wasn’t allowed to have children?. My, what a handsome one. I see where he gets his good looks trollhunter. I don’t think I’d mind laying with either one of you.”  
“flattery will get you no where.” Kanjigar suddenly looked to his side, his eyes noticed something large and black charge at them. Bular had slammed into Kanjigar while slashing his sword towards Draal, who just barely rolled past it.

“What do you think you’re doing?! You weren’t….it doesn’t matter now.” Bular growled out, slowly backing his way towards his brother. Now, the four stood a good amount away from each other. Jim and Draal facing one another, and Bular and Kanjigar facing one another. The four had moved their way near the bridge. No one moving much, no one backing down.  
“Aww, look how fun! Two sons and two servants to their masters fighting. Wish this would last, I want to be able to live like this for a very very long time. So, does anyone want to get something to eat soon? I’m starving! I found a nice group of humans around here. They looked tasty.”

“Silence. You shall not speak about harming the fleshbags.” Kanjigar said, shifting his gaze around without being noticed, trying to look and see what he could use to his favor.  
“Hey kanjigar, real quick. The stance you use, the fourth step, did you ever figure that one out in the forge?” Jim asked with a smile, however no one could see it with his helmet on. That question made Kanjigar feel...strange….fear?...no...axious?...not exactly…..it was something on the back of his mind. There was no way anyone outside of watching him practice would have known that. Only a few people knew….including his son...and...Jim…...although his enemies studying him wasn’t a small fact either. Kanjigar re focused on the task at hand.

“I see you’ve been studying me for weaknesses. Smart for a gumm-gumm.”  
“Hey, I try big guy” Kanjigar’s mind slowed down again  
‘big guy’ only Jim called him that…  
“Why did you say that.”  
“hm?”  
“why. Did you say that specifically?”  
“because you’re a big guy.”  
“only one other calls me that….”  
“The little omega half troll?” Kanjigar tensed up. They knew about Jim. That wasn’t good. There was no way Jim could protect himself, especially against trained gumm-gumm warriors.  
“by the looks of it, I think your little ‘pet’ might be a bit….in trouble. You have no idea whats happening. Funny. That makes me smile.” It was clear on Kanjigar’s face this conversation started to hit a nerve.

“what’s wrong trollhunter? Your little pet not as safe as you think?” Jim was being very smug, he LOVED this. He was so close to being caught, just by talking, acting, BEING himself.  
“Silence. We speak no more.”  
“aww, but I looove banter! Besides, I wonder where your little pet is now...” Kanjigar really tensed up now. Was Jim in trouble? It was true that Kanjigar had no idea where he was at. Jim always came and went as he wished, Kanjigar had no reason or will to prevent that, he was a free spirit, and Kanjigar enjoyed the youthful energy that he had. Reminded him of his own youth. These gumm-gumms….especially Bular...if they knew about where Jim was…. 

Draal roared  
“enough! We fight!”  
“Why? Afraid that if he’s gone for good, you might miss his little ‘affections’ for you?” Draal and his father quickly looked to one another. Sure, Jim being attracted to Draal wasn’t a secret in trollmarket….but that’s just it...ONLY in trollmarket. There was no way anyone else outside of it could know…  
“You lie. Gumm-gumms only lie. You know nothing abo-”  
“about Jim? The little innocent half troll omega who comes and goes how he wants when he wants, going to college and making friends and visiting his father and watching you train and living within your home. Funny though, what would we be able to know about Jim? I know for a fact that this very second, he’s with his brother. Doing something very dangerous.” Jim laughed as he looked at Bular who was NOT amused. 

Bular was more than furious, he wanted to beat his brother to near death. He would never harm him, but he wanted to. His brother was being was more stupid that he ever has. He was always so well behaved, why do this? Why do this now?!. Bular just chalked it up to him being in heat. He knew for a fact omegas always didn’t think like they usually did when in heat. Especially Jim. Bular just tried to remain focused as his brother babbled on and on. Bular let his brother have his fun, hopefully ‘getting his fill’ so he wouldn’t be a pain in the ass anymore after. The second they had an opening, Bular was going to grab Jim and high tail it out of there, go somewhere the trollhunter and his whelp couldn’t find them, then teleport home. He would make sure their father knew what Jim had done. Then again...Jim was in heat. His father would punish him for being in a condition where he couldn’t place his thoughts properly. Perhaps it was for the best to just let Jim off the hook for this.

Jim had always said sorry and tried to make up how he acted during his heat. Always making sure he properly apologized and showed that he truly did regret it. Bular remembered this and knew Jim would do the same after this. He had always learned his lessons well, this would be no different. 

“So, trollhunter. I think you-”  
“AHHHHH” Draal roared and charged.  
“son don’t!” Kanjigar charged with him, just trying to protect his son. Draal was furious, he had too many ‘nerves’ hit, he had to ‘punish’ them for insulting his fathers pet. NO ONE spoke ill of Jim. Sure, he was annoying at times, a bit to ‘grabby grabby’, purred to often to Draal when he was around him, but Jim had a good kind loving free heart, and Draal would never let anyone tarnish that. He secretly didn’t care about Jim as much as his father did, but he still cared deeply for the half troll omega.

Bular dove in front of Jim, taking Draals attack. Kanjigar’s mind noticed this. He wondered. Why did Bular do that? Risking his own neck to save this….small troll. Bular was always selfish, always willing to kill anyone for his own survival. Why did he…. Kanjigar focused and decided to swing at Bular who retaliated and swung both blades at him, Kanjigar dove and rolled out of the way, he threw his sword, just missing Bular as he knocked it away. Draal charged Bular rearing his ax up, readying for a powerful swing. Bular grabbed Draal’s arm and threw him into Kanjigar, knocking both of them over. 

Bular looked at his brother who was just….standing there. Motionless. Bular knew for a fact that Jim would have clearly dove in and did so laughing. Then why was he motionless?. Bular decided it wasn’t important then. He grabbed his brother and retreated into the forest. He quickly pulled out his amulet and teleport the both of them home. Within an instant a flash of green light surrounded them and they stood on the ground of the darklands. Bular put his brother down and looked him over. He was worried that something might have happened to Jim somehow.

“Hey. Focus. Look at me” Jim didn’t move what so ever. It was like he was a statue. Bular gently tugged off the helmet to see Jim silently crying. Bular’s heart hurt a bit. Sure, he was a ruthless gumm-gumm. They all were, but he only cared for his father and brother. His emotions for both of them were different. With his father, he feared and respected him, wanted to please him and show he was worthy of bearing the title of being his son. With Jim, he saw a small weak creature that needed protection. But...love. Care. Bular did care for him, he didn’t want to see him hurt or suffer. He knew as well as his father did that Jim’s life was a small one. Bular wanted to make sure it lasted as long as it could. He loved his brother and wanted to see him safe and happy. Bular smiled with pride, seeing his baby brother grow up into a feisty violent gumm-gumm, he was eager to see what his brother would be like when he was older, more capable.

“Whats wrong? Tell me.” Jim’s gaze was just gone, like he was looking at nothing.  
“Are you hurt?”  
“...”  
“what’s going on with you?”  
“….”  
“if you do not speak, I cannot help.”  
“….” Bular sighed. The gumm-gumm way was to just brute force it. He knew Jim’s mental health wouldn’t allow that. He decided to fetch Blinky. He always knew how to handle these things. Bular lifted up his brother, slung him over his shoulder and walked to Jim’s room. Once there, he tossed his brother into his nest and went to fetch his fathers loyal adviser. Bular found Blinky and told him to follow. After the two were out of earshot of everyone else Bular explained the situation. Not hiding any details from that night. 

Jim laid in his nest, spacing out. Why was he feeling this way? Why was he just...shut down?. He didn’t even notice the door open.  
“Master Jim.” He heard Blinky say in a soft tone. Blinky walked over to the side of Jim’s nest. Put a hand on his head, checking his temperature. Omegas did sometimes have a fever when their heats got too intense.  
“I will take it from here master Bular. Master Jim requires rest.” Bular grunted and nodded, looking once more at his brother, before turning around and leaving, closing the door s behind him.

“Is there anything you wish to discuss? Your brother has informed me of tonight’s events.”  
“...”  
“perhaps you became a bit...er...overwhelmed. This has happened before. Let me get you some nice cold water and a wash cloth.” Blinky walked over to Jim’s little bathroom and fetched a cold wet cloth and glass of water. Meanwhile Jim just felt….a void inside of him? Cold? Numb? He honestly couldn’t tell. The second Draal charged him he suddenly started to feel...strange. The feeling built up as he saw his brother take the attack for him, when Kanjigar started to show unease when Jim spoke of himself. Something inside of him just….

Jim suddenly felt the tense cold rag on his head. That helped to snap him out of his own head.  
“Drink master Jim, this will help soothe your heat.”  
“Blinky...what’s wrong with me?”  
“Well other than a potential fever-”  
“no..i mean...why do I feel this way?….” Jim slowly and sadly just spoke of the void within him. It was growing and gnawing, not letting up or giving mercy. Jim has NEVER felt this way before. So why now? Why all of a sudden? Why did it trigger tonight of all times?…

“Well, you are still growing, hardly an adult by human progression. Another answer could be that you’re emotions are running high due to your heat.”  
“I just….i think I want to sleep...”  
“very well master Jim. I do hope you feel better soon. Call me at any time and I shall arrive post haste.” Blinky smiled as he patted Jim’s head. He turned around and left, the sound of the closing doors echoed through the large room. Jim just breathed in and out….he was tired but, he just couldn’t fall asleep. He had no idea how long he just laid there in his nest. Eventually he grew tired of just laying there with no respite, he sat up and looked around his room. The ever familiar place was the same as it had been since he last decorated. He hugged himself and felt nothing. He craved warmth. Something the darklands had none to give, physically or emotionally. He remembered the ‘kindness’ his trollhunter and Draal gave him. He felt….a need….to be around them...not even sexual needs just….companionship…

Jim sighed and rubbed his horn. He finally decided what he wanted to do. So, he got up, took his armor off, bathed quickly, dressed, and wrote a note stating he was going to trollmarket. He grabbed a small bag full of a few minor essentials. A couple books, his phone, a few other pair of cloths, his amulet, some cash, and some snacks and birth control. Why the BC? Why not, hey, maybe he’ll get lucky. Who knows. He used the amulet, teleport, used the horngazel, and entered the trollmarket.

………………………….

Jim laid in his trollmarket nest, feeling...warm...safe….happy. The glow from the heartstone seeped into him like water to a rag. He felt amazing. He understood the joys of a heartstone now. He felt so eased, so relaxed, like a spa. All the pain and knots in him just faded away. Jim cuddled more into his nest. He had worked on it over and over, but he finally got it right. He brought his own pillows and blankets to add to them, some stuff to decorate his room with, and just did a quick tidy up in his room. It had no door, it was carved into the stone like a large cave. Small light crystals stringed across the ceiling and dropped down a bit, making the room feel a warm soft orange glow. Jim wanted to just cuddle up against the heartstone itself….

He wondered why he felt so...different, compared to the other trolls. He wanted to talk to someone who was an expert, so he went to the top! Literally. He spoke to Vendel and asked him lots of questions. He was such a wise old troll, he seemed like he had every answer to every situation. He even rivaled blink’s education. All the questions revolved around half troll information. Jim really didn’t know much about his own kind. He didn’t think it was important. He started to think differently about that. Vendel explained his ‘ins and outs’ and explained things to Jim that Jim never even knew existed. The reason he felt so attached to the heartstone was 1 because he was in heat. And 2, Vendel couldn’t figure that one out. All he said was that Jim must have come from some line of trolls that have had intense needs for heartstone in the past. High constant exposure. Jim actually laughed out loud. He understood now why he was so affected. His father was created from it, ate it, grew stronger. Jim had the same capabilities to do so, in some likeness at least.

Jim’s body naturally reacted to the strengthening and healing properties of the heartstone. No wonder Jim wanted to just be around it. His body was consuming it to regenerate itself. Jim was taught about his biology too. Since they were on the talk of ‘heat’ Vendel explained many omega things to him. His reproductive cycle, what kind of species he would end up bearing, why his constant sexual cravings were so intense, and many others. Jim was stunned to learn that his own personal body would….only be able to have a single child. Not only that, but for some biological reason of his ‘ancestors’. He is only able to bear a child with a full blooded troll. Jim didn’t mind that fact. He never was sexually aroused by humans, and he’s hardly ever seen another half troll. One thing Vendel said that  
“for the well being of your species, I heavily do advise you have a child.”

His species. What did he care for? Jim was Jim. He didn’t give any thoughts to the ‘better interest at large’. Although that fact did draw in Jim’s attention. His species IS endangered. He might be one of the last few generations of his kind. He was already special enough with his status, let alone adding more to it. Half troll omega male child of Gunmar. Now adding ‘endangered’ to the list seemed silly, simply because now the list was so long, it was already long enough before. Jim was given a small heartstone necklace to wear.  
“Here, this is for you. Our heartstone regenerates and grows for as long as we tend to it. It’s slow to develop, even slow to a full troll, so we don’t often use it for much, unless we truly need to.”  
“thanks..uh...why am I getting this?”  
“it will help soothe your young body. Your heat will only become more intense. This will keep you a bit...hmm...how do I put it….less jumpy?.”  
“so….are you saying I won’t get so horny I start to hump every troll I see?”  
“...you could put it that way, or that you might start to rub up against everything, putting your scent on it to attract a mate. Now, you don’t have to answer, this is a personal question, just between us. What do humans say? Doctor patient confidentiality. Have you chosen a potential mate? Or even have mated in the past?”

 

flashes of the lovers hes had painted his mind for a brief moment.  
“I’ve mated in the past, but never have selected an ACTUAL mate.”  
“Your body will crave more and more attention until you are claimed by one properly. Just be prepared for that.”  
“great, I’m literally going to get so horny I start to die.”  
“die? no. become ill, yes.”  
“So...who do I pick?”  
“Well, that is not for me to decide. You must choose it yourself. My advice, pick a nice alpha that will take care of you and give you the attention you want and require.”

“so, any potential alpha studs around here?”  
“i wouldn’t put it like that. But yes, there are more than enough alphas to court. I’m sure that more than a handful will be interested in you. Being such a fertile and ‘pretty’ thing. Also your rarity comes into play. Just go search around for a nice one, and you’ll find more than enough. You seem to have a good heart, I’m sure you’ll end up choosing the right one.”  
“yeah, I’ve been told I’m good at choosing people. So….what about….someone close to you...”  
Vendel raised an eyebrow  
“no not you! I mean...someone….that you may or may not be able to court...”  
“i think I know who you mean.”  
“really?”  
“yes. You did same something along the lines of ‘breeding the trollhunters son’.”  
“oh..uh..yeah..” Jim had no idea why he suddenly felt embarrassed about that fact. He was never uncomfortable talking about his sexual desires. Now? He just...felt like talking to a teacher about his body.  
“May I ask, why do you wish to court him? No judgment, simply out of curiosity.”  
“hes...big...strong...he has this...blood lust that really turns me on...he has a lot of potential I guess, he's protective too...he seems...mmh...like the kind that would take you to your nest and just...breed you. Make you feel amazing.”  
“Well I didn’t need to know that last part. I see what you mean though. Many have tried to court Kanjigar, only one won of course. His son on the other hand. Hmm. Draal has never focused on finding a mate. I don’t know your chances personally, but you may try. I doubt his father would say no. he speaks highly of you. He truly cares for your well being.”

“why though?”  
“he sees you as a beautiful rare creature, one that needs to be protected and cared for.”  
“great, so I’m like some little cute dog.”  
“i suppose if you are referring to those annoying canines that the humans have in their company. Then yes. Although he sees a lot of potential in you. Saying how you can turn into a very well rounded half troll.”  
“Well rounded huh?” Jim smirked. His dad said the same.  
“Vendel. Am I evil?”  
“why would you ask that?”  
“what If I did bad things. Am I bad?”  
“everyone does something bad eventually. No one escapes this life pure as the day they were born. Everyone makes mistakes too. Why? What kind of ‘bad things’ have you done?”  
“well I fight the trollhunter and am secretly a gumm-gumm and have eaten people and trolls and am secretly trying to eat the heartstone!” Jim made bite motions and smiled.

Vendel chuckled  
“you do have a nice sense of humor.”  
“What? don’t think I can do that?”  
“you? Doing something as dangerous as that? In all honesty, I can’t even imagine you doing things so dangerous. You don’t have much weight on you, and you seem to be more of the….hide...type.”  
“Well u guess you’re right. Would I be loved if I did bad things?”  
“if depends on who loves you. If I caught you doing something bad, I might just use a spray bottle on you. I doubt you can do much.”

“okay, what if I kicked you in the gronk-nucks and stole your staff?”  
“why would you do that? And I suppose you would be locked up for a bit.”  
“what? No torture to death?”  
“hahaha. We are not barbaric, at least not anymore.”  
“Thanks for the talk….hmm...one kid huh?….one mate...would it be alright if I came by more often? I promise not to rub up on everything and mark things with my heat.”

“then I suppose you may speak to me anytime you’d like.” Jim nodded and thanked him. Then headed back to his nest.

 

Jim was snapped back into the present as he heard his master the trollhunter and Draal come into their home.  
“-It is far too dangerous. He must be moved here.”  
“Father, he would never agree to that.”  
“he must be supervised at least! If there are…..spies….around. I cannot afford his own personal safety to be-”  
the two large alpha trolls looked and noticed Jim. Scent first, then sight. Jim smiled and waved.  
“Jim. Come here.” Kanjigar said sternly.  
“am I in trouble?”  
“no. not in that way.” Jim got up and walked over. Kanjigar gently grabbed his jaw, moving around and looked all over Jim’s body.  
“is...there a problem?”  
“has anyone touched or harmed you?”  
“no?”  
“followed you? Asked you questions?”  
“not out of the ordinary.”  
“have you noticed anything strange recently?”  
“only this...right now...”

 

Kanjigar seemed satisfied enough. He let Jim’s jaw go.  
“forgive me. I was worried for your sake”  
“because of my heat? I know how to-”  
“no. not that. I have found some...disturbing evidence, leading to suggest your life may be at risk. I want you to stay here within trollmarket.”  
“how come? Danger?” Jim smiled, he couldn’t help but hide it. His thoughts turned to talking about himself when he was ‘fighting’ the trollhunter not too many hours ago.

“Yes….there….are rumors going around that...your kind are being hunted to extinction. Purposely.” Jim laughed loudly. Really? THAT was the lie the trollhunter made up.  
“this is not a laughing matter little one. You are in serious danger.”  
“i AM danger! I go out and beat up trolls all the time! I could take you on right now!” Jim made pretend fists and hit Kanjigars' chest lightly. That caused the alpha troll to smile. The innocence. Except that it hid horrible evils.  
“little one. I mean it. From here on out, you will tell me when you plan on leaving anywhere outside of here.”  
“what if I don’t want to?”  
“then you will not leave.”  
“oh? what’s stopping me?”  
“myself. Along with my son.”  
“why do I have to get permission?”

 

“because I want to know where you’ll be at all times. Your safety is my top priority. There is a very real threat right outside trollmarket. I want no harm to come to you.”  
“Well, what if I just walk away?” Jim made slight pretend tip toeing away.  
“You will not leave without my say so. That is an order.”  
“i didn’t think trollhunters could order trolls.”  
“no. I order you as your master. That mark shows ownership. You are to stay here where it’s safe.”  
“aww, and here I thought you were a cool master” Kanjigar smiled  
“i like to be this ‘cool’ master you have thought of. Know this, you WILL do as I say. Go against my wishes and we WILL have problems. I want to be more than your master, I want to be your friend. However I do not want you, or even I, to ruin our bond and our trust.”  
“Wait...trust?” Jim felt the pang in his gut come back. That word….that feeling…  
“of course. I trust you, I believe you. You have yet to show me otherwise little one” the smile Kanjigar made….it made Jim’s stomach knot up. He had no idea why…

“i...i promise I will tell you before I go anywhere.” Jim said suddenly. Afterwards HE was shocked at HIMSELF. What go into him? Why had he just...said that?. He would NEVER agree to something like that, unless it was his fathers orders. Orders….not….request… Kanjigar nodded and patted Jim’s shoulder.  
“good. I’m glad to hear it. Now, I can tell you’re state is...well, we do not need to speak of it if it makes you uncomfortable. You just rest up and relax.”  
“would it be alright if I kinda just...hangout around you?”  
“hangout?”  
“like...be around you, spend time with you.” Jim blushes and rubbed his horn. He didn’t know why he felt so awkward. Kanjigar just smiled and agreed.

The night went by smooth enough. Jim was...clingy. He just...needed attention. Affection. This was so different though. In the darklands, he would be in his nest with a gumm-gumm but...it wasn’t love or anything. Just sex and sleep. But here, now….being pet by the alphas, someone showing, giving, affections and attention...it felt...so nice! Jim was half asleep the entire time. Enjoying the gentle touches, talking, and overall relaxed atmosphere. He had no idea when, but sometime he had eventually fallen asleep and taken to his nest. He felt so much more peaceful than he did in the darklands. Like, such a deep painful emptiness was finally filled with warmth and light….

What was wrong with him!? He was vile, cruel, cold and hardhearted, a killer. He IS THE SON OF GUNMAR! He had cruelty coursing through his very veins! He LOVED BEING EVIL!...then why did this all feel so good?...so...right?….


	7. so this is what it feels like....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's thoughts are still conflicted. maybe at the end of the day, he finds something that gives him the answer. if only a small one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i loooove angsty Jim. my fav! tell me if you love it too

Jim looked onto arcadia from the hill he stood at. He watched the flickering lights, the cars, the homes, the people. He felt...nothing. The emptiness inside of him still was there. He was hurting and he didn’t know why….

“Master Jim.” a voice from behind Jim said. Turning around he saw a now kneeling gumm-gumm soldier, not just some common brute, but one that was in the top ranks. Someone who actually had a visit to Jim’s nest a few times~. Jim felt numb, apathetic to the world. He just nodded and said in a similar tone to his emotions.  
“Speak.”  
“The scouts have reported exactly what your information was. This confirms out beliefs that members of trollmarket have started to take up arms and train secretly, in order to defend themselves against us.”

Back during the second bridge attack, most of the ‘good’ trolls had trained to fight and defend themselves. Afterword however, they went back to being peaceful. it’s been a while, even to troll’s, although they had put away their weapons and ‘fighting spirits’. Now, they seem to be training up once more. The paranoia spreading throughout trollmarket was working well. It was like a sickness, slowly attaching itself from one troll to the next. All Jim had to do was whisper a word here, an action there, leaving little hints around, and spreading rumors and lies. Trolls were just as fearful as humans were, so it didn’t take much. Still, stoking the fires is always helpful. 

Even though the rumors of gumm-gumms still ‘had no evidence or true proof’ did makes the trolls still suspicious. They trusted their trollhunter fully, however there are always the one who question everything. Those who rally behind them typically follow the same conspiracies. These ones clearly hid their actions from the trollhunter, as to not start anymore in fighting, or maybe the trollhunter DID know about these actions, but simply ignore it so no bond would break, trust wouldn’t sever and fade away. Sometimes looking the other way was for the best.

Jim just nodded solemnly to the strong gumm-gumm.  
“a minor thing, though it could potentially help or hinder us. I will keep a close eye on it.”  
“are you perhaps ready to leave? Day will be coming in only a couple of short hours.” Gunmar was told by Bular that Jim needed more….protection, while in his state. Bular had not spoken a word of the ‘event’ that took place a few nights ago. Still, from both Bular and Blinky suggesting it, that convinced Gunmar enough to allow one of his finest soldiers, along with a couple others, to watch over Jim. It was always good to be careful. 

“yeah. let’s go home. I’m done here.” Jim took a deep breath, he turned around and looked once more to the lights below….

…………………………………………  
Jim walked through the darklands, going past the barracks for the soldiers, the various utilities like toilets and food supplies and suck, the forges that seemed to be the only source of heat around (many gumm-gumm’s tried to have any possible excuse to be around them, just to try to feel warmth for once.) and some other needed places for an army to use. Jim was off in his own world, not really focusing on anything in particular, just trying to ride out the depression he had developed. no...it wasn’t that...well...fully….he just felt apathetic more than anything else….then again…

“pay attention little brother.” Jim blinked and looked up to see his brother standing in front of him snapping his fingers.  
“Sorry Bular, I just...kinda spaced out.”  
“hm...well how did it go?”  
“alright...”  
“did you hunt? Or have someone hunt for you?”  
“no I wasn’t hungry.”  
“did you fight?”  
“no I wasn’t feeling it.”  
“waiting for some poor fool to enter your nest?”  
“I’m not horny.”

“not bloodthrist, hungry or horny? Clearly you are NOT my brother. What polymorph are you?” that perked Jim up a bit. He smiled and just tapped his brothers chest  
“funny. I just don’t feel well.”  
“illness?”  
“it’s more...emotional I think.”  
“i will fetch-”  
“no, I don’t need Blinky. I just want to be alone...” Bular just sighed and nodded, concerned for his little brothers well being. Bular watched Jim walk away slowly past him and on his way to his nest. Bular wanted some of the guards to keep a closer eye on him, making sure he didn’t attempt anything irresponsible.

………………………………………….  
Jim laid in his nest, curled up with bundles of blankets covering him. No matter what he did, he just didn’t feel...warm...or full. He even took a few different hot baths, but no matter what it just didn’t relieve the pain. It felt like the hole was growing and little by little he was being chipped away and sucked into the void in his chest. He tried to do whatever it took to make it go away. Nothing did. Eventually that night he had called in a lover to tend to his needs. Hoping that would cheer him up. No luck, sure the orgasm was nice, but afterwards he just felt even more empty, as if another part of him left. The gumm-gumm had prepared for his own death, he was watching his master to strike. It never came. The gumm-gumm simply waited for death. It never came. The longer it took, the more he waited, the more his anxiety rose. Perhaps his master was toying with him?. He wanted to speak up, but he shouldn’t. No one speaks unless spoken to when talking to a higher up. A major rule Gunmar had placed, unless it was absolutely necessary. Perhaps he somehow was good enough that his life would be spared?

 

Jim simply laid on his back staring up at the ceiling. He knew the gumm-gumm next to him waited for what was clearly to come. The gumm-gumm was okay, no bells and whistles, but he was well built and was decently sized. Jim scooted over and tried to lay next to the him, he just wanted to feel physical attention. He had started to enjoy it, not sexually just...emotionally?...he couldn’t place it. The many times Kanjigar and Draal gave it to him, he felt like he was in heaven. Jim felt the gumm-gumm flinch when he scooted close and curled up on his chest.

“It’s alright. I just...want to lay on you….put your arm around me….yeah like that….just….stay with me for a while….i want to sleep with someone….guess your luck kicked in.” the gumm-gumm’s eyes were filled with shock. He didn’t know what to make of his current situation. gumm-gumm’s never gave any kind of physical interaction like this. Nothing….sensual. The gumm-gumm just felt his master slowly drift off to sleep. He soon followed. He never realized what his future had in store. Perhaps his master would kill him when he awakens. Whatever the case may be, he was….happy?. He didn’t think anymore. He had accepted his fate. It was far more than worth it to bed a son of Gunmar.

………………………………………….  
Jim stood next to his fathers throne. His body still had that gnawing feeling. It was only a few days ago when Jim made that promise to Kanjigar. Ever since then, that terrible feeling just stayed, like a stain inside of him. He tried his best not to think about anything. He did try to ‘fill the void’ as much as he could. However, he just...didn’t want his usual things. The things that made him happy. 

He had sex but surprisingly it lost its appeal after two times. He was ALWAYS horny! It just died. Hunger? That died too. Wanting to be violent? He was hungry for that was the other two. He felt like the void was just turning him into a dammed twisted stain all over. Like if someone threw water onto a painting, everything just being ruined and running down, killing the image of what once was.

“Son.” Jim’s focus came back from his muddled thoughts, he looked towards his father, he couldn’t tell the expression on his face. It seemed like something that consisted or...worry?. Anger. Curiosity, and something else Jim just couldn’t figure out.  
“sorry dad, did you say something?”  
“you have been...different as of late. You hardly do anything. Not even leave your room.”  
“yeah I just, haven’t felt the best” Gunmar stared at him, trying to read him. Trying to figure him out, like some kind of magic eye art, trying to find the hidden thing within it.

“I can summon Blinkous to tend to your...’emotional’ problems.”  
“no need, but thanks dad I appreciate your concern….um...hey can I ask you something?”  
“yes.”  
“if….if you do something and….not understand why afterwards…..do you ever...feel different?”

“i do not understand what you say.”  
“sorry I’m not really sure how to put it...i just...i don’t really understand my feelings right now.”  
“perhaps it is simply your heat.”  
“yeah...that probably is it” Jim said it, trying to convince his father, but honestly, he felt like he was trying to convince himself. That this would all blow over after his heat ended.

…………………………………..  
Jim told his father he was going to trollmarket  
‘gather more information, keep my cover going’ Gunmar let him go thankfully.  
Jim just felt a strong need to just….he wasn’t even sure. He knew the source of his problems would be solved if he went to them...right?. He waited at his nest thinking of what to say. Then ‘his’ trollhunter came into the house. Jim shot up and quickly walked over to him.  
“Ah h-”  
“i need to speak to you..do...do you have time?” Jim rubbed his horn. He felt so...nervous….why?  
“Of course, I will always make time for you. Now, what did you need to talk about? Something private I assume?.”  
Jim just nodded and avoided Kanjigars gaze. The two walked into a relaxing living room and sat down. Jim’s seat was cushioned just for him.  
“i...ever….well…..I tried to talk to my father but he’s not very good with emotional stuff...so...i know you are...so….hmm….i don’t really know how to put it….it happened….well….okay...” Jim took a deep breath and looked at his hands.

“Do you ever do something and feel….weird….about it afterwards? that’s not very helpful sounding huh? Well. I did something I usually never do recently and I’ve just felt...like...his gnawing thing inside of me, like its sucking me into it. I can’t get rid of the feeling.” Kanjigar started to laugh. Jim felt even worse  
“no no little half troll. I’m not laughing at you. What you’re feeling is a thing called guilt.”  
“what? This is what it feels like?! UGH! BLEH! I’ve never felt guilty in my life! I’ve heard about it and seen other people feel it but...how do I get rid of this? you’re my trollhunter, you’re supposed to keep me from feeling this way! Help me!”

Kanjigar laughed again  
“alright little one alright. Relax. Breathe. Take a nice deep breath. Now. I’m surprised you’ve never felt guilt before. Everyone feels it eventually. The ways to get rid of that pesky little problem and feeling, is to learn why you feel guilty in the first place. Then forgive yourself, everyone makes mistakes, its only natural. Sometimes you think something is your fault, that you could have done better or done something else. There are many times in life when you have to make difficult choices. Things that might haunt you. Just know that life isn’t easy or simple. It has a lot of ‘what ifs’ and gray areas. There is usually no one right answer. Then you have to remind yourself, you are not a bad person. No one is truly evil at heart.”

Jim laughed loudly at that. No one is evil at heart is so...ironic.  
“What about gumm-gumm’s?”  
“hmm….that is a...different story. Gumm-gumms are pure evil, they have no moral codes, only violence and hate.”  
“is that in my heart? What if I wana hurt someone? doesn’t that make me evil?”

“everyone wonders about themselves. Hurting others is….tricky. It depends on the situation. I don’t like to hurt others, but I will if I have a good reason. As for your heart, everyone has those feelings inside of them. Everyone can grow bitterness and hate, along with wanting to be violent. what’s important is that you try to fix them at the source of it all.”

“would you hurt me?”  
“i would greatly prefer not to. However, everything has punishments if it breaks what is said.”  
“and If I broke your rules?”  
“Well I wouldn’t harm you, but you would be punished. One more thing to know, admitting something that you feel guilty about is always for the best. For example, if you steal something that you wanted but weren’t allowed to have for whatever reason and you felt guilt. Try to fix it, go to the owner, apologize, try to see what you can do to redeem yourself. Admit to yourself that it was a mistake, that you had a moment of ‘not such good choices’ made. That you learn not to do it again and learn your lesson.”

Jim rubbed his horn again. Hearing this felt even stranger somehow….the void it….stopped growing. It didn’t shrink or go away. It just...stopped.

“so...admit guilt?”  
“yes, first steps.” Jim smiled and looked Kanjigar in the eyes  
“I’m the son of Gunmar, brother to Bular. I’m a gumm gumm prince and have secretly spied on everyone to gather information. I’ve gotten close to you so I can know all your weaknesses. I’ve secretly been stealing heartstone to fuel my father. I’ve actually spied and fought you before”

Kanjigr slapped his knee and laughed heavily  
“oh little one, you really are funny.”  
“it’s true!”  
“very funny”  
“it really is!”  
“well, my little prince of evil, have you learned how to fight me?”  
“yep! I plan on killing you in your sleep!” Jim made a little punch to Kanjigar’s chest”  
“well, I better keep my eye on you then.”

“Sleep with one eye open trollhunter. I mean it! I will end you!”  
“then I suppose I look forward to the challenge.” Kanjigar chuckled and pet Jim’s head, he purred in response.  
“so. What guilt do you feel?”  
“actually...kinda feel better now. Like my lie has been told.”

“oh? Well laughter does help. But what really is your guilt about.”  
“i told you, buuut I guess to sum up. My dad and I have always agreed on stuff and had fun doing activities. But recently meeting you and making a promise to you, well it kinda goes against my fathers wishes. Then I started to feel bad and well. Here I am”

“and what is your fathers wishes?”  
“that’s….actually kinda too personal.”  
“then I will not pry. Well, whatever your life may be. Never forget, you do belong to me. At the end of the day, me protecting you and you being loyal to me is what matters most. That mark will be forever after all. I want you to be with your family, but if you ever feel ‘uncomfortable’ or put in a position you cannot feel good in, then you will come to me to talk. Is that agreeable?”

Jim sighed and nodded his head.

“so what now? I don’t feel any better”  
“perhaps you need more time. Think on it. But do not let it consume you. If you need any advice, for this or any other matter, speak to me. I’m always willing to listen and give advice.”

“...hey….if...if you do something bad...and...afterwords….what should I feel like? I’ve never thought about it before but...now...ever since….well, now I don’t know what to think.”  
“what have you done to consider bad?” Jim thought for a bit on what to say. He wanted to talk to someone besides Blinky about his emotions. No matter what, Blinky was always loyal to his father first. So there were things Jim had to hide. Very few things, but still.

“I’m not sure how to really answer that...but….I don’t think its ‘bad’ by my families standards. we’ve always done this with no problem...but….with this….new life, it’s just very...opposite of what I’m used to….like….this...whole inside of me that I never noticed before is getting...filled? Like a part of me that was missing is being put together. I want this….I’m….I’m afraid of what might happen if it fills though.”

“hm. Well, never fear, as long as your heart is pure and your thoughts and actions keep you from harm. It will end up being alright. You always have a home here after all. What better place to feel safe than having a nest in the trollhunters home?” Kanjigar chuckled and pet Jim again. This talk did cheer him up. The gnawing feeling actually started to let up...even if it was just the smallest bit. This...warmth...this softness….this….opposite life. It was so day and night. Jim didn’t know how to really feel about it as much anymore...


	8. ...to be loved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a perfect plan, fails, then lands on its legs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things getting mixed for poor Jim, hope you like it, i love writing this story, enjoy the chapter!

Jim laid on his side. He was being pet by Kanjigar. The trollhunter and his son were talking to one another about something that Jim wasn’t paying attention to, he was too enthralled by the bliss. He snapped out of it as soon as he heard his phone vibrating. Jim set an alarm earlier to remind him of his mission fro tonight. He shot up and ran to his room, checking to make sure he would be on time, he got up, grabbed some of his things, said he was leaving to Kanjigar, who asked him where he was going.

“i need to go see my friend Toby, hes a human, today we’re supposed to meet at the museum to see some new kind of exhibit.”  
“oh? Well have fun, stay safe. Check back in as soon as it turns to night.”  
“yeah yeah I will I will” Jim rolled his eyes as he slung his pack over his shoulder.  
“So, what new exhibit did they acquire? All those belongings are so simple to all of you, meanwhile most of us had lived through it.”

“Nice to now. And I don’t know, some kind of big door shaped thing. it’s stone and has some kind of angry trollish looking faces” Kanjigar sat up and paid deeper attention to the description.  
“Explain.”  
“well, it’s a bunch of faces all over it, kinda like a giant mirror frame? Not sure how to really describe it.” Kanjigar looked off for a moment, clearly deep in thought.  
“is everything okay my trollhunter?”  
“yes….all will be...you go off and enjoy your day. Do. Not. Forget. To come back home.” Kanjigar said sternly at the last part. Jim just nodded and smiled then ran out of the cave……

He walked to a dark and lonesome area in trollmarket, a small side street no one really went to. A forgotten part to a larger path. A perfect hiding place Jim always slipped into so he wouldn’t have to be worried about being seen. Jim turned his amulet and was suddenly at his true home in the darklands.

He wanted to drop his things off first before returning back to the surface of arcadia. He also needed to check in…..  
…………………………………………..

Bular sniffed at the air, trying to place the familiar scent...He looked to his left to see his little brother walk past him in a fresh outfit, newly bathed, and perfectly tended to fur.  
“Where have you been?.” Bular said strongly with a stern tone underneath.  
“I’ve been with Kanjigar for the day, you know, laying next to him, having him pet me, listening to every detail about his life. You know, simple things.”  
“he was TOUCHING YOU?!.”  
“mmmh it felt soo good. He has such a soft and tender touch for such a strong troll.”  
“why in fathers name would you ever let him lay a finger on you?!”  
“he pets me good. Why? Jealous I can be so close?” Jim looked at his brother with an intense smug expression, patting his brothers chest to add to the ‘haha I can and you can’t!’.

His brother roared in anger.  
“Do not be such a smug child!”  
“oh? Why not?”  
“i could easily tell father-”  
“what? That I am next to him, learning about him, making sure I don’t get caught doing anything and making sure our plans go well by subliminally feeding him false information and pouring worry and paranoia into the heart of trollmarket while also getting him heartstone every now and again?” Jim blinked ‘innocently’ like he truly was a pure saint.

Bular growled while his face bunched up and twitched. He knew Jim had him beat.  
“Aww, don’t worry big guy. I’ve got some good news! Just. For. You.”  
“oh? And what could you possibly tell me to soothe this growing rage.”  
“I told my dear trollhunter about the doorway.”  
“YOU WHAT?!”  
“mmmhmmm”  
“WHY WOULD YOU EVER DARE TO BETRAY US LIKE THAT?!”  
“because I have a fun little plan. Now, tonight when we go visit and set it up, we’ll simply plan an ambush. Kill him, you get his head, I go to trollmarket and wonder where my trollhunter is, Draal goes out looking for him, discovers his fathers remains. I cry and weep for my newly departed trollhunter, trollmarket mourns at the exact time while the troops deploy out everywhere since now they have no time to defend themselves, Draal is my new slave, you get to bring home a trophy, dad gets the world. Every ones happy!”

Jim did another ‘innocent’ smile. The gears in Bular’s head started to turn. Really letting the plan sink in.  
“so big bro, does that sound like I’m going to betray us?” Bular started to chuckle deeply.  
“You’ve done well little brother. Father will be proud of you. As am I.” Bular started to pet his small brother, who flinched at first, not realizing what was happening. Bular NEVER pet Jim before. There was nothing wrong with it, Bular just wasn’t one to show affection.

“Hm. You are soft. Perhaps rewarding you from time to time wouldn’t be so bad. Come, let us prepare.”  
“you go ahead, there is just oooone thing I have left to do.”  
“do not be late little brother.”  
“here, give these to dad.” Jim opened his bag and handed a few large chunks of heartstone to Bular  
“oh father will be pleased with this.”  
“he sure will be”

………………………………

“Sooo coool!” Toby said while looking at the new exhibits in the museum. He and Jim decided to go to see all the cool new stuff on display, it was all about medieval weaponry. It was also a great way for Jim to ‘say hi’ to a certain changeling.  
“Hey you go check out those sweet battle flails, I’ll be right back” Jim smiled and pointed In the direction of the weapons.  
“don’t have to tell me twice Jimbo! Just promise me you won’t eat anything!”  
“haha, very funny, as long as you promise not to either”  
“hey! Those swords look pretty good” the two always loved to joke about dumb things like that. Jim watched his best friend walk quickly down the hall and into a room. Jim’s eyes had a glint of evil in them, now he could have a ‘fun little chat’.

“hello” Jim said sneaking up behind someone.  
“you know I knew you were there right?”  
“aww how so?”  
“i can smell your heat a mile away. Besides, you are still not the best at sneaking up on someone.”  
“well dam. Maybe you can help me train?”  
“you know your father has a strict regiment for your training. Anyone interfering in it will most likely die. I really rather not die.” Ms.Nomura said while not looking up from a clipboard she was holding, writing things down with a pen.

“awww, here I thought you were a fun changeling”  
“i prefer a ‘living one’ instead.”  
“you know, walt’s been talking crap about you again. Saying something about...oh I don’t know...being able to kick your ass.” Jim leaned on a rail and said it in a casual gossip style.  
“oh really now?”  
“to be honest, my money’s on you. You could totally beat him within a minute”  
“well you’re money would be well placed. Alright, unlike a certain child of you know who, I have work to do”

“boring….speaking of..i didn’t just come today to see weapons. How is daddies little doorway doing?” Ms.Nomura turned serious, looking around quickly and lowering her voice  
“It’s coming along well….we just need a few key components which will arrive this evening. By midnight a nice new doorway to the darklands will be opened up, a wonderful army could pass through it side by side and march onto this side of the surface world.”

“great to hear! I wish I could give you a gold star”  
“i don’t know if you’re being condescending or not, but how about you give your father a good word about me. By name preferably”  
“ohh NOW someone’s being fun” the two smiled at one another.  
“Jimbo! Hey listen, you gotta check this out! there’s this giant-oh uh, hi” Toby ran over and noticed Jim talking to ‘the museum lady’.

“anyways, thanks for telling me about the upcoming exhibits, can’t wait to see them up close!”  
“I can’t wait to reveal them, I know for a fact that everyone will enjoy it.”  
“come on tobes, let’s go see the giant whatever. Oh, let me introduce you real fast. Toby this is Ms.Nomura, and vice versa. This is my BEST FRIEND. And someone that WON’T have anything BAD happen to them. Ever.”  
“I’ll make a note on that. I believe I already know about you and your little...friends. I think my social circle knows about them well enough.”  
“good to know. Anyways let’s go”

Jim started to walk away with Toby following right behind  
“okay uh...what was that about?”  
“hm? Oh, we know each other. Sorta, my dad and her interact sometimes. My dad loves history stuff, being that he lived through most of it, it’s like...nostalgia to him. So he’s in her ‘circle’. In the sense that he knows a lot of museums and all that crap.”  
“so...shes not spying on us? Cause she said she knew about us….kinda creepy”  
“nah, I just mentioned to her about my friends whenever I was around her and her friends. Something to chat about while I was bored.”

“okay cool, glad no assassin’s are here to take us out”  
“trust me, she IS an assassin, she just won’t take you or me or our little friend group out” Jim and Toby laughed. Jim wasn’t lying.

“so what about the new exhibit thingy?”  
“oh we were talking about it before, she told me it’s some….recently discovered thing. Shes installing it today and was just telling me all about it. it’s gonna blow people away when its shown.”  
“really? Is it like a giant weapon or something? One time I saw this HUGE knife someone made online!”  
“it’s more like a….doorway. Reminds me of when I was a little kid”  
“how? You have those kinds at home?”  
“sorta, but I mean just how old fashioned it is”  
“why? Grandma have them?”  
“HA! My grandma would be considered a rock.”  
“that old huh?”  
“in a way, she’s not around anymore, she died giving birth to my dad”  
“awm im sorry”  
“nah it’s fine, I never knew her. Besides not much to talk about, she was so full of life, she had a lot of people around her, she was like, something everyone relied on. Then when she died everyone was sad.”  
“she sound’s like a cool lady”

 

“the coolest, well I guess it was just simple castles and stuff back then, so not much of a bar by standards.”  
“castles?”  
“Toby, you know I’m about to turn 93, remember?”  
“oh shit! you’re old as hell! I keep forgetting about that, you’re pretty much my age in your species though, right? I keep forgetting you’re that old” that made Jim laugh hard  
“thanks, and yeah pretty much”  
“Wait, your dad is full troll….how old is he?”  
“hmm….around 2000 give or take, he was born a little before the thirteenth century in Europe ”  
“DAAAM! So, you’re all British and junk?”  
“haha, I guess so”

Toby started to make English jokes that made Jim smile. He really wanted to keep his friends around….he wondered what they would think of him when they knew the truth….

…………………………………….

Kanjigar left the second it hit nightfall, he made sure Jim was safe in trollmarket. He told his son to stay there just in case trollmarket needed help. Draal of course did argue, but was quickly shut down by his father. Kanjigar made sure to be quiet and unseen, just like he trained. Surprising that a troll, even his size, could be stealthy. After some careful walking out of line of sight from any of the now emerging trolls and few humans around, Kanjigar had stopped and looked at his destination that stood in front of him. The museum. He never was interested in places like these. To humans, they always contained things from an age none of them remember, to trolls, they lived through those ages, making these things seem redundant.

A human wouldn’t make a museum to a toy they bought last week, why would a troll go to some place and see things they knew well enough from living in that age. Kanjigar steadied his breathing and headed inside….

……………………………………………  
Bular huffed and grunted in annoyance. He told the few changelings that had gathered there to leave. After they finished installing the doorway. Only he and Jim should have the honor to see the army march forth. They would quickly conquer this place, the humans had no army or proper ways to defend themselves, trollmarket only had the trollhunter at the moment, and what little resistance the other trolls would put up. so it would be easy to win. Yet another section of the surface world would be claimed. This time, by the actual armies. The few other doorways they had across the world were few and far between. It took a while for the gumm-gumm soldiers to make it this far. Between needing to keep hidden, to only able to travel in very small numbers, it made them hard to defeat the trollhunter. Now, this night they would kill him. BULAR would kill him. There was no way the trollhunter could fight hundreds of gumm-gumm soldiers by himself. 

Bular snorted and started to pace back and forth. His little brother should have been there by now. Then again, it wasn’t unlike Jim to be late. He always took his time. Especially during important events like this, Bular swore it was Jim trying to ‘mess with him’. Bular heard the door to the museum open, knowing this to be Jim. No one else would be there that night.

“little brother! Come here already, enough with these games! I tire of waiting.” Bular huffed out, expecting his brother to have that smug smile on his face and some ‘witty thing’ to say. At least his little brother actually bothered to show up.

“Hurry up and get in here! The doorway won’t open by itself. If you don’t hurry, I’ll just do this on my own and tell father you decided not to help. won’t that please him.”

……………………………….

Kanjigar quietly and slowly stepped through the museum, making sure to make as little of noise as possible, he didn’t want to alert whatever threat would be here. A doorway to the darklands would most likely be guarded heavily. They would never be so careless as to leave it unattended. Not even the most smug gumm-gumm would allow that, this was far to important to just let it happen. Kanjigar tried to keep his mind sharp and clear, however it kept looping back the thing his pet Jim had said to him hours earlier.  
‘how could they even acquire the materials to construct one?! And even right here! It must have taken them ages to finally craft one of a practical size. Even longer if it were large enough to allow multiple soldiers to cross without issue.’

Most doorways had a limited amount of energy before crumbling and becoming about as useful as a common rock. Only a few beings could cross over before even a decently sized one quickly depleted its energy. A big enough doorway to have enough energy to allow an army to cross though was something only built once or twice. These doorways were also very noticeable typically, after all, a lot of magical components being moved and used was something that was easily noticeable. This one however, seemed to just appear out of thin air. The magics of the amulet would have easily detected something of this much magical influence for miles around. 

Kanjigar’s senses sharped to the finest point as he recognized that familiar voice. Bular’s voice. Kanjigar listened well to what the gumm-gumm prince said. Kanjigar couldn’t believe what he was hearing...he spoke of….his brother…..he had a sibling?! What hell spawn could have possibly crawled itself out from the very dept of the darklands to seethe its toxic nature into this world. 

First, the gumm-gumms attacking far more frequently, then knowledge of the doorway, and now learning of a second spawn of Gunmar….that sent a shiver down Kanjigar’s spine and fear into his heart, more so than usual. Bular was deadly enough, let alone to have a sibling to match….sibling….

Kanjigars mind started to put together pieces. He remembers Jim asking if gunmar had a second son….that it….was….a rumor...he heard….the rumor was true….it was true….what other rumors were true?…..

“-If you don’t come out of the shadows, I’m going to drag your ass out and throw you before father saying that you would rather be laying around in that nest of your all day than to do something useful.”

nest...an...omega?…..

“enough games. You just love to watch me get angry don’t you?. You know dam well the trollhunter will be here any minute.”

how did they know….the rumors of a spy in trollmarket were...true…..how? There were no changelings or gumm-gumm’s…..the only omegas to…...come there….no, no that can’t be right. They must have had some other omega hiding the whole time. It was impossible…..the things Jim said….no...nononon….no…..Kanjigar refused to believe Jim could POSSIBLY be related to gumm-gumms……..everything he said though….

Kanjigar swallowed, his throat dry and his heart heavy….Jim was so innocent, small, young….no way any kind of twisted thing like a gumm-gumm would be like that. Also the ‘brother’ to Bular must have been bigger and stronger, even for an omega….wait…..the other soldier Bular protected…..no...it was bigger than Jim was.  
‘this can’t be true. It must be a ruse….his son was with Jim. There was no way Jim would leave Draal’s side. Especially during his heat….’

Kanjigar wanted to stay still, to listen, to learn. Then suddenly from behind him came a dark voice.  
“hello trollhunter. Nice of you to drop by. I was afraid this night would be boring. Oh how fun it’s going to be now!” Kanjigar turned around to see the dark gumm-gumm soldier once more. Kanjigar just stood still, not letting his guard down, making sure to be aware of his surroundings.  
“don’t feel like talking? But I always love to talk to you. So, how is your son doing? And that pet of yours? Is he in his nest? Nice and safe like you want? And what of your son? Is he being the good guard dog he’s supposed to be? Or did he leave your pet behind to come fight.”

almost at the second they both heard a roar as Draal rolled into the scene.  
“speak of the devil.” Jim said as he quickly jumped out of the way. Then he ran to where Bular was.  
“Son what are you doing here?!”  
“Jim said he over heard someone say something about the doorway opening tonight while he was at the museum. I knew that meant that Bular wouldn’t be alone tonight. I didn’t want you to fight alone”  
“yet you left Jim defensless at home!”  
“Jim is safe father”  
“we don’t know that for certain! I….We’ll talk about it later. I know you won’t leave my side, so let’s fight together.” 

Bular saw his brother run into the room  
“there you are whelp. I was this close-”  
“to what?” Kanjigar and Draal entered the room ready to fight. The doorway was behind the two gumm-gumms. It looked almost completely built. Only missing some energy crystals that would power it.  
“So trollhunter. You come again with your whelp? Fine. Better that you both die tonight together. Shame, my brother wanted to keep him as a slave.”  
“no one will enslave me!” Draal roared out.  
“why would he want that?” Kanjigar asked while he looked the second smaller gumm-gumm over. There was no way this gumm-gumm was an omega. He didn’t smell like one, he also was bulkier and taller than one.

“he has some sort of affection to him.”  
“yeah, I do. You have to admit trollhutner, he is quite handsome, along with you~”  
“enough.”  
“oh he already knows about me. you’ve spoiled it, with your ranting on. I was running a bit late, and you just had to spill the beans.” Bular looked in shock and roared out at the trollhunter  
“then you will die for certain!”  
“so it’s true. That...thing beside you is the disgusting spawn of your father.”  
“in the armor trollhunter~. Listen, my brother will kill you, then we will capture your son, enslave him, open the doorway, then unleash the armies and rule the world! Everyone wins. Except you, and trollmarket. And well...everyone else.”

“Enough talk.” Draal roars, Bular roars back.  
“What is your name.” Kanjigar asks the gumm-gumm.  
“me? Why does that matter”  
“i want to know what my opponents name is. Seeing as you are a son of Gunmar, you must have some kind of title”  
“mmh….hmmm….well, I have yet to make a name for myself.”  
“then I shall give you one.”  
“ohhhh? I can’t wait to hear it!”  
“you’re new name is betrayer.” 

Jim tensed up and sounded worried  
“w-why would you name me that?”  
“i have a feeling. Besides, you come to our side and betray your brother. I will give you a quick and painless death, and allow you to restore your honor before death.”  
“Half trolls don’t have honor.” Jim said with a tone of sadness.

Another shock was sent through Kanjigar. Betrayer just said he was a half troll…..  
‘merlin. Please. Let me be wrong. Please let this not be Jim. I beg of you’  
“Enough.!” Bular roared and lunged forward. Jim wanted to move, but he just felt….stiff. Like he was as hard and un moving as a statue. Kanjigar noticed this and actually started to walk slowly over to him, still having his guard raised.  
“please. Tell me who you are. I….i need to know. Why do you know about my private life so much?” Kanjigar said more with worry and anxiety rather than demand. Jim stood still and silent. He couldn’t move or say anything. He tried to, but he ended up just making little sounds.  
“please...tell me.”

“FIGHT! KILL HIM!” Bular shouted as he swung his twin swords at Draal, slicing them across his arms that he used to block the attack. Bular jumped over in front of Jim and stood at the ready.  
“what are you doing?! Do you have a death wish?!”  
“no...i...no NO. YOU’RE RIGHT. I WANT BLOOD.”  
“HA, THERE HE IS!”  
Jim suddenly felt his inner gumm-gumm switch back on. The lust for carnage felt soooo goood again. He tried his best to slice, then dodge, roll and stab, all while avoiding the blows of both Draal and Kanjigar. Draal went full rage, attacking, rolling, headbutting, doing everything he could to fight. Although, whenever he would target ‘betrayer’ Kanjigar would step in and send a clear sign that HE was going to fight betrayer, not Draal. Kanjigar didn’t want to hurt him, if he was who he thought he is. There has to be a perfectly good reason to why...no...no this is NOT JIM.  
Jim is not a gumm-gumm.  
Jim is not violent.  
Jim is not evil.  
Jim...jokes about all of that….and always asked questions…..

“What’s wrong my trollhunter? Afraid to hurt me?”  
“i don’t harm omegas.” that surprisingly stunned Jim for a moment. That voice...it was a kind tone...the same he used before, when he was talking to Jim in trollmarket…  
“Wh-who said I was an omega?”  
“your brother did.”  
“oh yeah….”  
“please. Tell me who you really are. I just want to know. I won’t kill you.”  
“i doubt that.”  
“i won’t.”

Jim jumped off the side of a wall and lunged at Kanjigar. The trollhunter worried about jim….  
He had no choice.  
He made a nasty slash to the side of Jim’s armor. Jim dropped to the floor with a thud and a groan.  
“BROTHER” Bular yelled in fear. Bular threw Draal to the side and into a wall, he ran over onto all fours, picked up his brother and then left the museum as fast as he could.

“we did it father! We fought them off!...father?...are you still upset with me? I would imagine so..” Draal looked at his father, who had a worried expression.  
“we have to get back to trollmarket. Now.”  
“the d-”  
“NOW. DRAAL. I...they won’t be back tonight, im sure. I will deal with this later.”  
Draal just nodded and ran after his father who was going top speed…

…………………………….  
“let me clean your wounds.”  
“hurry...ahhh….shit stings….” Bular knew well enough on how to tend to battle wounds, knowing full well on watching his soldiers do it, watching the enemy do it, and he himself had practiced on his own wounds. Half troll and human bodies needed the proper care, half trolls were more similar than full troll bodies when it came to medical care. Bular knew he wouldn’t be able to fix Jim well enough. They needed to get back home.  
“no...”  
“what?”  
“no Bular. Take my armor, go back. If I want to keep up appearance. you HAVE to let me go to trollmarket. Right now. They are already suspicious enough. My own….fault. And you as well.”  
“i thought it was you not the trollhunter when I spoke.”  
“next time don’t go around saying everything like that” Jim laughed but it hurt and he groaned.  
“fine. Let me do the basics, then I will let you limp down there to lick your wounds like a hound.”  
“good.”

it was a cut right between the hip and rib cage . Bular found some antiseptic from a nearby store, gently poured it on, then dabbed some cotton balls onto the wound. Jim put his own bandages on tightly. Thankfully the cut wasn’t too deep and he didn’t need stitches. Bular helped him get out of his armor. It was painful for Jim, but he sucked it up and did it. He felt far worse pain before.  
“i promise to contact you as soon as I can. Even if I have to do it through one of the changelings.”  
Bular nodded, gently reached out and pet his brother.  
“i….i have deep affection for you. Back there, why did you not fight like before?”  
“i...i just….my heat...”  
“Do not lie. That was more than your heat.”  
“look, we can talk later, please don’t tell dad”  
“fine. I will not mention this fight that involved you. Or at least, leave you out of the details. Now go my hound brother, lick your wounds.”  
“thanks...i...love you too big bro”

 

Jim did like the petting, even if it wasn’t as good as Kanjigars.  
“i appreciate you. Even if I do not always show it. When you were hurt….my fear for you kicked in. I do not fear fathers wrath for letting you die, I fear that I will loose you. You are a pain in my everything. But I….”  
“you love me, aww. Thanks”  
“gumm-gumms do not show or have affection. You however, you are not full gumm-gumm. You need it. So from here on out, I shall provide it for you.”  
“that's...sweet” Jim smiled and patted his brothers chest  
“if you need anything, ask. I will listen. Even if I do not understand.”  
“i’ll remember that. I gotta go, it’s been to long.”

………………………………….

“father, do you panic over Jim? I’m sure he’s fine.”  
“you left him unguarded. You left when I specifically told you to stay. Now this could have dire consequences.”  
“how so father?”  
“i...cannot explain it at the moment.”

Kanjigar and Draal practically ran through trollmarket back home. The second they entered their home Kanjigar called out  
“Jim. Where are you?”  
“in here” Jim said in his nest. He tried to cover his wound, he knew the smell of his fresh blood would be easy to notice, he hoped his heat would cover the scent.  
“Have you been here this whole time?” Kanjigar asked sternly but with a hint of worry  
“yeah, well...no I wasn’t”  
“where did you go? What did you do?”  
“i went shopping”  
“you went shopping?. that’s all?”  
“yeah”  
“Jim. Come over here please.”  
“am I in trouble?”  
Kanjigar didn’t know how to answer that. He just looked at Jim with demanding eyes. Jim grit his teeth and got up. He tried to pull down a fresh clean shirt he had over the patched up wound. Jim tried to look natural and not in a ‘holy shit I’m hurting please let me sit down and sleep for a million years and take pain killers before bed’. Kanjigar grabbed Jim’s shirt and lifted it up. It was the same spot as the wound he struck.  
“Jim...explain what happened”  
“i was cut...i didn’t want to tell you, I knew you would worry.”  
“That’s not what I am worried about. Where were you cut?”  
“at the market”  
“do. Not. Lie. Please Jim.i...i just...want to understand...”

Jim looked at him in the eyes with sad and almost tearful  
“i promise. I’m not lying. I want you to trust me” thankfully the pain was causing the tears...yet….beneath them…..

Kanjigar sighed.  
‘maybe I’m forcing myself to think things….but why do they all add up?’  
“son. Before you left, what happened.” Jim was about to speak up but Kanjigar told him to be silent.  
“well, to be fair, he did mention he would pursue trollmarket...i think...”  
“You think?”  
“i did not listen to what he had to say. I ...rushed out of our home. I know he spoke, but I did not listen.”  
“jim. Show me where you got hurt.”  
“right here?”  
“i meant in trollmarket.”  
“ohh, yeah come on”

Jim mentally smiled. He knew an event like this might happen. He had the perfect alibi…

…………………………

“here we are my trollhunter. This is where it happened. I was pushed into those swords by some big troll who didn’t see more...or DID and just didn’t care, OR was a out of hate. any way really.” the trio stood near a somewhat isolated stand. Surrounding it was a few different mounds of junk, piles of random things surrounded a large counter with a troll reading a book and leaning back at it.

“you. Goods trader. Did you see this half troll tonight here?” Kanjigar asked sternly. He had a firm grip on Jim’s shoulder. Not enough to hurt him, but just enough to keep him there.  
“nope. Never seen him in my life”. The troll at the counter said with a bored expression while he read his book.  
“you didn’t even look.”  
“nope, never heard of him.” Kanjigar’s eye twitched. Jim spoke up  
“okay, can you please look at our trollhunter and answer his question?”  
“nope. Never heard of him.”  
“kanjigar.”  
“nope.”  
“the trollhunter. Standing right in front of you.”  
“never heard of him”  
“okay….” Jim looked at Kanjigar with an ‘eh, I don’t know what to tell you, this guys an idiot’. Expression.

This was all a part of Jim’s plan. He knew this specific troll never paid any attention to his customers. He knew the troll would never give any attention to anyone who tried to talk to him. He hoped the same would work on Kanjigar. It did.

Kanjigar sighed heavily. He looked at the evidence. Half trolls were looked down upon. This also wasn’t the first time someone did something to Jim. The sword had dried blood on it, however it was to dried up to smell. The Troll didn’t pay any attention and clearly didn’t even give him anything. His son heard Jim speak up about something. 

It was enough to go on. But….  
Kanjigar shook those thoughts out of his head. He couldn’t allow them to happen. This was enough proof that Jim was innocent.  
“forgive me Jim. Tonight was….well, stressful. I thought. Well it does not matter now. Your wounds. Did you patch them up yourself?”  
“yeah when I got hurt I had to go get some supplies, then did it myself. I was going to go to Vendel, but I thought I shouldn’t bother him at this time. My cut was fine enough, so I went back and laid in my nest to rest.” Jim smiled innocently. Even purring a bit to really sell the lie. Kanjigar smiled, how could such an innocent creature share the same blood as the wretched monster of a troll. Kanjigar pet Jim.

“alright. let’s get you rested up. Son, watch him and THIS TIME. do. Not. Leave. Understood?”  
“yes father.”  
“good. Lets go home.”

……………………..

Jim purred happily as he was pet by Kanjigar as the two relaxed in their living room. Jim had taken some troll medicine, it wouldn’t work as well as human’s would, but it did work. Jim’s body was already recovering fast, the wound was almost gone, and the pain was fleeting. 

The night was perfect…..well….except the end….

Kanjigar’s mind was still not at ease. From now on, Jim would not leave his side. Or his son’s at the least. Not until he could prove that the second son wasn’t Jim….

…...he hoped it to not be…..


	9. a 'helpful' half troll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's life changed now, he wasn't sure he liked it in full. life is full of lies, and truths. lies gave happy feelings. truth gave sad feelings. if someone created a life for you, would you want to live it? would it be yours? or someone else's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> time for some emotions! poor Jim. when will he figure out himself

Jim was laying in the living room casually watching Kanjigar prepare to leave for trollhunting duty. Jim felt his heat fading, he was somewhat glad, now his emotions would finally start to come back ‘into place’. He hoped all his ‘regular emotions’ such as violence and sex, would finally return to him once more. However he did have one last desire before it ended….

Jim had been more ‘grounded’ in a sense. He now had to be in either Draal or Kanjigars company from now on. Jim knew Kanjigar was getting suspicious...he...kinda liked it. The fear of almost getting caught, the point of no return, the thin line to both lives coming together. It was all so...thrilling!.

“I’m leaving now, Jim you know the rules.”  
“yes my trollhunter. I’ll be a good loyal pet. I hope everything goes well. Stay safe!” Kanjigar looked back at the relaxing Jim once more before departing. He hoped that his suspicions were wrong…

‘all alone with Draal. Just as I planned. let’s see if I can finally push him over the edge today~’ Jim thought with a purr and a gaze of lust in Draal’s direction. It had been a couple days since the ‘event’ at the museum. During that time Jim started to act, risque, in a way. Purposely leaving his heavily heat scented cloths around, mostly where Draal usually was most of the time, rubbing up against things, including Draal’s ax. That one he had to be careful about. Then he wouldn’t stop being as close as possible to the big blue alpha, always trying to purr next to him, get any excuse to touch him, and so on. 

Jim saw the big blue alpha start to move to another room. Perfect chance. Jim got up, brushed himself a bit and walked over , stopping in front of Draal.  
“hey~”  
“hello. Please excuse me” Jim purred and touched Draal’s chest  
“so, all alone. Just the two of us. For a few hours.”  
“yes...that...is a fact...”  
“I hope you take gooood care of me” Jim got a bit closer and looked Draal in the eyes. Draal swallowed and then cleared his throat  
“yes, I shall provide you with the comforts required. The...regular...comforts. Nothing else.”  
“speaking of which, have you seen my shirt? I think I left it in your room by mistake”  
“yes I have...placed it in your room.”  
“oh? I can’t find it, will you show me? Please? It’s one of my favorite ones, I would hate to loose it”

“i...suppose I could aid you...for only a few moments.” Jim purred heavily, moved his hand down Draal’s chest a bit before turning around and walking to his room. Draal shook his head and followed.  
‘focus. Stay focused’ he repeated in his head.

“see? I can’t find it. Did you put it somewhere in my nest?” Jim asked, laying down in said nest, looking back at Draal.  
“i placed it….near….it” Jim laid on his back now, opening his legs a bit. Purring and looking into Draal’s eyes with the same lustful gaze as he’s used plenty of times before.  
“come here. Show me.”  
“i...would rather not...”  
“please? You said you would take care of me. Now, come take care of me~ I neeeeed your help. I promise, it won’t hurt. It will feel very good. I can tell how pent up you are….about helping me. A big strong warrior needs...company….every once in a while. Nights get cold and lonely, even for the hardiest of hearts. it’s always nice to come home to someone. Let me be that someone~. I’m talking of course about helping you in EVERY way possible. I can sharpen your ax, clean it, polish it by running by hands softly, with firm grip. Sharping it to the finest points. Making sure its as hard as ever.”

Draal shuddered and swallowed. His eyes enlarged and his breath became ragged and heavy.  
“i...we...should….not be talking….like this”  
“like what? I’m only saying what I could do for you. I could help clean and tend to your kilt to. I know how leather needs tending to. Also make sure the metal parts get polished well. Prevent rust and all that. Rust happens when certain needs aren’t met. Everything needs to be taken care of. doesn’t it?.”

“y-yes...th..at is true….”  
“come here. Please? I don’t think you’ve ever even seen my nest up close. Let me show you it”

Draal couldn’t help it. He finally broke.  
‘forgive me father...’ he said mentally as he started to take off his kilt….

Jim purred louder as Draal walked closer  
“haven’t let an omega help you in a while huh? I’m happy to be your first in a long time.~”

(smut blocked! XD. Sorry I really don’t know how to write it. Use your imagination I guess)

………………………………………

Kanjigar came home later that night, he had wondered where his son and Jim were. He then smelled the air. The heavy scent of sex. Kanjigar walked over gently to Jim’s room, to see Jim being cuddled by his son.  
‘finally succumbed?’ Kanjigar smiled. There was nothing wrong with half trolls and regular trolls getting together, it was more ‘frowned upon’ seeing as half trolls usually were gawked at in distaste. Most trolls in trollmarket didn’t care though. Why worry about such a minor thing when you have more important things to do?.

 

…………………………………

The next few days went...smoothly. Draal started to feel more comfortable around Jim. Not stressed out or awkward, they started to get along well. They did have sex a few more times after that, even though Jim’s heat had ended. Jim was developing feelings for Draal, something Jim NEVER did after having sex with someone….but….why does his heart feel….filled?. Like, the post sex was never...lonely anymore. Like it had….meaning?. He wanted to avoid those feelings. However a part of him wanted to explore these warm ‘unknown waters’.

 

Draal and Jim started to spend more time together, even when not having sex. Draal admitted he started to share feelings for the half troll. His heart had stirrings for him, and not just in his loins, but actual affection. Jim didn’t know how to respond, no one has ever said they wanted to be with him, without it being a sexual interaction. Jim felt….warm. He wanted it. He was excited for it. He felt good. Wholesome. His urges to kill seemed less aggressive. He hated that part. Where was his evil? Why wasn’t he as angry as he usually was?!.

About a week later now, Jim and Draal had started a relationship of sorts. Kanjigar told them that as long as each one made the other happy, and no drama, then it would be okay. Jim had shown Draal some ‘human dating’. Draal didn’t really understand, but he loved seeing Jim happy.

Tonight, Kanjigar had called Jim to his side. Tonight would be the very ‘first night’ of Jim’s ‘job’ as a pet. Time for the squire to attended to the knight for the night (haha). 

“Jim. I feel like you’re training is going well enough, that it is finally time for you to accompany me on my patrols. Simple times, but I will teach you much” Kanjigar said with a smile and his classic cheerful tone.  
“Finally do my job huh? Sounds fun!”  
“it should be. However remember, any moment can change from ‘fun’ to deadly in an instant.”  
“i got it I got it. Besides, all you have to do is deal with wild animals, the occasional goblin, and that sort of thing” Jim said with a ‘aye its gonna be chill! No need to get so serious’ attitude. Kanjigar’s smile faded and then his expression turned serious.

“I need to show you something. Please, let’s head out”. With that, Jim got ready and headed to the surface with Kanjigar. In all actuality, Jim was excited to do something with his trollhunter. Like ‘working with the enemy’ kind of feeling. Kanjigar walked a bit slower so Jim could keep pace. Jim looked around and checked out what he always saw, this time, it seeded to have a new kind of filter about it. The kind of ‘hey I’m a good guy now! Everyone excited?!’ type of filter. He started to imagine being the blue and gold white knight, being praised and loved and having stories written about him.

Although, the exact opposite was true. He would be feared and respected. He would be loved by the strongest. He would prove how deadly he was. His stories would consist of fear and the pure stuff of nightmares. Black and red, blood splattering silhouettes that would be on banners waving in the wind in the parts where he would rule over. Where he would go, others would bow and cower. Instead of praising and cheering. Where he would go, others would fear and stay out of his way. Instead of ganging up on him for autographs and pictures (not that he minded, he thought they were fun!).

The very steps he took would cement the ground with the willpower of the true gumm-gumm force. FINALLY his mind started to go back to his usual self. Finally shifting back to his original perspective. The ones he was MEANT to have. The ones he was raised to view. The ones that would make his father and brother proud!. He didn’t feel that...warm glow that he did when he was near Kanjigar…...just a hard cold bitter might…..not praise and admiration….not...love.

No. Fear was far better than love. Fear kept everyone in check. Fear made sure he was respected. Fear was what his father wanted, what he wanted. Fear was what gave him purpose. He loved to be Feared. To watch the ones he passed worry about him suddenly killing them. He loved to sense the tension he made in rooms. To watch others shake in nervousness. It made him feel so...big….mighty…..powerful.

His father ruled with fear. So would Jim. His father ruled with force. So would Jim. His father ruled with terror. So would Jim.

“Here.” Kanjigar said, moving back some bushes. They were in the dense wooded area, the place where so many ‘interactions’ had happened.  
“It is time for truth.”  
“truth?”  
“yes. I’ve been hiding something from you. From everyone. Promise me you will keep this secret.”  
“of course my trollhunter. I swear by my fathers name.”  
“what is your fathers name?”  
“that's...a bit private. He doesn’t like it when I tell others. Hes kinda embarrassed about his name.” Kanjigar looked at Jim. It was an innocent enough reply. Many trolls felt the same way at times.  
“very well….here. I wanted to show you this.” a human. Dead. Partially eaten. Clearly a fresh kill. Jim smiled, it was his dinner after all.  
“Do you know what killed this fleshbag?”  
“nope. Looks like an animal attack”

“it was a gumm-gumm.”  
“ha ha very funny. You told m-”  
“i lied. To keep you and everyone else calm.” Kanjigar took a deep breath.  
“i need to reveal the truth to you. The reason why I want to keep you safe, the reason why I lie to trollmarket and everyone else. It is time I come clean. At least, to you….”

 

So he did. He told Jim everything. From the first fight he had with the gumm-gumms. To the most recent. And the strange ‘sibling’ Bular had. However, Kanjigar did NOT mention his suspicions about Jim.

“huh….well...that is a lot. Makes sense you don’t want anyone to panic. Thanks for wanting me to be safe, I really appreciate it. Glad we met that night huh?” Jim chuckled, he wasn’t lying. He really was glad. In more ways than one.

“i share your joy. Now, let’s continue our patrol. I will share my wisdom with you even more so. Now, pay attention.”  
“as well as keep my eyes open for any potential gumm-gumm attacks?” Jim said with a chuckle.  
“that is not amusing. It could happen. You are not ready to fight.” Jim’s smile didn’t waver, he knew for a fact no attack was planned that night. Jim just nodded and the two began to talk  
“hey, Kanjigar, listen. I get why you didn’t tell me or anyone else. Sometimes lying is for the best. it’s better to hide the cold hard painful truth. Let others live in a happy lie. that’s what I believe. Its nice to live a happy lie. I know from personal experience” Jim’s smile widen, while Kanjigars expression turned very serious.

‘another potential….no...no Jim is just smart. What he said has nothing to do with the other things.’  
“what kind of lie?”  
“i just….it’s nice to be around people who show affection. Sometimes I like to lie to myself saying how this is my life”  
“but this IS your life”  
“i know, but with my dad and my family, well, they aren’t very open and expressive about affection. don’t get me wrong! They love me! They just have a hard time showing it, meanwhile everyone at trollmarket is so….open about their emotions. Its just...so opposite of what I grew up around.”

That saddened Kajigar a bit. To hear that someone innocent like Jim came from a colder family. Another proof of his innocent life. Still, he liked to live a life of pretend. He liked to say lies ‘for the better of everyone else’. Then again, that’s what Kanjigar is doing…..

“i love you Jim. Never forget that. I love you like a son” Jim suddenly tensed up and stopped.  
“w-what?”  
“i said-”  
“i know what you said...but...why? it’s only been like, two and a half months since we’ve know each other”  
“love isn’t a simple thing. Besides, you need a lot of it and I want to show you it. My son does care deeply for you, except now in a more romantic way.”  
“i...” Jim was speechless. His father hardly ever said he loved him….at least, not in an emotional way...it had always seemed just….plain. Factual. Like saying how the sky was blue, or rocks could be kicked. No emotion or meaning behind it. This…..this had meaning. It hurt. It hurt Jim’s heart. Like someone hitting his weakest point. He didn’t even know it existed. He felt like he was hurting so badly. Was the wound always there? Or was this new to him...he couldn’t tell. He wanted to cry….

Then out of the blue Jim was hugged. Silent tears fell from his eyes. He was too deep in his own thoughts to register anything.  
“I can tell you’re emotionally stunted. You need more affection. I am gladly willing to give it” Jim couldn’t talk. The pain burned him like a sharp knife sliding into his heart. Kanjigar saw his face, his silence, how pained and confused he was.  
“i believe that might be enough for tonight. No signs of anyone or any attack, they usually would have by now. Why don’t we go home. Get something to eat, take a bit of a breather.” Jim just nodded and followed his trollhunter without thinking.

 

He was evil. He was feared. Not loved. Love didn’t matter to gumm-gumms.

It didn’t.

 

It didn’t.


	10. THE BANQUET FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE BANQUET FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS!  
> THE FEAST OF EVIL!  
> THE GATHERING OF GORE!  
> THE BLOODIED CONSUMPTION!
> 
> WRETCHED SOUL AND DARKEST MONSTER, HORRID BANE AND BLACKEST BEAST, JOIN US IN THE COMING FEAST!
> 
> COME! JOIN US AT THE TABLE! WATCH THE FIGHTING AND CARNAGE! EAT TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT! LET US ALL CELEBRATE THE BIRTHING DAY OF JIM!.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so. i just discovered the metal cover of girls just wana have fun. this greatly helped to inspire me to write this XD, future chapters will reveal more of Jim's childhood OOhhOOOOoo! fun! also found out snuff out the light. that's a cool song, another thing that inspired me, the name of the chapter is something you can find out yourself if you look well enough~ 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!  
> ALSO YAAAAY! 1000 NOTES! never thought my fic would be looked at that many times =D makes me feel good to know others find my story interesting!

A woman screams. The sound of it echoes throughout the darklands. Shortly after, the sounds of a crying child. The gumm-gumm medics quickly cleaned the baby up and bundled it carefully in thick and soft blankets, keeping the cold from seeping into the child.  
“l….l-let me see him….” a half troll woman says. A gumm-gumm medic hands her a small half troll baby boy.  
“hes so beautiful...look...look at our son Gunmar.” The large powerful gumm-gumm leader steps forwards, taking in the sight of his newborn son.  
“my son. My child. Our child.”  
“h...his na...ame….”  
“i will give you the honor of naming our child”  
“o-oh th-thank you Gunmar……..Jim….his name is Jim...”

“Jim? A human name?”  
“please Gunmar...h-” suddenly she closes her eyes, her grip releases and the son is let go. Gunmar catches the crying baby.  
“what is wrong?….what is wrong with her!?”

a few gumm-gumm medics check her, try to find out what’s wrong. Frantically moving around and checking her vitals, only to find out….

“shes passed away my dark underlord.”  
“what….” Gunmar is seething in silent anger. However it is clear to everyone in the small cave just how extreme it is.  
“t-there was nothing we could do! Shes dead my.-”  
“dead?….Victoria….my love…...” Gunmar squeezes his jaw closed and holds back his anger, his sorrow. He breathes out. Looks at his mates lifeless body, then turns and leaves. He cannot show weakness. He doesn’t wish to.  
“lor-”  
“handle the body. Give her a proper funeral. Make it quick, but thorough.” Gunmar spoke in a low voice, quiet and calm. He walked out of the room with his newborn son in his large arms.

“Jim….my little Jim...” Gunmar looked at his new son. The small vulnerable life, something so weak and frail, such a tiny defenseless thing something that could never survive in the darklands. Weakness was a sin to gumm-gumm’s. This child, was his child though. He would make this one exception. While he cradled the child in his arms, he started to hum

"I was born from heartstone and you were born from me. my little whelp, you are mine. my love will keep you warm and safe. our home is dark and cold and lifeless, but you are alive and here with me. remember that i will always love you, your fathers here to guide us all.” Gunmar hummed over and over again to his crying son. He finally entered his throne room, the gumm-gumm soldiers all bowing in silence as he walked a straight path to his throne.

“my dark underlord! you’v-” Blinky stopped talking as he saw the small life in his lords arms.  
“A half troll?!...and….” the scent was clear. The half troll boy was an omega.  
“how could this be? Is this truly your child?”  
“do you dare insult my lifeless mate by suggesting she took another?!”  
“no no no! Never! I was-”  
“i don’t care what you are about to say. You had better word your next sentences carefully, or you will end up like your useless brother.”  
“yes my dark underlord….does your son have a name?”  
“Jim.”  
“...just...Jim?”  
“yes”

“what happened to-”  
“she is gone. Her body gave up the last of her own life to create a new one.” Gunmar said with a sorrowful tone.  
“Jim….a small name for a small creature my dark underlord. Perhaps she meant more to that but….was unable to speak...”  
“...no...she was a creature of simple taste….Jim….a fitting name for something so small…...hmmm…..not a true gumm-gumm name…..but his mother chose it….”  
“I in no way shall EVER question your judgment, I simply wish to inform you that….….it seems a bit...underwhelming for being a child of yours….” 

“even if that is so, it does not matter. His name will grow and all shall tremble and respect it. Jim. A simple name that he will turn into a massive one. I like that thought. Perhaps that is what she had in mind for him. She always could think 5 steps ahead.”  
“She will be dearly missed….do you require any time to mourn?”  
“No. I shall mourn in my own time. Now, now is not the time. I wish to show Bular his new sibling. Fetch him.” Blinky bowed his head, gave an order to a nearby guard, then the guard quickly left…

 

……..…………………………………..

"I was born from heartstone and you were born from me. my little whelp, you are mine. my love will keep you warm and safe. our home is dark and cold and lifeless, but you are alive and here with me. remember that i will always love you, your fathers here to guide us all.”

…………………………….

“Father.” Bular spoke quietly. He bowed at his fathers throne. The room was now packed full of soldiers. All quiet and waiting. Gunmar had silenced them all to await his announcement. The sounds of the darklands around them was the only source of noise at the moment.  
“step forth. look upon your brother.” Bular was unsure how he felt when he heard the news of a sibling. Back before Jim was born, back when Jim’s mother first announced her pregnancy…

………………………………

“father. You do not need a second child! I am all you need! Have I failed you?”  
“no. you are not being replaced. And what amount of children I desire, I shall have. Do not tell me what children I may or may not have. True, you are more than strong, but this is my choice not yours.”  
“yes father. I will not question you ever again.”  
“good. See that it doesn’t happen. You should celebrate. You will have a sibling to fight along side you.”  
“a second child of yours will be unstoppable. I shall teach him our ways and make him a true gumm-gumm.”  
“that is the attitude I wish to see.”

……………………………….

Now Bular walked up the steps to his fathers throne.  
“father...this….”  
“is your baby brother. Do not question him. My mate took me and me alone.”  
“he….looks…..”  
“word your next sentences carefully. You might by my son, but you still follow me.”  
“of course father. I would never betray you in any way! He is just….”  
“my son. No matter what he is. He is my blood. Just as much as you are. You are to treat him as your equal. Do you understand?”  
“yes father”

Gunmar stood up from his throne and held his child up for all to see.  
“listen well and listen now, I will not repeat myself. Behold! My second son!”  
the crowd roared and cheered, causing Jim to cry.  
“he is my son! You are to respect him just as much as you do Bular!. He is Jim, half troll omega. And he will show everyone how powerful our bloodline truly is! Even in this of a weak creature! He will be more powerful than any other! He will become the greatest half troll that ever existed!”

The crowd roared even louder at his words. They cheered and clanged their weapons in celebration.  
Gunmar lowered his arms and held his son once more. Gently putting a finger to his face and fur.  
“Blinkous.”  
“yes my dark underlord?”  
“i have no knowledge of how to raise a half troll. His mother has died and the few we have are gone above the surface world as magic hunters. What say you in this?. How would I raise my child? My mates death should not be in vain. I will not allow my new son to loose his life so quickly. He would be worthless to me until he is grown.”

“if I may. I shall aid you. I shall be the caretaker.”  
“and why should I allow you?”  
“I have the most knowledge of any here in the darklands about humans and their cultures. Half trolls must be raised like one of them. I can raise him properly and unlock his true potential. Far more than any goblin could do. Half trolls and humans need a lot of intense and specific things. Please, allow me to raise him.”  
“i will trust you with my sons life. I don’t believe I have to tell you what would happen if he were to pass away.”  
“of course not my dark underlord. You can trust me.”

Gunmar looked at his son one more time, smiled at the small thing. So pure. So innocent.  
“soon, you will taste blood. Hunt. Kill. And conquer. You are my blood. Never forget that.

I was born from heartstone and you were born from me. my little whelp, you are mine. my love will keep you warm and safe. our home is dark and cold and lifeless, but you are alive and here with me. remember that i will always love you, your fathers here to guide us all.” And with that, Gunmar gently handed his son to Blinky.  
“master Jim. It is time to start you life. Now, let us prepare”

…………………………………………

many years pass.

…………………………

“hmm...needs more….gravesand….” Jim was currently crouched over in his room, looking at the fresh corpse of a gumm-gumm in front of him. Jim always did practice the ‘darker’ side of magic, gumm-gumm magic. Dark and ‘mysterious’ the kinds of things that few try to dive into. Jim always did love to learn it, even if it was only time from time. His biggest goal, like many, was to break out his father from the darklands by removing the curse. Jim rubbed his horn as he looked over the corpse. It laid dead ‘haha’ center in a drawn triangle. Surrounded by hexagons and circles, Gumm-gumm writing carved into the skulls of various creatures, from humans to trolls, and to monsters all around. Almost every skull Jim could ever have were used by him. Not just in a magical sense, but for decorations as well, he was edgy like that. The current experiment he was doing was about resurrection. Humans have always talked about necromancy, little few know how real it actually is.

Troll bodies did consist of bones and blood and organs and such, much like any other creature. However when a troll dies, all of it quickly becomes stone after a very short time after death. So gathering ‘parts’ wasn’t easy. Jim watched the corpse slowly turn to stone, the texture quickly growing over it like water would from soaking into something. Jim had tried three times that night to revive the dead, for a few reasons. 1, he wanted to see how far his studies were coming along. 2, he wanted to see if it would work. 3, if he DID find out how to actually reanimate the dead, his father would be so pleased! A potentially ENDLESS hoard! Marching on wards forever, never truly falling for long. Jim purred at the idea of Gunmar giving him praise and affection for his discovery. 

Jim had broken off the now stone head of the dead gumm-gumm. He looked it over and moved it around, looking at every detail he could, studying it to see if his practice made any difference what so ever. His thinking stream stopped as soon as he heard the sudden knock on his door.  
“who is it?”  
“MASTER JIM, SON OF GUNMAR THE BLACK, GUNMAR THE SKULLCRUSHER G-”  
“ENOUGH. I get it. What do you want”  
“sorry to disturb you, but your father requests your presence.”

Jim dusted himself off and left, being greeted by the gumm-gumm soldier with a bow  
“forgive me for the interruption.”  
“its fine”  
“..may...i be the first to...praise you...for another year of life?”  
“kinda just did, thanks though” The soldier bowed and he told some others to get rid of the remains of the corpse, with Jim’s permission of course.

Today was a special day. All of the darklands knew of it well. It was Jim’s birthday!. Trolls don’t celebrate such events, however they do for Jim. Reason? Short lifespan. Gunmar wants to celebrate each year his son has lived, seeing just how much he’s grown, developed, become more ‘like him’. Each year they threw a very special celebration where everyone(more or less) gets to partake in it!. 

THE BANQUET FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS!  
THE FEAST OF EVIL!  
THE GATHERING OF GORE!  
THE BLOODIED CONSUMPTION!

It had many names. No matter what however, it all was one thing. A massive feast and fights to the death. To celebrate, the gumm-gumms would gather up every single creature they could find and eat, cook them up and eat them. One massive feast, meal after meal after meal. If it could be eaten and was living, it was brought. Animals, gnomes, creatures, even humans (if they could be taken. They were also the ‘center piece’ of the feast). Throughout the feasting, gumm-gumms would fight to the death in a grand show just for Jim. Each one wanting to be the one to show just how deadly they could be. Showing just how valuable, dangerous, and perhaps mate material, they were. Each gumm-gumm fought and killed with all their might. Any gumm-gumm was allowed to join in, as long as they brought their ‘a game’. It truly was a massive event. Jim LOVED it throughout his whole life!. But like with every child, they grow out of it….at least Jim started to. He loved the carnage, but recently he turned his thoughts to the ‘above world’ rather than the below one. He wanted to have a party with his friends. Hangout and be reckless, celebrate how ‘humans do’ or at least some form of it. His friends knew Jim only ever celebrated his birthday with his family, so they never bothered with asking too often. 

 

This time however, Jim was determined to be with his friends rather than family…..easier said than done…..His father wasn’t exactly the type to just ‘throw celebrations and let them go unappreciated’. Jim saying anything would end up sounding like some spoiled brat who didn’t care about what he was given.  
“hey dad thanks for all the hard work, but I don’t want this and I’d rather be doing something else than wasting my time here, okay see ya!” Jim entered the throne room, currently packed to the gills with gumm-gumms. Massive tables with slabs of meat, corpses, and partially chewed on bones, covered them. Mounds of meat piled up and were being passed around and eaten. Warriors had already fought with one another, a small area set in the center for the pleasure of watching them, dinner and a show!. 

Gumm-gumms cheered and booed at the fights, some taking bets on the fighters even. Jim’s ‘gumm-gumm’ spark still was dampened. He needed to reignite it. He NEEDED it. He couldn’t show weakness and hesitation. Jim smiled and giggled a bit as he saw some of the fighting gumm-gumm’s look toward him and bow, only to be bashed into by others who took advantage of their lowered guard.

“little brother” Jim almost jumped out of his skin as right behind him Bular spoke out, Jim didn’t even hear the big brute walk up to him  
“easy yourself. No need to be jumpy. Happy birthing day. Come, eat, watch. Arrrg is up next.” Jim’s smiled widely as he heard his mentor’s name was spoken. Yes, both Arrrg and Blinky are Jim’s mentors. Blinky, teaching him the larger portion of his overall education, while Arrrg taught him about fighting, surviving, shaking off blows and striking back. Vengeance, anger, wrath, blood lust, some things Arrrg knew just how well they could be used, and how to use them properly. Being one of the strongest in the darklands, he had a lot of respect. Arrrg loved to ‘join in’ on the ‘fun’. Fighting in the arena on Jim’s birthday? One of his favorite things to do.

He was VERY exciting to watch! He has never ONCE been beaten. Sure, he’s been wounded horribly before, but he just turned his pain and anger into energy. He took on multiple gumm-gumms at once. He was the reigning champion of the arena. Many had challenged him for that honor, none have yet to live through that challenge. 

Jim hurried along the room, snaking around here and there between the maze of tables. Gunmar smiled and watched as Arrrg literally ripped the arms off of one gumm-gumm and beat another to death with them as he also headbutt anyone coming close to him. At this point, the only smell in the room was meat and blood. Gore really. Hey, it was a true gumm-gumm event!.  
“Ahhh my son! Happy birthing day. 93 years ago your mother gave the last spark of life in herself to give you life. Look how much you’ve grown since then. Such a little pathetic thing, now turned into a very experienced half troll. I’m proud of you. Now, come!” Jim felt uplifted as he felt his father say that to him.  
“Happy birthing day master Jim.” Blinky hugged him as Jim had walked up the stairs  
“thanks Blinky”  
“Arrrg wanted me to relay the same message, he fights for you today!”  
“as he does every time, thanks you two. You mean a lot to me” Blinky smiled sweetly  
“now, why don’t you begin eating? You must be starving!”  
“i could eat”  
“we’ve brought you a treat!”  
“oh?”

Blinky waved over as a gumm-gumm soldier pushed a human to the ground in front of the throne. The human was a man in his early 30’s by the looks of it, gagged and bound. Jim suddenly felt a twitch of...something….guilt?. He remembered this man. It was a jogger he planned on killing, before Kanjigar almost found him that night. Maybe it was fate Jim was supposed to eat him.  
“We wanted the kill to be nice and fresh! So we brought him here” Jim didn’t reply as he just...stared at the man. He was just a mess. It made sense, if anyone else besides a gumm-gumm saw what was going on in the room, they wouldn’t exactly be sane either.

“is there something the matter master Jim?”  
“...huh...oh uh, no no every things fine! I just...kinda like to kill in privacy”  
“really? Your past experiences say otherwise”  
“i mean, I well….guess I’m just not in the mood to kill in the open now, I guess I prefer some peace and quiet, really focus and enjoy it, without it being smothered by everything else.”  
“ah, shall we kill him now for you?”  
“no..no no, just, lock him up in my room for the time...I’ll deal with him later.”  
“very well! It is your day, and if this is what you want, then you shall get it. You heard him, take him to master Jim’s room”

The gumm-gumm grabbed the struggling human, throwing him over his shoulder and walking away. Jim didn’t know why he didn’t just kill the man. He had no problems about it anytime before. Why now?...he DID prefer quiet and solitude usually. He just blamed it on that….hoping it was only that…  
“My son”  
“AH” Jim was so lost in thought he didn’t realize his father was speaking to him. Jim jumped at the loud call from his father  
“s-sorry dad I just...thinking”  
“hm. Well come by my side. Enjoy the show like I am” Jim nodded and quickly headed up the stairs next to his father, he sat down and suddenly tensed up as he felt his fathers large hand be placed on his head. Then he relaxed and purred even, as he was starting to be pet. This day, this moment. It was his favorite. The affection from his father, the food, the show. It was all so amazing...but...why wasn’t his ‘spark’ getting bigger?! It was just staying the same….sometimes it would nudge a little, but that was it. He wanted to be angry! Violent! Hungry!…..hungry…...Jim WAS hungry but...when he saw the human, he just...lost his appetite. Before, he would look at someone and think nothing of them, but just then….he didn’t know what he felt but...seeing them made him….upset a bit. The smallest tiniest voice told him not to….this person had a life….friends….a family…

they would miss him if he died….the mourning, the crying, the loss….Jim’s head was starting to grow these thoughts and feelings, planting them deeper into his psyche. People...matter….they have lives...like Jim does….HE wouldn’t like it if someone else were to ruin it….why should Jim do it to anyone else?…

no

no

NO. Jim shook his head a bit, trying to get those thoughts out of it  
“what is wrong my son?”  
“huh uh nothing I just, bad itch is all, you can...go back to it..please” Gunmar thought nothing of it and just continued. That wasn’t Jim. Kanjigar’s ‘goody goody’ side was just getting to Jim. he’s been exposed to much to him for to long. He needed this gore, this violence. He needed to feel like a REAL GUMM-GUMM AGAIN! He wanted this. He HUNGERED for this!. He watched Arrrg brutally slaughter many gumm-gumms, he wasn’t even slowed down, even with the huge wounds he had received. Jim smiled, he wanted this. To watch others bleed. To watch all this…..

His hunger was back. He felt happy. His ‘natural’ side finally peeked out again from whatever it was hiding behind. After watching and being pet Jim wanted in on the action, maybe he really did just need to be around his kind for a while. ‘recharge his battery’ in a way. Jim Jumped into the pit, grabbing someones fallen sword, he did a side slash while making his way towards Arrrg, who smiled as he saw Jim having fun. So the two did. Fighting, killing, and laughing the whole time. Arrrg took many blows for Jim, while Jim most of the finishing ones. Jim didn’t know how long it was since he went into the arena, but he felt so ALIVE. HEALTHY. REFRESHED! The gumm-gumm spark had finally returned in full volume. 

Jim panted heavily, his body strained and sore. He looked around to see everyone cheering for him, his father smiling proudly, along with his brother, Arrrg, and Blinky. Jim roared out, letting all the pent up rage that’s been locked away behind whatever vault it was shoved into while being aroud Kanjigar and Draal. Everyone roared back in response. The room felt incredible, to see Jim truly sprouting into a gumm-gumm worthy of his fathers bloodline. Jim coughed a bit from roaring too loudly and cause his throat to strain from it. He walked over and dunked himself in water, similar to if someone were to bob for apples. He came back up gasping for air and laughed, he finally felt alive again! He wanted to savor this moment.

Jim cleaned the blood off of himself, or at least most of it, then went over, grabbed himself a seat and began to dig into the feast. Jim felt so relived, his hunger was back, his need for violence, his well of rage he could tap into, life was right once more. After much feasting, more fighting, both involved and simply viewing, Jim felt fulfilled, fully charged, energized one more. His thoughts turned to his friends though….the day still had a few hours left, and he wanted to finish it off with his own celebration. Jim swallowed down the meat in his mouth, wiped his mouth, got up and made his way towards his father, who was feasting himself.

Gunmar dug into the feast like any other, Blood heavily trailed down his mouth and down his neck and chest. He smiled and laughed and cheered with his army. He joked and was merry, one of the very few times anyone ever saw this side of him. He had a large mouthful as Jim walked over. Jim steadied his breath, and approached, he knew his father was in a wonderful mood. This would be the perfect opportunity to ask him. Jim had went over and over in his head as to how he should ask, or more like, how he should say it. Bular, Arrrg, Blinky, and a few very ‘top tier’ in Gunmar’s personal court sat together. Jim decided to try and wiggle his thoughts into his fathers head. Manipulate him in a sense. He’s seen changelings do it all the time to regular people and trolls, so in theory he should be able to do it too, right? Sure he did it with others, but his father? That would be nothing but a perfect miracle….  
Jim stood at his fathers side and spoke to him while Gunmar had a full mouth and a pleased look on his face.  
“Dad”  
“hm?”  
“this has all been so amazing! Even better than last year, somehow! You really do always outdo yourself. it’s ever a wonder why the smartest trolls wish to follow you. I love you dad”  
“hm” Gunmar said chewing, he patted Jim on the head, which caused Jim to purr from the sudden affection, two physical interactions in the same day?! It really was his birthday!  
“I will never stop being appreciative, you truly are the greatest father any may wish to ask for. I must admit though, I do feel so fulfilled every time I get to celebrate!….although there is one fulfillment that I need to start...well...fulfilling on this day...”

Gunmar swallowed and waved over to Blinky, signaling him to speak  
“Send some champions to my sons room B-”  
“no no not that dad..i...uh….i meant….” Jim took a deep breath, he needed to say this perfectly.  
“my friends, on the surface. They always gather together to celebrate their own birthdays. I was kinda hoping I could...try that. By sorta...going up top for the rest of the day and being with them and experiencing it, it would make me very happy”

Jim spurt out the last of the sentence quickly. Blinky stopped and looked over, an expression of worry growing on his face. Blinky knew well enough that asking the dark underlord for something after already being given something was not a good idea. He had to help, he couldn’t just let Jim get punished for wanting something as simple as that, Blinky could save his own hide by convincing Gunmar to allow it, preventing an angry rage to start up before anything could ignite it.

“My dark underlord, Jim should be allowed this. Let him be surrounded by his friends from the surface. It would help him develop emotionally and mentally. It would bring him great joy! And he never has done it before, a good experience to be had. This is something so small he asks of you on the day of his birth, it would literally take nothing to allow him to have it!. He has had enjoyed himself immensely here and participated in his feast, so it isn’t as if he has no interest in this!”

Gunmar looked between his son and Blinky, clearly weighing the request in his head.  
“very well. Go to the surface. Enjoy yourself with your fleshbag friends. If it brings you pleasure, so be it. You are to return as soon as you are finished, and before the sun rises on the next day.” Jim smiled and felt giddy all over. Jim flashed look of ‘thank you’ to Blinky who smiled back.  
“thanks dad!”  
“leave. Enjoy yourself. As I now expect you to have your ‘fulfillment’ from this.” Gunmar said in a bored and somewhat annoyed tone. He went through a LOT to throw these celebrations, and to hear his son say he wanted to abandon them to be surrounded by FLESHBAGS?!. If it made his son feel good, then fine. He will allow it. It wasn’t like he simply vanished without word either….and he did participate in the activities.

To Jim, hearing his dad say this was wonderful! Even if it really meant  
“you want to leave after everything I did for you, choose to be around stupid humans than YOUR FAMILY, on this day?! This once a year special day?! IF IT WASN’T FOR ME YOU WOULDN’T EVEN BE ALIVE, YET YOU WANT TO LEAVE MY SIDE?!. Fine, enjoy yourself, but if I hear even the smallest complaint out of you, or anything less than a true heavenly day on the surface, then you will be punished.” Gunmar was suddenly surprised as his son hugged him without word  
“thanks dad! I’ll be back before you know it!” Then just as quickly as it had happened, it ended. Jim ran to his room to get ready.

 

“oh yeah...huh...” Jim walked into his room to see the man, still bound and gagged, feebly struggling in a corner.  
“totally forgot about you. Okay, so, hey HEY PAY ATTENTION. Good, now, this place, total nightmare realm huh? Nod if you agree.” The man nervously and vigoruslly nodded his head.  
“you want t not be killed right? To go back home, live your life, go jogging and watch TV and whatever, right?” again the man nodded  
“alright. And I’m sure the second you get freed you’ll try to tell everyone everything. Even if you promise it and swear on your life and blah blah. Look, I’m not hungry, I don’t feel like killing you, and I know for a FACT you will just end up telling everyone you can. So, I’m going to make you a deal. you’ll stay here for, what, the day, surface side time at least, then I let you go. Deal? No one dies, no one fights. No one says anything. Go it? Cause if you don’t agree, well…..i still can just kill you as easily as snapping my fingers. But I don’t feel like doing it, doesn’t mean I WON’T.” the man nodded

“hold still. I’m not letting you go, but I am going to put you right over here. You will still be gagged and cuffed and chained, but at least now you can move around and go to the bathroom, yeah. I do NOT want you to ruin my room. Ugh. Not like you didn’t ruin yourself already….well you don’t fit my size, but at least wrap this blanket around you after you have a bath, got it? Oh and make as little noise as you can. K? Cause I’m sure that you won’t want all those big burly nightmarish trolls to come charging in here to investigate it, only to find me gone and you still alive. 

So, in summery. Clean yourself. Stay put. Stay silent. And do NOT TOUCH MY STUFF. I find one thing out of place, or a finger print on ANYTHING. I WILL-well you know I’ll kill you. So, I’m going to get ready and leave. Where? None of your business. Got it?” the man nodded, it was the only thing he was doing really. He didn’t have anything going on with his life at the point.

……………………………….

“WHAAAAT! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME SOONER!” Toby gasped as he answered Jim’s phone call.  
“Well dad juuuust told me I could, so I’m up on the surface by the hill if you wana-”  
“YESSS! Like I’m NOT going to hangout with my best bud on his birthday?!”  
“well I’m glad you aren’t busy”  
“you know me! I don’t have a life”  
“wish I could say the same”  
“no you do not!”  
“Being from two different worlds, constantly tugging on you, not exactly fun either. Trust me, the kind of position I’m in is nooooooooo picnic.”  
“yeah but at least you HAVE things going on in your life! Wana know what I’ve been doing all day?”  
“is that rhetorical?”  
“no, now guess”  
“nothing?”  
“EXACTLY! I’ve just been sitting here reading assignments and trying to figure out how to make my magic tricks actually work properly. I got one of them down I think...i need an assistant! Perfect time to do it also!”  
“awww, do I get to wear a sequin dress and rabbit ears?”  
“if you want. Speaking of, did you want to meet somewhere specific?”  
“I’ll meet you at your place if that’s cool”  
“totally! Come on over! I’ll unlock the door, just don’t wake Nana if shes asleep, what am I saying. Of course she’s going to be asleep, she just had a mini marathon of her crime drama shows.”  
“sneak in quietly, will do. See you in 5.”

 

Jim felt happy that he got to hear his best friend be so excited, like a dog when their owner just gets home. Jim felt free, like he could breathe and stretch and move. It wasn’t but a couple hours left in the day, but that was all Jim needed, he just wanted to be around his friends, even if they didn’t do anything. Jim felt the cool wind blowing at his back as he made his way to his best friends house, enjoying the sounds and lights of the fading day, it seemed so much nicer out than usual. The bliss of being allowed to have something you really wanted I suppose.

Jim kicked a rock and listened to it clang against a tree while he walked along the road. He finished walking up the street and was going up to the door to Toby’s home when he saw from the corner of his eye none other than Walt in the neighbors home. Turning to look out of curiosity, Jim saw Walt eating dinner with the doctor who lived alone across the street.  
“well. No the only one who’s having a good night” Jim spoke as he headed inside.

Jim quickly crept up the stairs, being sure not to make much noise, which he was excellent at doing. He did train in stealth almost exclusively. He knocked and opened up Toby’s door then getting a big strong hug from his small best friend.  
“We have so much to do! So many things to catch up on! OH we should get a Pinata!”  
“I’d probably just eat the whole thing” Jim laughed as he patted his smaller friend on the head.  
“i can be your birthday entertainment! I bet you’ve never had a magician at one of your birthday parties.”  
“the closest thing to one of those would be actually eating one”  
“funny”  
“I’m serious, I do eat people”  
“hahaha. Now, go sit on my bed and watch me make magic!”  
“ohhh the great Toby will be so humble as to make an appearance at my birthday party?! What an honor!”

“hey, I promise, when I make it big, I won’t forget the little people along the way”  
“funny because I’m pretty much like 2 of you taller”  
“go sit! Let me just get my….aha! Now, watch carefully as I pull this ball out of my second hat!”  
“you mean this one?”  
“hey! Put that down! you’re going to ruin the trick! No don’t eat my props!”  
“tasty”  
“bad Jim!”

The two best friends spent the next couple hours hanging out. Magic tricks, watching things, video games, classic best friend things. Toby did feel kinda bad about not having anything better for Jim, but Jim just said everything was perfect as it was, just hanging out and being with his best friend.  
“so, how old are you now exactly?”  
“93”  
“WHAT?!”  
“yeah”  
“you’re old as shit! You could be my Nana’s mom!”  
“well I could huh?”  
“have you ever ridden in a wagon?”  
“Toby, I’m 93, not 200.”  
“alright alright old man, don’t get so upset”  
“hey you made me miss the early bird special! Back in my day thing’s only cost a penny and you could still get change back!”

 

The two laughed to themselves, meanwhile outside Bular was watching through the window from the trees.

…………………………….

Gunmar watched Jim run out of the throne room, then he spoke up to Bular  
“my son. Follow your brother.”  
“do you not trust him father?”  
“i do, but I just want to make sure my efforts truly weren’t in vain. If he does wish to surround himself with fleshbags, then let him. If he lied and wanted to go to that trollmarket, then report back to me.”  
“you do not wish him down there father?”  
“not now. I’ve noticed him acting stranger than usual. he’s growing softer. Weaker. I fear it is due to him being to ‘attached’ to trollmarket now. He needs to be reminded that WE are his kin. Not them. If he really is growing to soft and attached…..I’ll just have to burn out that weakness myself. I’ve come too far now for my little son to suddenly turn soft and report to the trollhunter what is actually going on in his life. He may be keeping his word on his little plan, but I am not easily deceived. Now, go, stalk him closely, but do not allow him to know of your presence for even a moment. When he returns home, so shall you. If any evidence of weakness dampening his heart is found, report it to me at once. Do not allow him to know you are watching him, let him live out whatever actions he so chooses, report to me and then I’LL be the one to handle it.”

“I will not fail you father. I will go at once”  
“I know you will not fail me on this. I only fear your brother is growing too weak for his own good.”

…………………………………………………..

Bular had stalked Jim from afar ever since he left the darklands. Jim seemed to be In a pleasant mood the entire time. Bular crept along the darkness, making sure to be able to keep a close eye on his smaller sibling. He listened to his Brother speak on his device, he watched his brother walk, he spied on his brother as he and that little fleshbag toy of his laughed and made merry with each other. The night had truly fallen and Jim was supposed to return home now. Bular crouched lower and backed behind large rock as he heard Jim leaving the door  
“-Sorry we couldn’t get anyone else to come hangout”  
“nah it’s fine, everyone was busy. I’m just happy to have spent the time with you Tobes”  
“same here Jimbo, see you tomorrow?”  
“I’ll try, I’m sure you will though, or at least for a few minutes, see ya Tobes”  
“bye Jimbo, be safe! don’t get eaten!”  
“i won’t, relax I won’t”  
“you say that but another dude disappeared today! Seriously!”  
“I heard, I promise to text you the second I’m about to go underground, okay?”  
“okay, thanks, does make me feel better”  
“Tobes, look at me, I’m more likely to attack you than something is to attack me”  
“okay you have a point.”  
“alright see ya”  
“bye”

 

the door closed and Jim started to walk away. Bular looked up to see the round fleshbag walk back into his room. Bular never did understand what Jim saw in fleshbags. He just thought it was just a half troll thing. Bular quietly followed Jim, His brother might be more agile and silent, but he still was not as masterful as Bular was. Everything was going as expected. Jim went to his friends house, he spent time, now he was coming home like father had told him to. Bular was relived to see his brother not defying their fathers orders, it always put his mind at ease to know just how loyal Jim still was. There were very few times Bular questioned Jim’s loyalty, but it was only ever for a good reason. His brother used plans to keep himself close to trollmarket and the trollhunter, he had yet to make any kind of plan to attack him or even do something to hamper the trollhunter from his duties. Jim also used any excuse he could to keep close to them and away from his REAL home and family in the darklands. 

Bular truly loved his brother, but was afraid he might truly be having a change of heart. Half trolls were known to be emotionally fluid like humans were….he feared Jim would want to forgo their fathers love and praise, in favor of locking himself up in the safety of trollmarket and forget their plans on ruling the world. 

A familiar scent stopped Jim in his tracks, along with Bulars. Bular tucked himself as small as he could behind the patch of trees he was hiding. He recognized the scent…

“Jim” Kanjigar said cheerfully  
“shit..uh...hey...listen before we start chatting I reaaalllllyyy need to get home like, right now. My dad said I could only be out for a few hours and that time’s up and I really don’t want to show that I didn’t listen”  
“perhaps he could wait only a few more moments for you. I wanted to spend some time with you myself, I heard that it was a certain someones birthday today”  
“...where did you hear….that?”  
“some gossip in trollmakret. Someone overheard you speaking about what age you would be and on what day. So I was hoping to run into you”

“well you did so yay!...i really do appreciate you wanting to see me, I do really!, but I really reaaallllyy need to go, my dad will blow a fuse if he finds out I took longer than needed because of...well, you.”  
“ah, your father shouldn’t be upset if his trollhunter was simply taking some time with you”

Bular snorted hearing those words.  
‘at least my brothers cover is still as strong as ever…’

“humans have a custom of giving gifts to one another in celebration for another year of being alive, so I wanted to give you one”  
“that’s...wow...really...sweet of you...thanks” Jim started to ‘soften up’ in tone and appearance.  
“i even found someone able to wrap it, happy birthday Jim.” Kanjigar walked over and pulled out a small box from a bag he had on his waist.  
“how did you know I was going to be out here?”  
“i didn’t, I only hoped I would see you, looks like fate wanted this to happen”  
“yeah...maybe….thanks for this” Jim took the present and then was patted by Kanjigar  
“my son also wishes to see you, if you could spare the time for him”

 

Bular growled a bit  
‘why would his worthless whelp wish to see my brother?’

“oh Draal does?...huh...i….” Jim had a hesitant look about him. He looked down at the present he held in his hands, then to Kanjigar who smiled. Jim's thoughts worked themselves backwards until he was reliving the moments of the fighting in the arena, to roaring, the feasting. These two worlds...both of them….Jim started to love both of them……...he couldn’t make up his mind on what he wanted to do….

“my dad….he….i do want to see Draal though….”

Bular’s eyes widened when he heard this  
‘Jim. no. please don’t be showing affection for them! Please! Let father be wrong about his suspicion!’ 

“My son would like to see you too. Along with Vendel I’m sure, your father would understand if you stayed here the night, it is late and we miss you”  
“yeah...it is huh…….n...no I’m sorry I really have to go, I’ll come back soon though” Kanjigar frowned  
“alright, if that is your choice. Well, I shall return to my rounds, I hope you enjoyed your day and the rest of the night”  
“thanks, you too” Kanjigar nodded and started to walk away. Bular watched as Jim just stared at the box in his hands, then looked up to the trollhunter. Bular was thankful when he saw Jim shake his head no and walk away….

……………………………………………………

Jim flashed into his room, he tossed the small gift box into his nest and was about to walk out the door when he heard small breathing, he turned to see the gagged man still in his room  
“oh shit I forgot about you again. I’ll be back real quick, you stay there. AHHA get it? No? Ah whatever, you’re a prisoner not me. Jim left and hurried to the throne room  
“Dad, I’m home!” Jim called out when he entered. The feast was over and things were being cleaned up. Whatever food was left was being given to whoever wanted to eat it. The tables were being picked up and moved away, the last remains of dead gumm-gumms were cleaned up.  
“ah son, how was your ‘night out’?” Gunmar said with a small undertone of annoyance. Gunmar sat on his throne, claws tapping against the stone. 

“good! I had a lot of fun! Thanks dad, I really appreciate it”  
Gunmar just grunted in response.  
“I’m tired, I’m going to go sleep, goodnight”  
Gunmar waved him off. Jim passed Bular while he was walking out.  
“oh hey Bular”  
“brother.”

Bular watched Jim leave until he was far gone.  
“Report.” Bular walked and kneeled down in front of the throne  
“nothing to report. All is well, nothing out of the ordinary. There is nothing to fear. He had done exactly what he promised.”  
“good. Goood.”  
“the only one minor thing….”  
“and that would be?”  
Bular was hesitant for a split moment. His brother was about to get into trouble, how much though Bular couldn’t say.  
“Jim did interact with the trollhunter, although he was clearly hesitatnt and kept stating that he needed to leave to return home.”  
“acceptable. What ‘interaction’ did they have.”  
“the trollhunter wished him a happy birthday, also said that he wish to see Jim stay in his company for the rest of the night. He also said that his son wished to see Jim specifically.”

“why might that be?”  
“i have no idea father.” Bular did have some small clues. He remembered all the ‘lustful’ things Jim had spoken of during his heat. Bular didn’t think anything of it at the time though, Just things a regular heat would want. After his heat, why had he want to see the son of the trollhunter, or more importantly, the other way around.  
“hm.”  
“the only clues I could gleam father were that Jim’s cover is still very much intact and stronger than ever. There is no evidence of sign of a betrayal. He is loyal and devoted to you as ever. More so in fact than I once previously though.”

“Bular. Do you hide things from me for your brothers sake?”  
“w-what? No father! Of course not!”  
“would you be willing to risk his own life to save yours?”  
“i...i do not know how to respond.”  
“are you loyal to him. Or to me.”  
“you of course”  
“and if I told you to kill your brother, would you bury your blade into him without hesitation?”  
“i...yes? Forgive me father, I was unprepared to answer such….difficult questions.”

“nothing difficult about it. You kill him if I say so. Do you agree or disagree?”  
“i agree. I would kill Jim if requested.”  
“good.” after that, there was a very tense uncomfortable silence. Bular wanted to speak up at the sudden and strange questions.  
“have...have I displeased you father?”  
“no. not you. Your brother.”  
“father, I won’t have to-”  
“no. you will not harm him. Just remember. If I tell you to kill, you kill. It does not matter if it is your brother or not. Your blade will taste blood. If I tell your brother to kill you, you had better stay still while he kills you. You are loyal to ME. Not anyone else. If you are hiding anything from me about him. I will learn of it.”

“yes father. I hide nothing from you”  
“i know you don’t. I fear it is your brother who does.”  
“if I may say so once more, he hides nothing from you”  
“we shall see.”

another uncomfortable silence later Gunmar lets out a deep sigh  
“perhaps I am being a bit paranoid from his departure. He has never shown any kind of hesitation or regret for his mistakes. Blinkyous was correct. He is growing still and needs to be treated as such. He still changes and moves, little things like emotional differences from time to time shouldn’t be considered a threat.”  
“you have had your doubt of his loyalty?  
“i will not answer that. He has failed me less times than YOU have. Yet I feel more paranoid about him. I should not have such thoughts and worries. He isn’t a full troll. Fleshbag emotions are difficult to understand. Perhaps I should try to have him by my side more often.”  
“that would put you both at ease I think. Medics have confirmed he is lacking physical affection.”

“hm. I think having a day with him is far overdue. Go, you are released.”  
“thank you father. I swear, I am loyal to you. If Jim does hide anything for whatever reason, I shall report it to you without hesitation.”  
“good.” Gunmar does remember Jim used to always hide things from him. It was never anything serious, it was always minor things that didn’t matter, but THAT’S what upset Gunmar. The fact that he DID hide things. Jim was much younger though, Blinky told him that humans did things like these all the time when growing. It was just an emotional thing. Gunmar didn’t understand but trusted Blinky. Jim hid a gnome once in his room, wanting it as a pet, another time Jim hid things under his nest that he wasn’t supposed to have, and a few others things that Jim hid were equal in this way. Just minor things that didn’t matter in the end.

Still, Gunmar did NOT like when others hid things from him. He let it go, not without light punishment however. It was simple children’s things, but the act did need to be punished. Eventually Jim did stop hiding things and was as open as a book to his father. Now as he’s grown older and has been constantly changing, it was hard to tell if he hid things or not. Sometimes it seemed he did but truly wasn’t, a few rare times he was and didn’t even show any remorse. Now with what has been going on recently, Gunmar was a bit paranoid his son would turn on him, he did have enough resources and freedoms to do so. Gunmar tried to shake those thoughts out of his head, there was no way his son would betray him, he never once has. Bular has shown more betrayal than Jim ever had, and Bulars one and only betrayal was when he fled from a fight with a past trollhunter. 

Jim did need more ‘father son time’ anyways, plus that would also set Gunmar’s mind at ease. His sweet little gumm-gumm prince, growing up so fast. How could he ever think Jim would try to stab him in the back? Still. There was a nagging feeling that something was off…..his gut never did lie to him though. Gunmar just breathed and decided to deal with the issue later. After spending a dad with his child, he knew his heart and mind would be at ease once more.

………………………………….

“well, I’ve decided to finally help you out of this horrible situation.” Jim said as he changed his cloths, the man looked at him anxiously, awaiting the news of his freedom.  
“you want it to end, I want you to get out of my fur, so I’ve decided the perfect way for both of us is to just get rid of this whole situation. You won’t be able to tell anyone, and you won’t be able to be afraid anymore and blah blah. Point is, you’re free! Now, hold still while I unchain you. Oh and close your eyes. I promise this will only hurt for a second.” Jim walked over and suddenly sliced off the mans head.  
“there. Both of us are free.” Jim felt like it would be more trouble to just find some way to let the man go than to just kill him and be done with it. Jim stepped over the body as it fell over onto the floor. He called in some guards to haul it away as he bathed.

All cleaned up and ready for bed, Jim flopped down into his nest, and got comfortable, he felt something unusually, he grabbed it and realized it was his present. He opened it to see what it was. He felt his heart slow down as he pulled out a blue necklace, with a tiny bit of heartstone in in. like a grit-shaka but a ‘kind’ version. Not teeth and dark magics. But a smooth fist looking shape holding the heartstone. It radiated warmth and calmness. Jim noticed his body lit up from it, he was shocked, something so small made him feel so….goood. He was just, relaxed. Everything negative he felt melted away. It was like he was in a hammock relaxing on a beach watching the evening sun color the skies while warm sand gently moved under his hand as he touched it.

Jim purred and imagined himself, along with his friends, kanjigar, and even Draal. Just...a nice big relaxing day. No violence or gore, no hard painful memories. Nothing, just relaxation. Jim opened his eyes and looked at his body, it glowed warm orange all over  
“whoa.” It felt so...natural. So right. Like he was a piece in something that finally found its place where it belonged. It fit so well and felt so good.  
He didn’t want that feeling to end. His mind remembered the cold hearted nature, the killing and eating, the violence from that day. It was soo good tooo. But it was so opposite. The two feelings clashed together. It felt like it was ripping him apart it stung so much. Jim groaned painful and dropped the necklace. He gasped and felt his body, it felt like it was burning from the inside out. The calm peaceful orange glow felt more like a painful molten brand, as if he were reliving that moment he was marked, but bodily this time.

What was going on with him…..


	11. DADMAR the dark underfather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gunmar has decided to become a bigger part of Jim's life. Jim is ecstatic! 
> 
> what about the thing that lurks within Jim? it will come out sooner than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plan on writing more 'father son bonding' stuff, it would be fun! =D love the idea of Gunmar trying to dad it up and being awkward about it.  
> "so i cook these plastic spherical objects?"   
> "no, that's just a joke people use. you don't actually cook footballs"

“I just...i just feel so angry and bitter and hateful and resentful and I just don’t know why. I just….i….i can’t get it out of me. I don’t want this. I don’t want this and it hurts and...it’s frustrating and I just want it out but it won’t go away! No matter what I do!” Jim spoke to Kanjigar. The two sat in the living room of their cave in trollmarket. Jim was tightening his hands into fists as he looked at them. He was hunched over and his mind started to race. For the past few days, Jim had been emotionally ‘unstable’. He couldn’t figure out what it was. Yes, he used his pain and anger to his own advantage, letting it fuel him in his training and fighting. Letting it flow into his movements and strikes, but this time, it was just a gross sloppy ooze within in. he couldn’t control it or shape it to how he wanted it to be. Jim never understood why he ever felt angry, he had everything he could ever want. He could do whatever he wanted, so why did he feel this way? Sure he could become blood thirsty, that was easy enough. This, this was just different. And he hated it.

“i just want it out...i...i want...to hurt something….i want something else to hurt so I don’t have to...”  
“you should never inflict pain unto others because of your own emotions. I know well enough that kind of pain you’re having. The only way to truly get rid of it, is to find the base of it and snuff it out. Usually one feels angry because they feel as if the world has wronged them, as if some injustice has been done. Usually unresolved issues boil and churn within, causing this bitterness and resentment to form and grow. You expect the world to treat you a certain way, and when those expectations aren’t met, then that’s when everything becomes worse. Bottling up emotions always is unhealthy as well.”

Jim started to tear up and his breathing became a bit unstable.  
“i don’t know why I feel this way! I get what I want and I never have anything to complain about!”  
“do not stifle your emotions. Being a half troll, they are even more volatile, although I don’t think I need to inform you about that. Tell me, what triggered this?”  
“i don’t know...i was walking around trollmarket when...i don’t know, I just heard some random trolls talking about their parents and stuff and I just sorta...felt angry….but why? That makes no sense!”  
“it sounds as if your emotions are coming from a deep rooted issue involving your parents”  
“that sounds stupid. Why would it?”  
“well, this is just from what I’m thinking, but perhaps it is because you don’t get enough affection. You don’t get to experience the feeling of having a mother. You don’t get to experience fatherly affection like you crave. When that is exposed, you feel like you have been wronged because of it. You get everything you want, except what you want most”

“no...that’s….stupid...i don’t care….i don’t care...”  
“that sounds more like you’re trying to convince yourself than anything else.”  
“….”  
“would you like me to do anything? We could spend the day together, we could train, w-”  
“no just. Leave me alone.” Jim got up and left, his face hot and angry, his tears just as much. He shook a bit from the talk. Usually Kanjigar or Blinky knew the perfect answer, but not now. Blinky had been gone doing something important for Gunmar, so he wasn’t a choice. So that just left Kanjigar, now though, hearing his words, it only hurt worse. Kanjigar was right. Jim never had a mother. He never knew those feelings. He hardly knew what it was like to have a real father. Blinky loved him and he loved Blinky, but it still didn’t feel….exact. It didn’t feel like it was a ‘fulfilling’ purpose.

Jim didn’t want to do anything. He didn’t feel like doing anything. He couldn’t get away from his feelings though. He wanted to hurt someone. He wanted to hurt everyone.

…………………………………………..

 

Gunmar walked through the doors to Jim’s room. Jim wasn’t in there, or even in the darklands for that matter. Gunmar found this a good opportunity to look at his sons belongings and figure out just ‘who he was now’. Gunmar remembers his little whelp running around, having fun and talking about ruling the gumm-gumms when he was older ‘just like daddy’. Those thoughts always gave a smile to the dark underlord, even if they were UN-realistic to how his son’s future would actually be. Jim would be a general, a ruler of his own territory, but not ruling over all gumm-gumms. That was Bular’s future position.

Gunmar occasionally poked and prodded Jim’s various things. Cloths, figures, his laptop, some nice smelling candles (Jim loved them, they helped relax him. No other gumm-gumm really understood why ‘pleasant’ scents were needed), Jim’s collection of various bones from various creatures, Jim’s armor and sword, something Gunmar was proud of when it was first forged and given to Jim as a gift for his REAL training to come into effect, the large number of books filling shelves, Jim’s college work, Jim’s assortment of magical things such as: talismans, materials, books, crystals, gravesand, effigies, and more.

Gunmar stopped and looked at the various photo’s Jim had on a shelf. It was pictures of his life at many points. School photo’s, pictures of Jim and his friends all smiling at the camera (a lot of which Jim had to crouch down to fit into the frame) Gunmar didn’t understand, all he saw was pathetic creatures, undeserving of a son of Gunmars time or anything other than being a meal. They made Jim happy, that was reason enough to let him have them. When Gunmar returns to the surface world and rules, His son may keep whoever he wants around, Gunmar promised that.

A sudden flash of green, Jim now stood in his room. Gunmar was behind him, unnoticed. Jim was humming to himself, he tossed a backpack onto his nest and walked over to a table, there, he plugged his phone in and grabbed his laptop (he had a small generator that allowed him to charge his things). Jim had opened it and sat cross legged in his nest, typing away. Gunmar had yet to move or say anything, he simply stood there and watched his son. Gunmar was simply ooking at him from head to toe, taking in the details. The smallest eye movements to the twitch of his ear. Jim looked so much like his mother…..it almost hurt a bit to have memories of her rise up in Gunmars head. Gunmar did wish Jim’s mother were here, to see their son. She would be so proud of Jim. Jim really did take after her in all aspects. size, weight, height, fur, eye, and skin color, the way his teeth were too. If you didn’t know any better, you wouldn’t have even thought that he was Gunmars son.

Jim moved the laptop a bit while typing, the little clicks and taps seemed to be the only sound in the room. Jim’s eyes narrowed to a point on the screen as it reflected a silhouette of someone behind him. Jim quickly pulled a knife from near his nest and hurled it at Gunmar, only to have it bounce off his arm and clang to the floor.  
“DAD! I, I’M SORRY! I didn’t know it was you! i-” Gunmar walked over until he was directly in front of Jim, towering over him.  
“hush. That was good of you. Although next time, aim for heart. You aimed for the dead center of my chest.”  
“yes dad...uh...what...are you doing in here? Not that it’s a problem! I just...wait how long have you been in here?”  
“long enough to watch you come. What are you doing with that object”

“my laptop? Oh I’m typing up a report. I have this paper due in a few days and I thought I should work on it a bit, take my mind off...things. The report is about how cultures of various trolls have impacted human society over the years. This part is mostly going to be about treaties and-” Jim talked a bit longer, Gunmar simply listened, occasionally just tuning out as he looked his son over once more.   
“-that’s about it for right now though.”  
“Jim. You are going to be by my side today.”  
“huh?”  
“today. You will be in my company until I say otherwise. We will be spending the day together, as one would say.”  
“Wait...like….time time? Like...father….son...time?” Jim’s eyes opened up and his heart beat faster.   
“yes. I believe it is far overdue for you to be next to me for a longer period of time. I believe now is the time. I will show you how to rule properly. when the day comes that we rule, when I give you your own little kingdom, I want to make sure you rule it properly, and not be sloppy. I want to understand you more, I feel like you are starting to feel more like a servant than a child. You will attend my company and...er….bond? Is that what you would call it?”  
“YES! I-I can’t believe I get to be with you! Like...no joke?”  
“i do not jest child.”  
“sorry I just...like now?”  
“yes. Now come”  
“okay dad!”

Gunmar started to leave Jim’s room as Jim practically sprang up with vigor and walked right behind him like a duckling would their mother.  
‘a day with dad! A day with dad! A day with dad!’ Jim’s mind repeated happily, if he had a tail, it would be waggling like crazy. He NEVER got to spend time with his father! He NEVER got to have ‘father son stuff’. Would they play catch?! no...of course not….what would they do though!? Would they do regular father son stuff like Jim’s always seen and read?! Would they-  
“focus.”  
“sorry dad...”  
“first. I want to see you fight.”  
“oh, want me to get Arr-”  
“no. I will be your opponent.”

…………………………………………

Jim was now in the throne room, trying to go as fast as he could to get his armor on. He was so giddy with excitement he shook a bit, making it harder to don the armor. He didn’t want to keep his dad waiting! This is the FIRST TIME he’s EVER got to show his father the fruit of his training! The only thing that came remotely close to it was fighting Bular. The only thing Jim even knew about his dads power, was simply from stories. He’s never once even see Gunmar actually fight. Jim hooked the last bits together and sprang up and over. He quickly stopped and grabbed his sword, almost forgetting his own weapon before a fight? Rookie mistake. Jim mentally kicked himself   
‘already looking like a failure in front of dad!’

“now then my son. You will fight me. And you will try to kill me. No holding back.”  
“y-y-yeah! I promise I’ll try to kill you!” they both knew dam well he couldn’t. Jim didn’t come close to being anywhere near Gunmar’s power level, still, Jim knew that if he could even scratch his dad, he would be proud!.

Jim held in his breath and focused, he took his regular stance, only to suddenly let his guard down as he saw his father summon his own blade.   
“whoa….” Jim went slack jawed, he had seen his fathers sword from images and from Jim’s own fabricated sword design, but never in person!. The legends and stories were true. It practically radiated might, Jim wanted to actually get hit by it, to just see it in action, to feel the pain!.  
“now. Fight me. I will not hold back. If your bones are broken, that is your own fault for not being strong enough. Now. Fight.” Jim surged forward as fast as his legs would allow him to, only to suddenly be smacked away by the blunt side of the blade. Jim felt his lungs empty of air as his father landed down next to him and buried the blade into the ground, inches away from where Jim was  
“get up! Will you have you life ended so suddenly?!”  
“n-no dad!” Jim flipped around and with a twist, swung his blade, trying to slice it across his fathers arm. Gunmar grabbed the blade and yanked it from his sons grip, then twisting his other arm around to jab forward at Jim’s side. Jim moved away just milliseconds from being cut. He could feel the energy radiating off of it. He wanted to squirm and flee, yet he was in awe of how strong something was. Jim snapped out of it as he was punched in the gut and knocked back. He gasped for air and tried to get up. His father planted a foot on his back and crushed him.

“allowing your enemy to easily disarm you, then you have the nerve to be distracted and let your guard down right after? I thought Blinkous had taught you better than that.” Gunmar let his weight off of Jim, only to kick him aside, causing Jim to fall on the flat of his stomach a few feet away.

Jim gasped as his lungs begged for air. He felt like his body was numb already.   
“get up.” Gunmar said in a deep annoyed voice. Jim tried to respond, only to be kicked again, right in the ribs.  
“GET UP” with what little air Jim had, he rolled over, right before Gunmar slammed his foot down, causing the ground to crack. Jim took a sudden deep breath and ran over on all fours, did a roll, grabbed his blade from the ground, then sprang up, all in one go.   
“I’m….I’m not do-” Jim didn’t get a chance to finish a thought as he was suddenly charged at by his father. 

Jim tried to duck and jump, however he was grabbed by his leg and pulled back and into the ground, hard. Jim felt like his leg was about to break by the simple grip Gunmar had.  
“if you weren’t my son, I would have already ended your life. Hmmm...clearly you have been slacking on your training. Or perhaps Blinkous has failed to keep you on track. Perhaps both….tell me son. What should I do to punish you? Perhaps breaking a few of your bones? It would seem a fitting punishment for you letting weakness soak itself into them.” Gunmar tightened his grip, just hairs away from snapping his son’s leg bone. Jim clenched his teeth and forgot the pain for a brief moment, he used his blade and tried to bury it into Gunmar’s arm. It didn’t work, but the effort allowed Jim’s leg to be let go of. Jim then tried to slash forward, an attempt to slice from under Gunmar’s forearm, past the armpit and towards his neck. Gunmar almost smiled, looking at his son’s efforts to stave off death. The sword just clanged off of Gunmar’s tough skin, the blade sparked from the rough contact. Jim ducked and rolled away, trying to get a good amount of distance. His leg screamed in pain, but he ignored it.

Gunmar chuckled, seeing the fighting spirit start to flare up in his son.   
“Good boy. I want you to use your abilities now. Do it, let your father see how much you’ve grown.” Gunmar turned and stood patiently, looking at Jim with a cruel tint in his eye. Jim swallowed, he had a hard time controlling his own abilities. He would ‘power up’, His body would glow like his fathers. It was exhausting and just trying to hold it for more than a minute felt like he was pulling a boat uphill on a sand dune. Jim grunted in pain, he concentrated. His powers usually only came out when under extreme stress or excitement. Now he had to force it out, AND hold it steady. He whined a bit as he felt the hot tense pressure build up within him, then spreading out evenly. His form glowed dull blue, he let go of a tightly held breath and looked at his dad.

Gunmar smiled, seeing his blood ‘come forth’ into Jim. When Jim ability first showed itself, everyone was shocked. Bular couldn’t do anything like this, yet Jim could, another advantage he had. Then through the years they trained it, see how long Jim could keep it, how often, how to let it grow. Even after all this training, he strained heavily. No one blamed him, it wasn’t something easy to command.  
“good my son. Good. How do you feel?”  
“..t-tense”  
“try to charge at me.”  
“o-okay.” Jim sucked in and held a breath, just trying to move felt like he was wearing layers of heavy cloth soaked with water, adding a lot of weight all over. Jim charged at Gunmar, ready to strike. His body had started to smooth out a bit, the intense pressure easing up, just a little. Jim jabbed his sword at his father, the strike caused it to slip away and Jim tumbled forward. He was caught by the very being he was attempting to attack.

“you’re efforts are growing. I could feel it. Even if it was simply a poke. Keep holding it. I want to see how long you can keep this up. Now, attack again.” Jim swallowed and just nodded, he had to focus. Bring out his anger. His hate. Use his own pain, let it fuel his fire. His mind drifted a bit to what had happened earlier that day….that anger, that resentment...it didn’t….feel right though. Not in this moment. It was like a different kind of feeling. One he couldn’t use properly. No, he had to force it. Jim roared out and swung rapidly. He wanted to let loose. He wanted to drink his fathers blood. His inner gumm-gumm finally started to rise up. Jim slashed wildly out at Gunmar, who moved away or reflected the blows coming at him. 

Gunmar didn’t stop his son, he wanted him to keep going, not wanting to slow his momentum. Jim was feeling blind now, tunnel visioned as he simply came at Gunmar with all he had. He swung so hard that he buried the sword into stone as the blade was reflected off of his father. Jim was gasping and trying to pull it out. His body suddenly gave out and he collapsed. His body tried to intake air as quickly as it could, Jim breathed so rapidly his lungs burned. Jim felt like he was going to pass out. He tried to keep his eyes open. One blink, he was on the ground, another blink, he was having his father look down on his more than exhausted form, a third blink, and he felt his body being gently lifted up.   
“you’re doing so good! This is the strongest I’ve seen you before.” Jim tried to speak but all he could do is mutter out weakly something unintelligible the last thing Jim heard was his fathers gentle voice.   
“rest. You need it.” Jim’s mind agreed and he suddenly passed out in his fathers hold.

………………………………………

Jim woke up outside of his armor and in a small medical room. He looked around, trying to sit up but winced at the pain coursing throughout him. He held his ribs and curled up, closing his eyes tightly. He whimpered and started to tear up.   
“relax. Breathe.” Jim opened his eyes to see Blinky standing over him, applying a salve on his chest.  
“what-where-”  
“you became unconscious from your strenuous efforts. I told your father you weren’t ready to last that long. Oh well, what’s done is done.”  
“where’s d-” Jim coughed and groaned. He felt like he had swallowed molten glass.   
“Your father is nearby. Do not fear, you’ve only been asleep for, oh, roughly 10 minutes give or take. You lasted a lot longer than usual. However you did push yourself to far. Next time, you will be better. I think that we should simply focus on holding onto it, having your body tightening its grip on your abilities.” Blinky hummed a tune, the tune Jim had grown up with over the years. The tune hummed to him when he was having a hard time going to sleep. Blinky finished with the salve, he then laid a cold wash cloth on Jim’s head. 

“there. That should ease the soreness. Now then, how are you feeling?”  
“like I was liquefied internally halfway.”  
“hmm, well we can’t have that happen. Well you should rest. Shall I acquire you a book?”  
“no...what...what about my d-day?” Jim groaned as even speaking was taking a heavy toll.  
“day? Well whatever you had planned today must wait. You are in no condition to be doing anything other than resting. Now, when you feel good enough to move, we shall transfer you into your nest. That would be better now wouldn’t it?” Jim nodded, agreeing with Blinky wordlessly. Jim suddenly felt the intense urge to just curl up in his nest and nap. Jim’s vision was becoming blurry from his body’s need to shut down and sleep. The last thing Jim saw was his father entering the room,  
“dad…..” Jim called out weakly before shutting his eyes. Soon after curling up and laying on his side, Jim fell asleep.

……………………………………….

Gunmar Picked up his now unconscious son. He chuckled, see how much effort he put into the fight. Jim looked relaxed in the grip. Gunmar gently hummed to him as he carried him out of the throne room. Gunmar spoke to a guard as he passed, saying to fetch Blinky and send him to the nearest medical cave. The guard nodded and ran off.

Gunmar gently took Jim’s armor off within the cave, looking at all the little intricate loops within the armor, everything holding the plates together, the leathers locked and stretched, the chain mail moving to fit the body. Gunmar tossed the armor to the side, humming while he did so. It was the same hum Jim heard his whole life. The one thing that always calmed him down when he was restless. One of the very first things he heard as a newborn. (I’m basing this off of the singing from the winter lanterns in bloodborne, dreaming from coraline, eerie things like that) Gunmar Finished taking the armor off, then gently placed his son onto a nearby bed, giving it extra padding first.

“you called my dark underlord?”  
“Blinkous. You know my son more than I do. I don’t like that.”  
“oh...uh...forgive me?”  
“no. I am not upset with you. I’m upset with myself. I have ignored my responsibility of being a more active father in my whelps life.”  
“you shouldn’t blame yourself, you’ve been ruling, planning, tending to things, making sure everyone is staying in line. None of that is something as easy as eating someone.”  
“Jim requires a father. More love, management. More than Bular ever needed. I need to be in Jim’s life more. From now on, I am going to be participating and keeping a closer eye on him. I wanted you to know that.”  
“Thank you my dark underlord. I will always remember that. Ah Jim, what has he gotten himself into now? I haven’t seen him this worn out since his abilities first bloomed.”

“i pushed him to far. I wanted to see him strong. I asked him to force his body to use energy that wasn’t there.”  
“i see”  
“he will be alright. He will not perish.”  
“no of course not, do not even have a single thought cross your mind!. Everything will be perfectly well. He just needs plenty of rest now.” Gunmar stared at Jim as Blinky went around the cave and fetched various medical things. He started to gently apply salve to Jim’s body.  
“He’s growing into a fine young man.” Gunmar just looked at the glowing patterns in Jim’s body that flickered to life every once in a while.   
“one day he will be strong enough to wield even your might my dark underlord.”

“i want him to come closer to it. Faster.”  
“well we can only push his body so quickly”  
“i have an idea to hasten the process. I believe it’s time for my whelp to grow his powers properly.”

. ……………………………………………..

It was the next day, Jim was now nervously by his fathers side in the throne room. Gunmar had just finished up some business and finally spoke to Jim  
“my son, I wanted to speak to you about your training yesterday”  
“i...I’m sorry dad….I’m too weak...i didn’t...i wasn’t strong enough….” Jim felt awful as if he truly failed his father for not being a true son of Gunmar.  
“no. you exceeded my expectations.”  
“wait...really?”  
“yes. Although I believe it’s time to help you. I can see your body is ready, strong enough to take it to the next step. At least, if only a tiny bit. I have a gift for you”   
“r-really?! What is it?!”  
“step forward in front of me.” Jim did as was instructed. He watched as his father picked up a chunk of glowing rock that was placed beside his throne.  
“this is a piece of the heartstone I currently own. The one I draw power from. A piece of my very throne. I have endowed it with my own capabilities. I want you to eat it”

“uh...that’s great and all but...i can’t eat a rock.” Gunmar sighed in annoyance.  
“i meant you will consume it, just as I consume it.”  
“oh….how do I do that?” Gunmar tossed the chunk to Jim.  
“focus on it. Pull the energies from it. Grow. Feed. Become stronger.” Jim nodded, looking at the chunk over and over. He closed his eyes and focused. At first he felt nothing. Then he felt a small tug, like he felt something ‘solid’ he started to pull on it. It felt heavy and slow, then he drew it in more and more. Then he felt this...hunger...within him, something he’s never noticed before. it started to feel satisfied. Jim felt like he was breathing for the first time, he felt himself grow. Soon the chunk stopped glowing and was completely drained, it was now just a regular rock

“how do you feel my son?” Jim took a deep breath. His body, his mind, everything had felt like it switched gears. It became more...solid. His thoughts changed, he started to think with a more cruel manner. Thoughts of protecting others started to be replaced with protecting himself only. His thoughts of his relationships with his friends, they were tools, toys to be played with and discarded as he saw fit. His attachment to Kanjigar started to….lessen……  
Same with Draal….  
Same with trollmarket….

“this power...it’s...AMAZING! You feel this all the time?!” Gunmar smiled at his son’s excitement. His little boy was growing into a new way. He had finally started to truly develop a true connection to his bloodline. Gunmar couldn’t have felt prouder.  
“yes. Soon, power like that will be as easy to use as your own sword.”  
“this feels amazing! I feel so strong! I feel like….like I want to hurt something, command something”  
“Good. You will grow that power and focus on it from now on. The next step in your life has just been taken.”  
“i...i love you dad...thanks”  
“i love you too”

THAT suddenly hit Jim harder than the rock did. Jim shivered a tiny bit. He felt so...happy. Satisfied even!.  
“now. One last piece of business for the time being. Your attachment to trollmarket has been….unsettling. You have yet to harm or at least cripple the pathetic creature that merlin has ‘blessed’.”  
“kanjigar?...oh...i-”  
“have yet to have a single thought as how to harm or debilitate him. I do not appreciate it.”  
“I've just...wanted to keep my cover...that’s all. If anything were to somehow happen-”  
“then you will take care of it. You are smart enough to know not to get caught. Or are you trying to hide something from me?”  
“NO! Not at all!”  
“I know you harbor feelings for them. Kill it. You will at least cripple the trollhunter for the time being. With the aid of Blinkous. I have created a little surprise. Use it on the trollhunter.” Gunmar produced a small scroll from his belt and tossed it to Jim, who opened it and began to read it.  
“lets see….pinch of gravesand…powdered heartstone....ground up pixie..a drop of...creeper sun poison?...won’t this...kill him?”  
“do I hear worry in your voice?”  
“yes...NO! I mean...if something happens to him, the amulet won’t function, which means I can’t find out about it by being so close to Kanjigar. True I do have a good relationship with his son Draal, but if HE DOESN’T become the next trollhunter then I won’t be able to get in good with the next one, or I highly doubt it, most of the trollmarket trolls don’t like me so it’s not like the next trollhunter will just let me ‘buddy buddy’ with them. I just...I’ve got it so good with him, I’ve already learned a lot about his weaknesses, the in’s and out’s of trollmarket, and the heartstone? I won’t be able to bring you anymore of it. it’s Kanjigar that gives me enough protection to do whatever I like”

“ENOUGH TALK. I do not wish to hear you speak good will of them.”  
“I’m sorry..dad...i only meant”  
“i KNOW what you meant. Now, only use a drop in the mixture. That will be enough to weaken him. Now go, do as I command. Or are you no longer loyal to me?”  
“NO NO I AM! It will be done dad. I promise”  
“words are useless. Actions prove it.” Gunmar looked at Jim who started to feel ashamed of himself. Gunmar sighed, he was being to hard on his son.

“you are correct in your actions. However, I grow impatient. Bular had failed to protect you while defending the doorway while also letting it fall into the enemies hands. I want to see you stronger so neither of you continue to fail me.” Jim perked up from hearing that, only to then have a small thought form in his head  
‘Bular took the blame for me….’ Jim felt a bit worried that Bular did that….why?  
“i won’t fail. I swear.”  
“good….i look forward to your accomplishment. I always notice them.” Jim smiled widely at hearing that. He really didn’t go unnoticed.  
“...thanks...uh...do you think...i could have...anymore of...this? I just...feel hungry all of a sudden...” Jim gestured to the chunk on the ground. Gunmar smiled. His little boy was starting to hunger like he was.  
“no. earn it.”  
“i will dad”

 

“now then. I still desire you to accompany me. We had little time yesterday. I promise from now on, I shall be involved in your life far more often. Now, why don’t we go an attend to business, together” Jim almost wanted to pass out from hearing these words.

 

The day went by wonderfully. Jim watched his dad kill a few people for disobeying him, the two walked around, talked, Gunmar would occasionally pet Jim, or even hug him. Everywhere they went, the gumm-gumms would bow. Jim felt so...powerful. Being around his father, truly witnessing his might, his will, it was inspiring. Jim wanted to be even more like him.   
“tell me more about these...fleshbags” Gunmar asked, he truly didn’t care, but he wanted Jim to share more about his life.  
“well, they’re my friends, I take a lot of pleasure in being around them….would they...be allowed to stay?”  
“when we bring forth the eternal night, when we take back the surface world. You may keep whatever toys you desire. I promise it.”  
“thanks dad! I really do like them, they make me happy...i mean if for some reason I do need to kill them, I won’t hesitate”  
“Good to hear.”  
“if….i wanted others...would….i be allowed to keep them?”  
“yes. Of course.”  
“what about certain individuals? Like….from trollmarket”  
“you may have whatever slaves you want.”  
“any? Sooo let’s say I want a few of them for entertainment-”  
“you may have whatever you wish to own. I do not feel like repeating myself again.”  
“i was sorta wanting to own a few of them...one of them is….the son of Kanjigar” Jim tensed up as he said that, he wasn’t sure how his father would react.

Gunmar stopped walking and looked at his son  
“why would you want him?”  
“well he is fun to be around, plus I always get to rub it in about you know, his dad….”  
“there wouldn’t be any other kind of reasoning is there?” Gunmar looked sternly at Jim.  
“no! I mean, well fighting, he’s strong, and I would love to torment him for the rest of his life”  
“hm.”  
“he would be fun to keep around and make my own personal hound, like Arrrg for you”  
“hm.”  
“i feel like he would be a valuable weapon for me, it would be fun to watch just how long the son of the ‘mighty’ trollhunter would last in an arena”  
“hm.”  
“….he’s pretty violent, and if I brought out his nature more, it would be exciting to see him work, alsooooo his fathers spirit can weep as he looks upon his gumm-gumm child. The very Kanjigar that trusted me, let me into his life, watches me corrupt his son and make him a loyal hound.”  
“then so it shall be. I will take his will and allow you to have your play thing.”

“thanks dad”  
“i hope you do not have any other motives. Especially now that you promised you don’t hide anything from me about him.”  
“i do not for a fact have any other motives”  
“good. I will not allow you to be soiled by a trollmarket worm. You are to be with a proper gumm-gumm. Do I make myself clear?”  
“yes father. I promise, gumm-gumms only for this halftroll! Haha….uh...yeah...” Gunmar just nods and looks more intensely at his son. The intense pressure from the glare made Jim swallow.   
“now...juuust to be clear. He would be off limits...even if we...turned him?”  
“yes. You are to breed with a full blooded gumm-gumm. You are to bear a child with one. No other.”  
“i promise, I will only get knocked up by the biggest, most evil gumm-gumm that can prove himself.” Gunmar nodded without blinking or taking his eye off of Jim.  
“i feel as if it is time for you to finally settle down. You have had enough time to sew your seeds. Now, it is time to be mated for good.”  
“like….marry?”  
“yes. You don’t desire to go against my wishes, do you?”  
“NO! Not at all! It was just sorta...sudden”  
“well, you have had your fun. Now it is time for your future to solidify. I promise, I will allow you to choose one out of what I pick for you. You will not be forced with one who you do not enjoy.”  
“when am I...well you know, gonna...get one?”  
“within the month.”  
“WHAT?! AGAIN, NOTHING AGAINST YOU! I just am surprised it’s so...sudden”  
“like I’ve already said. You have had your fun. I shall hold challenges, to prove who is most worthy. The few who survive my challenges will be given the opportunity for your choosing. I promise I will only gather the greatest this kingdom has to offer”

“i appreciate it, I promise, I’ll be the greatest little wife there will be”  
“good. Your mother would be proud, she would have wished to see you wed.” Gunmar closed his eyes and tried not to let his past love come into his mind.  
“so...how did mom prove herself? We hardly ever talk about her” Gunmar wasn’t sure how to feel about that question. It was true, he hardly spoke of Jim’s mother, a part of him didn’t want to bring her up, simply out of his own pain at the loss of his love. Another part of him felt guilty for not allowing his son to know of the greatness that was his mother.

“perhaps I should speak to you more about her. She was a very powerful warrior, one of the best. She won my favor after years of proving herself. She was cunning, resilient, powerful. She cut down anyone who stood in her way. She was one of the most ambitious I have witness in a very long while. She was her own army, in a way. I would send her to do something, and she would only ever bring the greatest victories. I would send her to do things I never thought anyone could accomplish, and she would finish the task quickly and effectively. Eventually she gained my favor and joined my inner circle. Then, one day we fought side by side. A couple years later, you were born. She had always wanted a son, to raise him, to see him grow, to teach him her own ways. I wanted to give her that. I never could.” Gunmar closed his eye again and remembered her face. Her looks. The way she would even look Gunmar in the eye and stand her ground. Normally Gunmar would have punished someone for daring to question him and his objectives. Her will though, outmatched all others. 

“I wish I could have met her”  
“I do too. Enough of the past. Let us move forward. Now then, tell me more about this...to bay. And his magical powers. Perhaps he could be your court wizard” Jim laughed at the image of Toby wearing wizard robes and trying to do magic tricks.

………………………………………………

Jim stood by his fathers throne, he was being pet and purring happily. The day went by so quickly, Jim didn’t want it to end. Jim didn’t pay much attention to what was happening. It was just some kind of report about the various positions the armies were stationed at, battle tactics and the like. Blinky occasionally spoke up to Gunmar about ideas and suggestions. Bular stood nearby, ignoring everything and sharpened his blades on his arms, secretly jealous about Jim and their father spending the day together. Arrrg was there, eating something he freshly killed and occasionally smiled and waved at Jim. Blinky would occasionally word a few ‘suggestive’ terms quietly in Arrrg’s ear. 

Jim loved his little family. He wouldn’t trade it for the world, actually in a funny sense, he WOULD GET the world because of them. One day, soon enough. Soon enough.

Later that night as Jim sat in his nest, he looked at a vial in his hand. He had crafted the formula to the letter. He was going to call it something, he wasn’t sure what just yet. He had tested it out on a few gumm-gumm soldiers. Watching them, studying their reactions to it. The concoction had caused very paranoid reactions. The subjects fear levels would rise to their absolute maximum. They would swing wildly and scream at whatever they thought they saw. They would babble mindlessly and swat away something only they could see that covered their bodies. Hallucinations, paranoia, intense mental and nerve pain. No permanent damage was shown, unless given large dosages. An okay amount when introduced into the blood stream would last a few hours. Jim planned on cutting Kanjigar was a blade coated with the stuff, or perhaps poison his food.

A tiny part of his mind tugged at that idea, saying it was bad. To not go through with it…...what about the trust? The faith? The love?

Jim swatted those ideas out, his new powers kept them away from ‘tainting’ his mind. 

He was more like his father now.

He wanted to be.

He didn’t want to feel ‘good’.

He would do what he wanted.

He would kill the world if he wanted.

He doesn’t feel remorse or guilt anymore, or at least pushed it far far down.

Tomorrow Jim would return to trollmarket and make things a bit...interesting.

Poison a few dozen trolls, watch them cause chaos. Use the distraction for whatever purpose he had at the moment. Then, strike Kanjigar. Or lure him into a trap…..


	12. BRAND ME into your MIND, and ALWAYS....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'singing voice' "there goes the sun. here comes the night. somebody turn on the light. somebody tell me that fate has been kind"
> 
> "you can't go out you are out of your mind!" 
> 
> (gold star if you know what I'm referencing xD)
> 
> (hint. song. it's a B-movie)
> 
> Don't worry Jim, first job's are always awkward. Don't swear in front of royalty. also your body is changing and that's natural! see, when you're a certain age and your abilities start to develop-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feeling sick recently, hope you all enjoy the chapter! i also hope you found THAT part funny (you will know the part I'm talking about when you read this) i tried to write it funny at least

Jim was following behind Walt closely, the two walked the hallways of the Janus order. Jim rubbed his face and groaned  
“uuuughhhhhHHHHHh whhhyyy me!?” Walt smirked, clicking his pen as he wrote things down on a clip board he carried.  
“because your brother was busy on a different assignment. Besides, your father assigned you to do it directly.”  
“but I don’t like Usurna!”  
“you’ve met her once when you were younger. Besides, between the two of us, I don’t have a high opinion of her either.”  
“don’t see why we can’t just send a changeling like every other time.”  
“because your father told you to start having more responsibilities. You need to learn how to keep contacts, as well as others underfoot so everyone will know YOU are in charge and will settle for nothing else.”

Earlier that day Jim was told by his father that he would meet the kubera queen to check on how things were going, if she was still loyal, and a general sense of:  
‘no signs of betrayal right? You don’t want to die and I want the soldiers’.  
First thing Jim needed to learn about how to rule was knowing how to keep your subjects in constant order, as well as fearful for their lives. Either absolute perfection and blind loyalty, or death. It would also be easier to contact her now with Jim having complete access to trollmarket. Usurna would arrive to trollmarket to visit with Vendel, although that was simply the cover for her meeting with Jim. 

“you know what, when I do rule, you’re the first person who’s going to be killed”  
“we both know that’s a lie”  
“i mean it! Besides, I always did like Nomura more than you”  
“ooh really? And here I thought that I was favored by you”  
“nope not anymore!”  
“even after letting you get those undeserved A’s”  
“well, you are a changeling, you ARE supposed to give me what I want”  
“yes, although your father told me that you were to earn your keep up here on the surface”  
“you are no fun”

Jim sighed and rubbed his horn anxiously  
“what if I mess up? This is my first real job for dad and I don’t know if I can do it right”  
“all you will be doing is asking the questions I have written down for you right here, and writing down the answers she gives” Walt stopped walking to turn to Jim and handed him a paper. Jim took the paper and raised an eyebrow as he looked it over  
“….a check list? Really Walt?”  
“i thought it would be easier if I made it understandable.”  
“what if I don’t do it good enough! What if I write something badly and get someone killed”  
“do you REALLY have a twinge of remorse when having someone killed?”  
“well...no...but you get what I mean!” Walt put a hand on Jim’s shoulder and gave a comforting smile  
“you will do fine. It couldn’t be easier. It won’t take but a few simple minutes with her”  
“ugh.”  
“why do you care so little for her anyways?”  
“why do YOU”

“touche, I have my own personal reasons. You have your own”  
“I’m hungry, can I eat someone already?”  
“no. not until I finish helping you prep”  
“fiiine, I guess I’ll just eat a couple changelings. I heard they have a somewhat imitation flavor from humans”  
“where on earth did you hear that? I highly doubt we taste like that anyways”  
“i heard from some gumm-gumms”  
“we aren’t for eating, remind that to them next time. You know as well as I do that we need all the numbers we can get”  
“that’s what I told them, before eating one, the other I let go to pass around the information”  
“You truly are a saint to us changelings”  
“hey, someone has to, besides, I like you guys, you’re cool!”  
“suddenly I’m back in your favor?”  
“everyone BUT you”  
“well don’t I feel appreciated”

“I’m going to go scare someone, maybe that will calm me down”  
“no you won’t. We don’t need you going around giving everyone a heart attack, especially the new recruits”  
“but those are the best! They totally panic and run! Those faces are amazing! The ones who already know me are so boring now!”  
“that’s because we already expect you to jump out at us”  
“i miss the good old days when I would simply look at someone and they would cower for their lives”  
“you mean when you were a child? Besides you going around purring from being pet and making jokes with everyone tends to have others get used to you”  
“oh! I got the perfect idea! I could be your mascot!” Walt was surprised. He didn’t expect to hear that from Jim  
“why exactly would you want to be in that position?”  
“for fun! Besides everyone loves me!”  
“you are too humorous for your own good, another reason why everyone sees you without much fear anymore”  
“maybe eating a few of you will make me seem more serious”  
“i thought you once said that you wanted to be and I quote: “a down to earth kind of boss who focuses on positive feedback and high fives” end quote”

“well now I’m going to start eating all of you. Then you’d take me more seriously”  
“so, you want a ‘down to earth boss who kills and eats everyone and gives positive feedback while also being serious AND the mascot’”  
“look man, I’m just trying to make myself cool”  
“i think you need to focus on a single thing and work your way from there. Come on, let’s finish your preparations. Now, the last message we received from her-”

……………………………………………………………..

Jim was now underneath the bridge. He was taking deep breaths to relax his nerves. He fished out his paper that had everything he needed to be asked written on it from his backpack. He did a quick look over one last time. All the questions were simple enough. They were mostly about how many new soldiers they expected to receive, along with asking if there were any news they didn’t know about and should be informed. Since only Kuberas could survive in their kingdom, no one else could go down there and check. At this point it was just taking Usurna’s word for everything. Something Gunmar did NOT like, but he had to deal with it. She always seemed loyal and kept her word, but still. He didn’t like what he couldn’t destroy in person. Jim was putting the paper away when his hand moved a small bag, the contents were what he called ‘nightmare fuel’. Nothing clever or original, but that’s all he could think about. He only needed to deliver enough of it into the systems of a few trolls here and there as well as kanjigar, to have it be effective. 

When Jim was making it, he had that small annoying voice inside of his head telling him not to do this. He tried his best to ignore it….but….He did something he really shouldn’t have. He put his own blood in the mixture. It was only a few drops, yet it was still enough to lessen the effects of the poison. He chose his own blood because it was strong enough to withstand mind altering effects due to gunmar’s abilities passed onto him. Having the tiny amount of blood in the affected systems would prevent the worse from happening. The few drops were light enough to have their scent masked by the vile cocktail, so if anyone asked, he could just say it didn’t turn out how it was supposed to. 

Jim headed into trollmarket now after stepping through his portal. He already had planned on where he would poison others in a mass amount. It wouldn’t be as concentrated, but it would do the job. First, he would sneak into the glug pub, put a few drops into the main mixer, and then leave before anyone noticed. He would apply the poison droplets at other places that had the most traffic, such as some cat stands and sock vendors. Consumption would be the fastest way to the masses.

………………………………………………………….

Jim was now going into the heartstone after doing phase 1 of his day. Phase 2 was now beginning……

Jim’s thoughts started to come to a halt when he walked through the heartstone’s interior. He suddenly had a hunger for it. Before, he just saw it as a relaxing rock. Now….it was like he NEEDED it. Jim had never felt this way before, his body seemed to feel cold and needy, an emptiness that needed to be filled...the heartstone….it was the only void filler….was this how his father felt whenever he was around it?!. Jim reached out a hand slowly, about to touch the walls surface

“-Jim” the voice suddenly pierced Jim’s thoughts, he jumped and looked to his left at a grumpy looking Vendel. Jim quickly retracted his hand and held it as if he was trying to hide a knife he had.  
“why are you in here?”  
“i uh..wanted..to...visit you...yeah! I wanted to learn more about trollmarket and...stuff”  
“and stuff? Well. That ‘stuff’ will have to wait. You might be new here, but you must have SOME understanding about politics. Humans have such intense versions of it, you must have known.”  
“..I’m lost”  
“yes. You clearly are. Why are you holding your hand that way?” Jim moved his eyes to see his palm faintly starting to light up in reaction to the nearby heartstone  
“..uuuhhh….cause...it...uh….” Jim smiled and shoved it into a pocket.  
“no reason”  
“you are a strange one. Now will do you as I say?”  
“...what?” Vendel pinched the bridge of his nose  
“were you not paying attention?”  
“nope! I mean...no? Yes? Wait what are we talking about” Jim did his best to focus, but he felt like his body was being to the heartstone’s warm surface like metal to a magnet. He had to touch it. He had to eat it!.

“please. Just leave. I have a very important guest I need to-”  
“need to what?” a voice came from behind the two of them, Vendel turned around and donned a fake smile on. He started to speak however Jim couldn’t focus on listening to the conversation the two leaders began. He just stared at the heartstone, his body and mind needing to focus solely on that. He could feel the emptiness start to go directly into his palm. It started to glow blue bright enough to where it could be seen in his pocket. Jim mentally swore and then tried to calm himself. Quickly while no one was watching he took his hand out of his pocket then ripped off a part of his shirt and tied it around his palm. Thankfully it dulled the glow. He hated this. It was like having an awkward boner he was trying to hide.

“-Jim. Focus.”  
“huh?” Jim sucked in a quick breath, fear creeping into him about them seeing the glow in his hand.  
“i uh...huh?”  
“forgive him Usurna. He isn’t very here right now. He typically is a free spirit who doesn't focus on things for very long. Children right?” Jim hadn’t noticed before, but Usurna was looking at him intensely, checking him over as if making sure he truly was the ‘son of the great and nightmare creating world breaking bane to all life Gunmar’. Jim swallowed nervously, his eyes darted quickly to his palm and back to her  
“uh hi I’m Jim I’m supposed to meet you-I MEAN, like, cause I’m right here! In front of you! In the heart...stone….”  
“is your palm injured?”  
“yes...NO no! It’s fine”  
“well, it’s nice to meet you, I haven’t seen a half troll in quite some time. I am Usurna, queen of the kubera tribe.”  
“same here. I mean that it’s nice to meet you! Not that I’m a queen or anything”  
“you seem to be a bit jumpy, is everything alright? There isn’t any problems or complications of any sort is there?”  
“yes NO yes, I uh….so anyways about this weather right?”

Jim was mentally panicking! The glow started to go up his arm through his veins. He was tearing a T shirt! He already ripped a bit of it just to cover his palm!. He couldn’t focus on trying to hide himself, calm himself down, AND FOCUS ON A CONVERSATION, which, of course IS A SUPER IMPORTANT ONE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HAVING…….And of course his anxiety started to kick in because of the massive fear of failing his father. Life was so much simpler just a few days ago...  
Jim awkwardly just put his hands behind his back and walk backwards ‘inconspicuously’.  
“weather? Are you sure your alright?” Jim backed into a shelf, knocking some things over, a couple breaking on the floor. He wanted to die  
“f-fine! Everything’s fine! Why wouldn’t it be?! Nothing important is happening here! I mean, not nothing but like nothing right now, not that this probably isn’t important I mean!” Jim stumbled over a rock and fell on his back  
“FUCK” he cried out. WHY WAS HE BEING SUCH A MESS?! Usurna was clearing trying to stifle a laugh, meanwhile Vendel looked like he wanted to throw Jim out of trollmarket for good. Vendel just rubbed his face.  
“why don’t you go see Kanjigar and Draal”  
“i toootally would but I need to tal-visit you! And meet this-FUCK” Jim tried to get up only to bump his shin on a table really hard. 

“do you need help getting up?” Usurna tried to say without laughing  
“no I’m fine! I just-” a large troll ran into the room  
“Vendel! We need you! Somethings happening to a great many trolls! everyone’s acting crazy! They keep screaming about various things, running into each other and fighting”  
“are you sure it just isn’t all you can drink glug?”  
“no! I think, please come! Kanjigar is trying his best but-oh, forgive me for the interruption” the troll noticed Usurna clearing her expression back to it’s regal form. Meanwhile Jim was rubbing his shin while trying to hide his arm and stand up. Usurna cleared her throat  
“perhaps you should go, your trollmarket needs you.”  
“i cannot simply abandon our conversation we were having earlier”  
“it can wait, I’d rather that than having trolls go into some heated frenzy”

Vendel shot an angry glare to Jim  
“regain your composure.” Jim was about to give a thumbs up until he swatted his own hand away. Vendel just rolled his eyes and left. Usurna turned to the mess that was Jim.  
“so. You are Jim, I’ve heard very little about you actually. I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage”  
“huh? Like sports?”  
“i wouldn’t put it like that”  
“okay, he’s gone, we can cut the crap. Look, I have-” Jim noticed the glow spreading to his chest, up his neck and face  
“-A LOT TO DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW. le-let’s hurry up and get this over with” Jim tried to cover himself up, only to end up getting his horns stuck into his shirt, causing it to rip and tear a bit.  
“are you sure you are not ill?”  
“I’m fine! I can toootally control myself I SAID CONTROL MYSELF- I wasn’t yelling at you I was only...I have a paper!” Jim grabbed his backpack from off the floor that fell when Jim tripped.  
“yes...paper”  
“okay, uh so clearly this is my first time, so yeah Gunmar’s my dad and stuff and he had sex with my mom, I mean clearly cause I’m here, everyone needs to have sex for every-that’s not the point, okay just some questions about everything, not like everything like the sky and clouds but everything having to do with us and all that jazz.”  
“if you don’t mind me asking but what is your body doing?”  
“I DON’T KNOW!” Jim panic shouted.  
“should...i fetch someone?” the glow was now spreading southward  
“NOOONONONON this is a dad thing, not the type of thing anyone else is supposed to know about! I ate this weird rock thing yesterday and now I’m glowing-oh god what if my dick glows I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT THAT!” 

Usurna looked at him not knowing what to think or say. Jim cleared his throat  
“okay so...uh sorry about the dick...okay so, let’s start over. I’m Jim” Jim smiled then groaned as his full body glowed now. It was the exact same design as Gunmar’s was. If anyone else saw him at this very moment….  
“so yeah I need to interview you or something...uh...ooookay this is going terrible. I bet Bular could have done this better….yeah he’s my brother, obviously if Gunmar is my father….i uh….” Jim dug out the paper and looked at it  
“first question ask about the….elite centuries...the fuck is tha-UH so I’m going to ask about the elite...thingies.”  
“yes….well they should be arriving within the next week, they shall meet at the disclosed location bearing the mark previously discussed with my last contact”  
“…..” Jim just stared at her, then looked at his paper over and over, trying to see if there was ANY information to help ‘translate’ all that. No hints, no clues, no cheat sheets. Just questions and little boxes to take notes in.  
“yes I totally know what you just said….so next question is….okay, what, no wait, WHERE are the...something turquoise?”  
“are….you referring to the stones we mined?”  
“….let’s say a hard maybe”  
“i can assure you that if it is what you’re asking, the stones are to be delivered tonight”  
“…..okay uh...um...third question is...uh...wha-uh...” Jim tried to read it, however the writing was smudged.  
“you know what. let’s pretend none of this happened. I mean, none of this, not none of that. Wait that doesn’t make any sense. Okay so I mean-” Jim suddenly stopped as the two of them heard Vendel entering the room.

“forgive me for departing so hastily. I honestly have no idea what is wrong with them...i think they just drank some bad glug and ate some rather...questionable cats...”

Well. Jim was dead. Maybe he really should just let himself die, better than letting his dad find out just how terrible he did on the easiest thing he could do

“Vendel, perhaps we could go for a walk, I feel like it would be nice to see something a bit more open spaced, I’ve had enough closed in walls for the time being. It was good to meet you Jim, I can assure you that everything is alright and nothing will go wrong. The child was telling me about his life while you were away, now then, why don’t we see the trollhunter, I’ve been meaning to speak to him” Usurna managed to lead Vendel out of the room before he could truly even come in.  
‘huh...’ was the only thing Jim thought as he was totally alone now. His body’s glow started to fade away.  
“oh great NOW you decide to go down…..huh my penis does light up...does dads? Ew no never mind.”

……………………………………………………..

Jim had left trollmarket for phase 3. well, 2.5. he had to make a quick stop…..

Before he left however, he did go to his trollmarket home. Both Draal and Kanjigar were gone, trying to help calm the storm in trollmarket. Jim took out a small note he had quickly written. It was a small piece of paper. It was written in trollish with Jim’s blood, fresh, to give it the extra kick of fear.

‘Jim is gone. Tonight. Meet at the Bridge. If you want to see him again. Enjoy the gift we gave trollmarket. Prepare for a fight. Only three of us will walk away alive by morning.’

Jim had formed a fun plan. His attachments really were weakening him. He needed to purge it from his system. Tonight, it would happen. The perfect lure for Kanjigar and Draal. Jim had decided to just get it over with, his life would go back to normal the moment Kanjigar died, and possibly Draal if they couldn’t subdue him. Jim would kill along side his brother. Now it was simply a matter of waiting.

……………………………………………….

Jim was in a fresh shirt, he was inside of Claire’s home. A small surprise visit. He told her he just wanted to drop by real fast to give some college project materials to her that she asked for. It was his cover for what he actually wanted to do….

“thanks! This will be a big help”  
Claire’s baby brother was sitting next to the two of them in the living room. A crash happened at the other side of the house. Claire got up to check on the noise, Jim had secretly made it when she wasn’t looking with a quick hurl of a rock, he did love his fast reflexes. 

Jim turned to the sweet innocent baby boy who quickly changed  
“hey loser”  
“well well! son of Gunmar coming into me little home, to what do I owe this honor?”  
“shit’s going down tonight, just wanted to let you know. Strickler was too busy to contact and Nomura was somewhere else. So that left you since what’s her face got killed in that car accident.”  
“Well don’t I feel appreciated. Coming over just for little old me”  
“more importantly Claire, but you’re alright”  
“alright? Brings a tear to me eye that a son of Gunmar would compliment me so!”  
“i promise first thing you get to do when I take over this place, throw my success party”  
“GASP! Me?! Throw one of the biggest shindigs?! What did I deserve for this honor?!”  
“you don’t have a stick up your ass and you know how to have fun. Anyways, I’m about to go-” Claire was coming back into the room  
“sorry, about that, a rock broke the back window!”  
“huh, how’d that happen?”  
“how am I supposed to know trollboy? You weren’t too bored sitting with my baby brother right?”  
“nah, he’s chill. Oh guess what, he’s going to throw me my own party”

“really? Wish he would throw me one. I could use a break”  
“you deserve one, sorry I gotta go, I just wanted to stop by real fast”  
“no problem, thanks for coming over”

……………………………………………………………

Kanjigar was in the void, seeking council. He had just finished calming whatever madness that passed over trollmarket. So many trolls were screaming about terrible fears coming to life, aggressively attacking one another, and trying to hide and flee. Whatever it was that had happened, passed within a half hour. Kanjigar felt relived when everything went back to normal and the cleaning process started. He would invest more time looking into it later, right now he needed help looking for answers…

Kanjigar had already talked about his worries over Jim and this sibling of Bular and how they possibly connected to one another, to the past trollhunters. They all gave their own input, none of them ever had to face up against whatever creature he spoke of, so they had little guidance to share. The gumm-gumm prince was taller and had a bit more bulk than Jim did, the voice was disguised and no strong sent could be made out while fighting, so he couldn’t glean any clues that way. He knew Jim was a terrible fighter as well, this gumm-gumm prince was very well trained. Kanjigar asked about what they thought of Jim. Kanjigar had made a promise to Jim about ‘keeping his life secret’ so he didn’t allow the past trollhunters to watch their interactions. Kanjigar could only describe him, and every interaction along with piece of information he had.

The trollhunters of the past thought on this. They didn’t have any true idea. Jim was an enigma. Kanjigar refused to let the past trollhunters view Jim, Kanjigar was a troll of his word. Even if it would be the death of him. Kanjigar finished and returned to the world. His son had been waiting for him to return.  
“father, I have aided the others like you requested. Everything is settled down now. I also spoke to Vendel. He said he hadn’t any idea on what could have possibly caused it. His only thoughts were of the glug being a poorly made”  
“no. that could not possibly be it. Nothing could have caused such madness. Come, let us return home, I feel like I need a respite.” Draal nodded and followed his father back to their home.

As Kanjigar stepped within it, a strong scent was caught. Blood. His vision honed in on a small note settled perfectly dead center in the living room. He took it and read it. He felt as if his heart stopped.

“Jim.”

 

……………………………………………..

Kanjigar walked around trollmarket. His mind was in a nervous state. It was a grueling wait, the seconds ticked by so slowly. Kanjigar was growing impatient. He would show up under the bridge that night, however the sun was still up and light was too strong. He could only pace back and forth. He mentally went over every possible scene, every possible variant of what could and couldn’t happen. Kanjigar’s mind came to a halt as he heard Vendel’s voice. He was with Usura.  
“there you are trollhunter.”  
“yes. Here I am”  
“why do you look so stressed?”  
“It’s about Jim”  
“did he act strangely to you too? I swear I doubt I will ever-” Kanjigar’s mind snapped into full focus  
“what do you mean strangely?! How was he acting?!”  
“interrupting is rude. He was just being strange and distraught today. His mind was even more scattered than usual”  
“Vendel, I must know every exact detail”  
“why would that matter? I hardly saw the boy anyways. Usurna spent more time with him than I did, if ever brief.”

Kanjigar turned to the kubera queen and pleaded for the answers, every detail would help  
“i do not know him, I can’t exactly tell what was strange about him since I have no prior experience. He just seemed aloof, distracted, I’m sure it was nothing”  
“that’s all?”  
“i wouldn’t hold any information back if your acusing me of those”  
“no! No I am not, something...important has come to my attention involving Jim. I just needed to know everything I could”  
“other than being a bit fidgety, that was all. He is an interesting little halftroll”  
“yes.” Vendel tugged on his beard in annoyance  
“what importance could Jim had gotten himself into? I have enough to deal with already.”  
“i must speak to you in...private about that matter. The sooner the better”  
“very well. Forgive me Usurna for the constant interruptions. This visit hasn’t gone as well as I had planned”

“this happens at times. Nothing stays peaceful for long”

………………………………………….

Kanjigar, Draal and Vendel now stood within the heartstone trading information. No one else had seen Jim other than the single interaction he had within the walls that day.  
“how could any gumm-gumm possibly gotten into trollmarket?! We must keep this between us. None can know! We already had enough panic today because of them. By Deya’s grace, how could they have even tampered with anything right in front of everyone!. To think, stealing Jim just to create a trap, effective if not ruthless.” Kanjigar felt like he had failed. He could have prevented all of this. He didn’t. How could he have just let it happen!? To have someone just create such terrible madness and then have the audacity to troll nap Jim!.  
“this is all my fault.”  
“no one can be everywhere at once. You couldn’t have prevented this anymore than I could have.” Draal growled, he hated that he wasn’t there to protect the creature he started to grow affections for.  
“i will come with you tonight father”  
“no.”  
“i will, do not think of-”  
“this is too dangerous.”  
“i love him as well. He is growing close to my heart and I refuse to allow you to go into battle with no backup! Besides, the message even mentioned me, not directly but that only 3 would walk away alive.”  
“this is all my fault. If I hadn’t just left Jim well alone. He wouldn’t have his life be threatened like this.”

 

“you did the right thing protecting him.”  
“no other trollhunter has ever have this happen.”  
“not everyone has the same fate befall them”  
“i should have been more aware of his behavior.” Vendel just grunted and sighed  
“enough of this pity party. If this is to happen you must prepare. This isn’t just about Jim, this has to do with all of trollmarket’s safety as well!….i know how much he means to you, I know this isn’t something easy, but he isn’t the only one that matters.”  
“I’m sorry Vendel. You are correct.”  
“i care about the boy, he’s starting to grow on me. You will get him back tonight. I believe in you and Draal. After you save the boy, we will deal with the security issue. I will look into this while you prepare for tonight.” Kanjigar nodded sadly. Whoever did this, will pay heavily.

 

……………………………………………….

Jim was sitting on the ground in his armor. He was polishing his blade and humming a song to himself. He along with Bular now waited under the bridge for their prey to come out. Bular was grinding his Blades against his arm  
“what melody are you humming?”  
“papa skull”  
“who’s fathers skull?”  
“no, it’s a band name”

the doorway oppened at the opposite side of the bridge, night had fallen and the two tolls stepped out trollmarket and into the surface world. Jim said in a smart ass tone  
“oh good, you’ve come” Kanjigar replied in an angry stern tone  
“where is Jim.”  
“close by. Although you won’t ever need to see him again I can assure you that. He personally told me you failed him, he doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore. From here on out, he won’t have any connections to you or your son. Not like either of you will be alive after this, or at least you won’t be trollhunter. Draal, I promise, if you come over here and become our willing servant, I can let you see Jim, we promise we won’t even kill him!. You don’t have to fight your father. Just wait patiently until my brother sinks his blades into-”  
“SHUT YOU MOUTH. You lie. Jim would never say a word of that. Where is Jim. Show him to me.”  
“nah”  
“SHOW HIM TO ME”  
“don’t feel like it. I know you won’t believe me when I say this, but he wants to be with his father from now on. you’ve made him soft. He needs to harden and face the fate set out for him”

“if you dare-”  
“we don’t plan on hurting him. Just make him a true gumm-gumm, tonight, it will be accomplished”  
“you will never enslave him”  
“he wants this”  
“lies”  
“fine. Well let’s start this up. Did you like our little gift? Dear daddy Gunmar himself created it. I thought I would give you a taste of what’s to come”  
“How did you get past our wards?”  
“it was easy enough. Everything has a weakness. Exploit it, and you get what you want. It was surprisingly easy to find out what it was. don’t worry, you won’t have to worry about knowing what it was. I would really love to kill you, but my brother here made me promise he would do it. Although, if it does give you consolation, I do plan on keeping your skull for myself. I make sure to take very good care of my trophies. My only real worry is that dad won’t let me keep it. So, Draal, you want to come to our side? Keep Jim safe yourself?”

“i will never abandon my father.”  
“shame. I could see you be strong enough to fight in our arena for a while. You would have made me a very good hound. I wanted to see if you could even fight Arrrg.”  
“the loyal hound?”  
“i would rather you call him my mentor but no matter. Ohh I like that surprised look!. My fathers adviser and Arrrg both trained me. Nice right?” Kanjigar summoned his sword  
“ohhh shiny! I promise, after today-” Kanjigar charged at the gumm-gumm brothers along with Draal.

……………………………………………………..

Kanjigar sliced with such might that it left a tiny vacuum in the air in front of Jim’s face. Jim fell to the ground and swept his legs under Kanjigars, using the locomotion to his advantage, knocking Kanjigar down onto the ground for a brief second. Bular ran past Jim  
“move! He’s mine!”  
“okay fine you big baby” Jim had to roll out of the way as Draal charge at him and smashed his ax into the ground hard enough to get it lodged into it. Draal had to yank it out, in the meantime Jim had ran up and swung at Draal, only to have his arm smack Jim backwards. Jim landed onto his back with a thud, he felt dazed from the blow directly into his head. He shook it off and jumped up then dodged as Draal had rolled at him. Draal unrolled then roared at Jim and swung rapidly, going into a full berserk frenzy. Jim just laughed and quickly moved out of the attacks range. Jim tricked Draal into getting his ax stuck into the ground once move. Jim sliced up his arm cutting it deep. Draal cried out in pain and was distracted long enough for Jim to ran Draal backwards hard enough to knock him down. 

 

“let’s see how well you do without your weapon” Jim said as he cut it apart with his sword  
“I NEED NO WEAPON! I AM ONE!”  
“cheesy.” Draal rolled at him again. Jim lept to the side at the last possible second and then cut down, causing another deep cut across the other arm. Draal crashed into the concrete slope.  
“you suuuure you don’t want to join me? I promise it will be suuuper fuuun!”  
“I WILL NEVER! I WOULD RATHER DIE!”  
“what about seeing Jim again?” Before Draal could answer he quickly rolled away. Jim first thought he was running away, something he didn’t think would happen. Only to turn around and realize Bular was thrown at him. The large gumm-gumm landed onto his brother hard. Jim’s leg felt alot of pain, he was afraid it might have been broken. Jim tried to push Bular off of him, only to get elbowed in the ribs  
“get...off…..” Bular stood up and grabbed his brother upwards, helping him onto his feet. Jim winched and gasped as his leg, although thankfully NOT broken, was in an immense amount of pain.  
“Shake it off”  
“oh gee, you think Bular?” Jim gasped and dove to the ground as the sword of daylight was hurled at him. Juuust barely missing inches hairs away from his own neck. Before Jim knew it Kanjigar had planted a foot on Jim’s chest, very very hard. Jim looked to Bular for help, only to see him guarding himself from Draal’s ball roll.

Kanjigar dug the tip of his blade into Jim’s neck.  
“alright. Go ahead trollhunter. Kill me.”  
“take your helmet off.” that surprised Jim  
“uh..what?”  
“take it off. Before I kill you I want to see your face”  
“uh...nooo need for that”  
“do it and I might spare your life.”  
“might doesn’t exist except for might.”  
“stop speaking and take your helmet off. That is an order.”  
“ohhh suddenly I’m being ordered around?”  
“DO IT OR I WILL RIP IT OFF” a small chance of opportunity rose.  
“….okay….i will” Jim slowly moved his arms near his head. He unsheathed a small knife from his arm. He quickly hurled it at Kanjigar. It only cut his chin a tiny bit. But that was all that was needed.

Kanjigar’s eye’s went wide.

………………………………………………

The world spun around the trollhunter. It looked at if everything was between the void and life. The thin veil moving and weaving patterns into the air. Kanjigar took a few steps back as his mind was suddenly assaulted by loud voices and screams. He would hear cries of pain and anguish from behind him, he would turn around to see no one. The side of his eye caught someone burning alive and charging at him, he quickly looked only nothing. Then a large shadowy figure rushed at him from the side. Kanjigar swung at the creature, only to have it dissipate. 

“what’s wrong trollhunter?.” Kanjigar’s head seemed to strain to just focus on the words that echoed around him. A small voice surrounded him all over.  
“what is this madness?!”  
“my little gift for you~. I put a lot of effort into it”

Suddenly the entire location seemed to shape itself into the streets of trollmarket. A dark dead one. Stone corpses littered the streets. No sounds or light or any signs of life was within it. Kanjigar felt like he was being bitten all over, he itched and scratched and swatted off whatever wasn’t actually on him. Suddenly he thought he saw Jim and his son running past him. Kanjigar’s head couldn’t focus on a single thing. Everything was getting worse and worse. Suddenly the faces and voices from his past started to form around him. He thought he saw old friends try to go over and greet him. Kanjigar yelled at them to get away, it was too dangerous. Then the scene changed and Kanjigar was in a field. The ground morphing into screaming and crying faces of children. Voices around him started to clear up enough to be understood.  
“you can’t save everyone.”  
“you struggle for no reason”  
“you always were the weakest”  
“everyone feels sorry for you.”  
“you won’t be forgiven”  
“how could you let everyone become endangered?”  
“you will be forgotten and abandoned”  
“no one will want you”  
“failure as a trollhunter”

Kanjigar swore out in trollish then spoke  
“LIES. This isn’t real!” his vision suddenly came back to the fight, except it was cold, so so cold, everything seemed to be made out of liquids. He watched as gumm-gumms surrounded him, hundreds. He swung his blade around trying to kill them all. They would just keep coming back. The gibbering voices started back up again, only a few being made out this time.

“the trollhunter is supposed to be afraid right? Well be afraid.  
“if you live a life planned for you, something you never get to choose. would you truly want to live through it?"  
“a hero is a slave. they MUST do what they're told. a Villain doesn't, you're tied down at the will of the amulet, I'm not. i have my freedom to choose for myself. you don't."  
“How long would you live a life, playing out a role forced upon you?” Kanjigar’s vision blurred and he watched as Gunmar came into trollmarket, his army behind him. Kanjigar shook his head hard and held it, he knew this wasn’t real! It couldn’t be.  
“THIS IS DARK MAGICS. NONE OF THIS IS REAL”  
“are you sure?. you’re just having a bad dream. You never were the trollhunter. You never had a child. you’re still all alone.”  
“my will is stronger than this!” Kanjigar felt a small a hand on his arm. It was his son’s  
“father. What are you doing?”  
“the gumm-gumms! Why aren’t you fighting!?”  
“what gumm-gumms?”  
“the...the ones...where did they go!?”  
“close your eyes father.”  
“no...you aren’t real!”

 

…………………………………………………………..

Draal rammed Bular back, he then grabbed him and threw him forward, slamming him on his stomach. Then he punched Bular in the head. Draal looked towards his father who had just been cut by a small knife. Suddenly Kanjigar was moving backwards and shouting something intelligible. He suddenly started to swing his blade everywhere, spinning around and yelling at things that weren’t there. Draal looked at the gumm-gumm brother. The smaller brother was rubbing his chest and leg, trying to stand back up but was having a hard time doing so. The smaller gumm-gumm started to taunt Kanjigar. Draal rushed over to his fathers side and tried to snap him out of it.  
“father! Father! Regain yourself!” the smaller gumm-gumm was having a hard time laughing through his chest pain  
“he’s gone Draal.”  
“father awaken from this curse!”

“hes gon-”  
“YOU. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!” Draal roared and slammed his fist down to where the smaller gumm-gumm was.  
“FIX HIM NOW”  
“n-no...”  
“i will kill you!”  
“r-remember me then Draal.”  
“TELL ME HOW TO FIX IT!”  
“w-why should I?” Draal now had his palm on Jim’s chest and pushed him into the ground painfully  
“You fix him now or I end you!”  
“no! I don’t want to! He needs this as much as I do!”  
“What?!”  
“NOTHING!”

 

Bular woke back up, he spat out blood and looked around, he noticed his brother pinned to the ground and the trollhunter acting...strangely. His head was pounding but he knew he had to keep fighting. He wobbled up and grabbed his blades. He ran towards Draal and sliced at his back. Draal jumped back before he could have the blow connect. The sword cut into Jim’s stomach. Jim cried out in pain. Bular quickly and carefully removed the blade and tried to check his brothers wounds. Draal had bumped into his father causing them both to topple over. Kanjigar’s mind started to focus once more. He surveyed the area and realized none if that had been real. Kanjigar smelled the strong scent of blood….the same scent on the note….he got up along with his son. The two watched Bular pull something small out of a pocket in his kilt. Draal quickly charged at him and knocked him over. Bular had dropped the amulet and it fell to the floor. Jim weakly pulled out his own from his armor and was turning it on.

Kanjigar stood in Front of Jim, knocking the amulet out of his hands. He simply looked down at the weakened and whimpering creature bleeding out. Kanjigar picked up the two amulets and looked at them. Tiny fetch like objects.  
“what are these?” Jim just weakly tried to grab it out of Kanjigar’s hands. Kanjigar easily swatted the gumm-gumm’s hand aside  
“tell me!”  
“n…..n….no”  
“why do you need these!?”  
“i…...”

Bular grabbed Draal and hurled him into Kanjigar. The two knocked back. Kanjigar dropped the two amulets. Jim weakly crawled over to them. Before he could reach them Kanjigar was about to step on them.  
“n-n-no d-don’t!”  
smash.

“take off your helmet now.”

a loud buzzing noise and static filled the air. Green lightning sparked up and lashed out. Suddenly a massive blast of green energy shot out. Kanjigar covered his eyes, when he uncovered them the two gumm-gumm’s were gone. The only reminders, the large pool of blood, the damage done everywhere from their fight, the vile blade of the smaller gumm-gumm prince, and the small shattered pieces of the amulets……..

 

……………………………………………….

Jim groaned and looked around. He and Bular were in a small desert. A few trees dotted here and there. Some houses in the distance.  
“where….are we?”


	13. ....remember me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> eaten up from the inside out. mind's can't heal like bodies can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the super short chapter! long story short, internet might go out for a bit or so. reason? ATT is absolute garbage. looots of problems with them. anyways, enjoy the chapter! here's to hoping they fix my shit for the first time in 2 months! (yes, with CONSTANT calls and requests.)

Noten was being pushed through a park by his ‘mother’. The two stopped as a phone call had interrupted their walk. While no one was looking, Noten jumped out and ran off into some bushes nearby, he changed and now was in front of a very tired and ragged looking Walt.  
“daaam, what happened to you? You look like hell”  
“why I ‘look like hell’ is because something terrible has happened and everyone is rushing around trying to fix it, leaving little room for rest.”  
“what’s so important that everyone is clocking overtime? We didn’t get caught right?”  
“no. Jim and Bular have been missing for over a day now.”  
“what do you mean missing?”  
“as in we have no idea where they are. We have had no reports, no sightings, not a single word about their location. it’s as if they simply vanished into thin air. Gunmar is more than furious, he wants the world to be torn apart looking for his children.”

“geez, don’t want to be around that guy….if they’re all lost and shit, do we reallllyy have to worry so much? Everyone does remember who they are, right? Not as if those two are some of the most dangerous gumm-gumms.”  
“don’t be sarcastic. Last we knew of them, they had gone to fight the trollhunter. Then they went missing.”  
“oooohhh….yesh...thought he would have done better...”  
“what?”  
“uhh nothin”  
“if you know something you’d better tell me this instant, it isn’t just my neck on the line, it’s yours as well.”  
“okay okay, look all I know is of what happened the other night. Jim came over to give Claire some dumb college stuff, after that he talked for me for a hot minute, he said as soon as dear daddy Gunmar breaks free and shit, I get to throw Jim’s victory party! Me! Can you believe it!? Ohhh it’s gonna be lit af!. I’m thinking fog machines, black lights, a huge-”  
“enough! Does this story have a point?!”  
“other than planning for something dope as shit….other than that, Jim told me ‘shits going down tonight’. I have no idea what that meant, but there’s your answer. Well….there is oooonnne small extra thing. He said he came to talk to me because apperently YOU were too busy to be talked to, and Nomura was gone someplace.”

Walt pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. The ONE time he actually went on a date, something horrible had to happen.  
“thank you, I think. Well it’s something.”  
“no evidence or nothin?”  
“no. all we found under the bridge was dried blood which was Jim’s blood, and a large amount of damage done to the area.”  
“you don’t think...”  
“i would rather not think that had happened.”  
“big boss is loosin his shit over his son’s huh, glad I ain’t in the darklands no more”  
“your mother is coming back, if you find out anything at all, report.”

 

…………………………………………………….

The night before.

…………………………………………………….

Kanjigar looked at the scene. He didn’t know what to make of it.  
“father, father, where are you?” Draal said trying to walk around, arms out feeling for anything. His eyes were blinded from the bright flash. Kanjigar sighed at his goofy son.  
“blink. Let your eyes clear up.”   
“oh...”  
“better?”  
“...yes”

Kanjigar stuck his fingers into the pool of blood, he made a cup of it and sniffed it, he couldn’t identify it, nothing came to his memory other than the note. He then proceeded to look at the blade. The vile thing looked just like a smaller sword Gunmar wielded. Kanjigar gasped and suddenly grabbed his head. The world melted away and he heard screaming and crying. The terrible voice echoed around him  
‘remember me. don’t wake up.’ Draal laid his hand on his fathers arm, that helped snapped him out of it. The world became solid once more.  
“i...yes...thank you...”  
“what happened? What hex came over you?”  
“whatever happened to trollmarket..i...i felt it...i...i saw things...i don’t want to talk about the horrors I experienced...”  
“you do not need to speak of it. I will not force you to.” Kanjigar shuddered. He had to stay focused, grounded into life. He bent down and picked up the sword with as little contact as could possibly be. Touching it made him feel….strange. As if he had Gunmar’s sickening Ichor start to pump into him.   
“this thing isn’t natural. We must take it to Vendel. He may know what to do. My son, grab the pieces of those devices I crushed. Perhaps Vendel might also understand what those are.” Draal did as instructed. The two opened a portal back home. Before Kanjigar stepped through, he looked at the scene one last time. He touched the small cut on his chin.   
‘remember me. don’t wake up.’

…………………………………………….

 

Vendel now looked both the blade and the pieces of the shattered amulets over very carefully. He was silent for a long time. Kanjigar and Draal had waited within the heartstone chamber, Draal growing impatient, meanwhile Kanjigar would rub his head and try to ignore the rising mumbling and vertigo.  
“i have no idea what to make of these, other than the obvious. First the blade. Clearly crafted to resemble the horrid fathers, however it’s made from darkland stones and crystals, with something else lurking within it. Some sort of energy I can’t make out. I can practically feel the malice radiating within it. Now onto the amulet pieces, I did place the pieces near one another to see how they were constructed. It is very complex, even I can’t make out it’s means of construction. It seemed to resemble some sort of fetch, except more in the style of a gumm-gumm doorway. However these are clearly too small for any creature to possibly fit through it.” Draal grunted in annoyance  
“there must be something to tell from them!” Kanjigar rubbed his head as it snapped back to him   
“JIM!” Draal and Vendel looked at him  
“we have no clues as to where he is! Let alone any evidence they even took him...the note...the blood was the exact same as the one the brother to Bular had.” Vendel was surprised to hear that.  
“blood? Why didn’t you bring me a sample!”  
“i didn’t think we were supposed to.”  
“take this bottle. Go and fetch me some, quickly, before it dries up.” Draal offered to go, and so he went.

 

“Kanjigar. What is that small cut?”  
“it’s nothing. I simply was hurt by a small blade.”  
“you keep holding and shaking your head”  
“i think I was poisoned by the very same thing that affected trollmarket”  
“oh? What exactly happened?” Kanjigar really did NOT want to have to mentally relive through his experience, he had no choice…

 

By the time Draal came back, Kanjigar had explained everything to the leader of trollmarket. Vendel was at yet another loss. He said it clearly resembled the affects of pixies, however this was poison, pixies don’t secrete any kind of liquid so it couldn’t have come from one of them. Vendel took the blood, he did a few tests, tasting, looking, sniffing, and putting it on certain crystals that lit up different colors.  
“this is half troll blood. An older type that has had little to no contact with other blood types.”   
“the clues yet again point to..” Draal didn’t know how to feel, he spoke somewhat emotionless.   
“i know what you’re going to say. no. it couldn’t be him.” Vendel turned around and raised an eyebrow  
“couldn’t be whom?”

 

Both Kanjigar and Draal explained to Vendel, Every detail. Every painful possibility.   
“we did not wish to say anything to anyone, we had no solid evidence the two were connected.” Vendel was silent for a long time after hearing this. He truly was at a loss. In life, there is very very few times a coincidence is just that.  
“this is very bothersome. I honestly do not know what to say. The only thing that matters right now is to find Jim, bring him back here, and then….well, I will think of something. A blood test will confirm these beliefs.”  
“will that truly work?”  
“perhaps. Half troll blood is very similar to one another. We shall simply have to see if the two truly share the same blood. Although this does raise more questions. How would Jim simply be able to come and go? The wards prevent gumm-gumm’s from entering.”  
“perhaps his human blood dulls it enough to let him slip through the wards….i once made a joke about that, back when I first met Jim” Kanjigar gasped as his headache came back. He was within the dying heartstone. It was cold and empty feeling. He witnessed Gunmar drain the heartstone. Kanjigar felt like he himself was being drained simply by being near him. He tried to leave and flee, nothing but total fear consumed him. He saw the end of the world as he watched Gunmar. 

Kanjigar tried to reach for his amulet, only to see it gone. He was all alone and powerless. The dark voice whispered into his head  
‘a mantle of broken trolls. A broken mantle made for trolls’   
“silence! This can’t be real!”  
‘you failed. You let them out. Yet again.’  
“no...that was an accident...i promised I would NEVER allow that to happen again!”  
‘yet you did...all because you-”  
“SILENCE. THIS ISN’T REAL. YOU AREN’T REAL.”  
‘remember me. don’t wake up.’  
“this isn’t real….it can’t be real...”  
‘what makes it so?’  
“because I know it isn’t!”  
‘you just dream of being the trollhunter. There is nothing left. You ran away from those who needed it.’  
“no...i survived...i will survive….i will wake up! This is simply a false world!”  
‘pain is real...let me prove it’ Kanjigar screamed out as he felt a blade go through his chest. He tried to pull it out, only to have it sting. He felt the cold creep of death and numbness spread within him. Kanjigar turned around to see a vague shadowy shape of Jim.  
‘succumb….’  
“Jim is not-”  
‘i am.’  
“no...no this is a nightmare! This-”  
‘don’t wake up.’ Kanjigar was about to speak, only to be muted as he felt himself turn to stone and break apart.

 

Kanjigar gasped and shuddered as he came back into the real world. He looked around to see himself being restrained by his son, the two were somewhere in trollmarket.  
“father! Wake up!”  
“w-what happened?! Where am I?!”   
“you had another vision.”  
“this...this is real….”  
“yes. Please relax.”  
“where’s Jim? Where are you and I?”  
“we must find him...or I need to. You need rest. You and I are both in trollmarket.”  
“what happened to me?”  
“you started to scream and flail. You started to run. I had to calm and restrain you from hurting yourself and others.”  
“this poison pumps through me..i...i-”  
“you need rest. let’s get you home. You should try not doing anything.”  
“i can’t just leave Jim.”  
“you won’t. I will search for him.”  
“i...but...you’re correct...this IS real. I won’t give in.” Kanjigar held his head, trying to fully wake up.  
“i will have proper vigil over my own thoughts. I won’t fail.”

‘remember me’

 

………………………………………………………….

 

Kanjigar held himself together. He had too strong a will to be broken so easily. He focused on his life, his family, friends, loved ones, everyone he’s sworn to protect. He focused on his training, the way of the trollhunter. He refused to fall victim to this wretched thing within him. He refused to fade back into the hellscape that haunted him. The taunting voices and nightmarish imagines at the very edge of his sight and hearing, he refused to believe them. This will not consume him. The pain isn’t real. It couldn’t be. He knew his life, he knew who HE was. He tried to stay awake. He didn’t want to rest. He remained calm and breathed. He steadied his willpower. He wouldn’t forget. He believed in his son’s capabilities, he would find Jim. He would protect those who needed it. The intense strain on mind and matter was becoming a thin line. His mind won’t fall prey to this poison. it would leave his system soon enough, as all poison’s due…..at least he hoped.

……………………………………………

This wasn’t the first time his father was incapacitated. Draal could step up and do what needed to be done. He wouldn’t fail. He couldn’t. He shouldn’t. The first thing Draal did after saying goodbye to his father was to look for clues. He was nowhere near a good sleuth, but he could try. He would accept nothing less than success. He started with the note, then worked his way around trollmarket, while he wasn’t truly paranoid, he knew he needed to be more careful with who he trusted with certain information. There was a spy. He knew it now. He refused to believe anything else. Draal carefully went around and asked for any and all information possible. Between being vague, and mistrusting, he didn’t get much information. He wouldn’t give up though.

Draal inspected the scene of the fight. The blood had almost all but dried up. He checked it over to see if anything could be found. It was simply gumm-gumm blood, no clues to be had. He walked around the areas the gumm-gumm soldiers would usually fight them at, desperately hoping something might come up. Nothing came up though….. The sun was now rising, there was nothing more to go on. Draal felt like a failure, like he shouldn’t even show his face in trollmarket, or even to his own father. However he knew his father needed him right now, even if Jim needed more help. They would find him together however, Draal clearly couldn’t do this himself. 

 

They would reunite, Draal swore it.


	14. different blood, same face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's acting a bit....off.....It's probably nothing though. let's keep up faces!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was writing a lot and decided to break it up, didn't want to write a single chapter that was too big (well, compared to my usual stuff)

It was night now, Draal paced back and forth in his home. He hated this situation. He felt so utterly useless. Jim was still gone, his father had yet to recover, if anything he was getting worse, trollmarket had a spy within it, there was no fresh glug being made that night, what else could go wrong?! Draal told his father he was going to search around for ANYTHING regarding Jim. Draal had already searched trollmarket high and low that day, only coming up empty handed, now at least the night began and he could go search above. He wished he knew more about Jim’s personal life, that way he could have something or someone else to get information from. Jim said he had human friends and went to college, however he never truly said WHO those friends were or what college, the only detail ever mentioned once was a male beta human named Toby. Draal would seek out this human tonight, no matter what it took, he wouldn’t stop. Draal said goodbye to his father and left. Kanjigar had done nothing more than rest all day. Clinging onto whatever strings of sanity he had left. The other trolls who had been poisoned had already recovered, so why did Kanjigar not?….

 

The portal opened and Draal stepped out, taking in a deep breath from the crisp night air. Now his search would start and he would-  
“hi Draal” Draal suddenly stopped and looked shocked at Jim standing in front of him. Well so much for looking above.  
“Jim?...JIM!?” Draal pulled Jim into a deep hug, crushing the half troll.  
“WHAT HAPPENED?! WHERE DID YOU GET TAKEN TO?!”  
“easy...i...crushing...please...can’t” Draal let go and Jim fell on his knees taking deep breaths. Draal was far to eager to ask questions.  
“i...okay...whew...easy with the hugs…..”  
“well!?”  
“huh?”  
“TELL ME PLEASE!”  
“abouuutt?”  
“YESTERDAY NIGHT!”  
“oh ah yes! Of course! Why wouldn't you be curious!”  
“well?!”  
“oh uh...so...i uh..was taken! Yeah ambushed! Then I was knocked out and...well then I woke up and no one was around...so I left! Then I came straight here! And waited for you” Draal pulled him into another hug, far softer this time  
“my father and I were so worried!”  
“yep! Why wouldn’t you be?”  
“where were you taken?! And when?!”  
“uhhh I can’t remember at this time, for either of those questions”

 

“i suppose that will do. Come! Father would be put at ease if he saw you!” Draal reopened a portal and waited for Jim, looking back at him happily. Jim crept over and flinched as he put his arm through the portal. He opened his eyes and finished walking through. Jim clearly looked surprised when he had taken a step onto the crystal stairway as it lit up. When they reached the bottom, Jim looked at the heartstone in awe  
“that’s...amazing….soo much power!”  
“are you...alright?”  
“yes! I’m fine! Why wouldn’t I be?”  
“...did something happen to you when you were taken?”  
“no no! Nothing happened out of the ordinary! Just my usual Jim half troll omega self haha!”  
“when something...intense happens….sometimes one would act differently in order to...help not think about things...”  
“what? Nooo I don’t feel bad or anything! I feel great! Here I am! In trollmarket like usual!”  
“you can always talk to me, along with my father at any time”  
“sounds great! Big troll, Draal!”  
“hm...well if you need anything just..ask” Jim smiled nervously and nodded. The two stood there for a few awkward moments  
“please..lead on” Jim motioned his arms and did a minor bow. Draal raised an eyebrow. Then he started to move, Jim following a decent distance from him. The entire time they walked, Jim couldn’t help but wander off, gawking at things here and there, talking to himself and feeling giddy. Draal just watched him in curiosity, along with concern….

 

“father! You will no believe what has happened! he’s here!” Draal shouted as the two entered the home. Kanjigar opened his eyes and focused.  
“who is?”  
“It’s Jim!”  
“what?!” Kanjigar felt his mind’s fog clear up from the good news. He got up and walked over smiling widely and then hugging Jim.  
“thank you trollhunter, I appreciate the...fondness” Kanjigar looked at him straight in the eyes, a very serious expression on his face. Jim swallowed and felt incredibly nervous.  
“you don’t sound like your usual self. I know what’s wrong.”  
“oh...uh….you do?” Jim looked slightly towards the entrance of the cave, trying to plan on how to run away.  
“you are upset with me. I failed to protect you. I let you be snatched away.”  
“oh! I was afraid...that...you...wouldn’t feel like that! You did fail me!” Kanjigar felt worse hearing that. Draal on the other hand looked at Jim mentally questioning why he replied like that.....  
“i promise, from here on out. I will keep you closer, making sure you never leave my side”  
“ohhhh noooo that’s really not needed!”  
“it is. I need to prove that I can truly protect you.” Kanjigar smiled then flinched and held his head.  
“f-forgive me I….I’ve not fe-felt well”  
“what has caused you to feel unwell trollhunter?”  
“it’s not important. What is important is that we go to Vendel immediately”  
“that’s n-” Before Jim could protest, Draal and Kanjigar were pulling Jim along towards the heartstone. 

 

Vendel looked at him, in partial relief...but also…  
“Jim, come. Here.” Vendel pointed to a spot next to him.  
“yes...Vendel?”. Vendel raised an eyebrow, why did it sound like a question?. Vendel held onto Jim’s arm and cut Jim’s palm. Vendel squeezed it tightly until enough blood had dripped onto a crystal that was sitting on a table  
“AHH, w-why did you do that?!”  
“hush child.” Draal and Kanjigar walked forward, looking between themselves in worry. This would be it. The test. The proof. Draal became too impatient. He needed to know right that moment!….even if their fears are confirmed...  
“Vendel is….”  
“a few moments longer and we will have our answers.” Jim felt awkward standing there as the three large trolls stared intensely at the crystal. While it was busy changing colors Jim spoke up, breaking the silence.  
“is...everything alright?”  
“hush. And stay put.” the crystal stopped changing colors and finally settled on one. Vendel slightly relaxed his shoulders in relief.  
“our concerns should be put at ease. He isn’t what we believed” Jim felt the urge to dart out of the room but stayed still.  
“...what….did you believe about me?”  
“nothing child. Now then, everything is alright.”  
“what exactly was that about?”  
“nothing important. Now everything is fine, more or less. The test proves it to be.”

Kanjigar looked at Jim with relaxed eyes  
“good to know. Do not concern yourself of this. It was simply something to put our nerves at ease.”  
“what exactly was it about? And why me? I would REALLY feel better if I knew about it...was it something from an earlier date that I was apart of?”  
“like we’ve said, nothing important. Come, let us leave, we have all had a very...intense few days. We could use some well deserved rest. I’ve no doubt you wish to return to your nest”

Jim slowly walked after the two large trolls as they exited the room. He did one final look back at Vendel, who simply looked at Jim curiously while he tugged his beard. Draal wouldn’t stop eyeing Jim over, trying to decide something. The staring had been noticed. Jim was nervous now, something was up, something he wasn’t told or was prepared for. He was only given such little information In such a short time…Draal turned to his father and whispered something. Kanjigar looked between the two of them, smiled, then left on his own, heading home. Draal stopped, smiled and looked at Jim lovingly  
“i think it’s time we did what you requested” Jim was at a loss  
“huh?”  
“you don’t remember?”  
“oh uh...maybe? Why not explain it and it might jog my memory”  
“not like you to forget things such as this” Jim felt a sudden anxiousness.  
“i, well sometimes, uh, I just...forgot?”  
“was that a question? Well it doesn’t matter. Remember a little bit ago when you requested to spend the day with me? Do one of those flehsbag ‘dates’ you’ve mentioned before.”  
“ohhh uh..yes! No I recall that exact moment! More or less..” Draal walked up closely to Jim. He growled a bit lustfully  
“perhaps your would enjoy if we started it with something that had a bit more...contact” Jim swallowed nervously as Draal looked into his eyes with impure intent while pulling Jim closer. Jim tried to push back a bit and felt warmed up

“i must...uh...decline for the moment”  
“decline? You never decline”  
“i...uh...” Draal chuckled  
“i should have known better. You prefer the chase, as usual. I’ll claim my prize once I’ve found you. Why don’t you run off now, I’ll give you a small head start. Better hurry, I don’t plan on holding back tonight”  
“hahah! Yes..i shall flee now and hide from your sight!” Jim was let go, then bolted off. 

 

……………………………………..

Jim was now in Walt’s office. First thing he did back in trollmarket was escape the first chance he got. He had his face in his hands and groaned. Walt was smiling at his awkwardness, clicking his pen.  
“he wants physical relations! What am I supposed to do?!”  
“well, you’d best give it to him. Draal has never been turned down before, doing so now wouldn’t be a smart choice”  
“i do not wish to be with him!”  
“well, too bad. You must, you can’t hide forever”  
“i can try”  
“do as you wish I suppose. So far you are doing a terrible job at lying”  
“am I?! How am I suppose to know how to lie about my life!? it’s not easy!”  
“no one ever said it would be. Well, you need to either return, or find some other place to hide, I don’t want him tracking you and end up finding us”  
“why can’t I just go home?”  
“ohhhh yes, because that wouldn’t raise any kind of suspicions”  
“I’m not the only one who knows about us doing this.”  
“true, but if Gunmar found out our little plan, well...i don’t have to tell you what he would do”

Jim shuddered, not wanting to imagine what horrors he would experience if Gunmar ever found out about their little ‘plan’.

“how do I act more natural? it’s not like I know a lot about the way trollmarket works!”  
“just stay calm, and deal with situations that arise properly.”  
“easier said than done. you’re not in my position”  
“true. Our chat is over, I’m going home, as should you. I suppose you could either go back to trollmarket, ooooorrr go to the darklands.”  
“no other choice?”  
“none what so ever.” Jim groaned and left.

 

………………………………………………………..

It was the next morning, Jim had decided not to go to either home, instead, he decided to ‘rough it’ out in the wilderness, not the first time he’s had to resort to that. This was far better than the other two choices. Jim was now showering and getting ready for the day at Walt’s house, he was brought fresh cloths, along with music, pictures, and various other things to really help Jim out for today’s agenda. He had to visit his friends. Not an easy thing to do at the moment.  
“how do I look?”  
“as perfect as you were yesterday.”  
“good. Here I go.”  
“don’t forget how to handle your friends”  
“i know I know, I studied all last night so I know every detail”  
“good, now off you go. Have fun”

………………………………………………………………………………….

Jim was now with Claire and Toby. The three walked around, ate and shopped. Jim always felt weird when he was hugged or questioned about what he’s done for the past few days. He just replied he was busy. Toby looked at the clouds before speaking up  
“with family stuff?”  
“yyeaaaahhh family stuff”  
“is it your dad and his plans?” Jim almost chocked on his food  
“w-what?! How do you know about that?!”  
“...you...told us...remember?”  
“sorry I uh...lost my composure for a moment”  
“composure? Uh that’s fine, so when’s it going to happen?”  
“….did I mention that before? Hahaa kidding!”  
“oookay, do you feel alright?”  
“never better my friend!”  
“wait, friend?! I thought I was your best friend?!” Toby gasped and looked hurt, before laughing. Jim just smiled and wanted to run away  
“yeah...best friend!” Claire huffed  
“i thought I was your best friend”

“you both are!” Toby looked Jim over, trying to see if he could find anything wrong with Jim  
“you sure you’re okay? you’ve been acting weird all day? you’re hiding something aren’t you?”  
“w-w-whaaat no! Me? Hide stuff from you? My best fleshbag friend?”  
“fleshbag? You never say that word”  
“another joke!”  
“ooookay, well, so when’s the whole dad thing gonna happen?”  
“why not tell me what you know...so I remember what I left off at!”  
“sure that makes sense..i guess….uh so all you said was that your dad plans on moving up here and staying, we finally will get to meet him, along with your brother, your adopted uncles , and then some of your dad’s friends too. can’t wait! We finally get to meet your ‘mysterious family’”  
“HAHAHA OHHH I thought...never mind. Phew! That-uh, yeah! My ka-father, plans on moving here forever. Soon. Very soon. Things will be a loooot better. What did I say would happen to all of you? I remember being mentioned at one point that you would stay”  
“being mentioned?….we would Stay... Yeah we don’t plan on moving….you just said that we’d get to meet your family, we would still hangout and junk, that didn’t change did it?”  
“nooo! Never! Good. Goood. I just wanted a small reminder” Both Claire and Toby now looked at one another, then back at Jim. Claire was the one to speak up after that

“is this some half troll thing? you’re acting weird and not talking like you usually do”  
“Perhaps...i am known to be quite humorous at times”  
“quite humorous….. Right…. So anyways-” Jim suddenly excused himself and said he had to go to the bathroom. He sped walked away and pulled out his phone. 

Walt was having coffee with Barbara when he noticed his phone buzzing. Walt rolled his eyes and pardoned himself.  
“so sorry, excuse me for a second, work is calling.” Walt walked a bit away before answering it  
“what’s wrong?”  
“help!!! they keep asking me things and I don’t know how to answer!”  
“stop being so socially awkward and just deal with it. I don’t see why I have to hold your hand. You should be better at this. You said you studied all through last night, remember?”  
“yes but I wasn’t expecting them to ask about you-know-what.”  
“what are you talking about?”  
“they know about….his father!, along with the others!” Walt moved a bit more away, making sure he was out of earshot, then lowered his voice  
“be more specific. What do you mean.”  
“Jim has been telling them about our lord! Along with Bular, his adviser, his mate, and ‘my fathers friends’. He told them about Gunmar coming to the surface!”  
“be calm. And. Rational. They do not know anything. Jim has most likely said very vague, basic things. What person doesn’t answer questions when asked? “  
“what if something slips up! I almost-”  
“then. don’t. You have one job. A very easy and IMPORTANT one. If you weren’t our only current polymorph I would have assigned this task to someone else. This is the best chance to prove yourself.”  
“yes. I will…..what if they ask about the holy mother?!”

 

“which holy mother?”  
“Jim’s mother!”  
“last time I checked he has never mentioned her in any detail. Just relax. Victoria won’t come up. Besides as far as they know Jim has no idea, and little interest in her.”  
“what if they ask about his brother’s?”  
“SHE hasn’t been refereed to in a long long time. don’t. If for some odd reason she comes up, say nothing. Or at the very least say that you don’t know. Now, is there anything else you can’t do yourself?”  
“it’s not that I can’t, it’s that if I say something that wouldn’t be natural, it will affect Jim later on!”  
“then just-” Barbara called for Walt  
“i have to go. If you need assistance, go to Nomura.”  
“does he even know her?”  
“of course he does. He likes her too, now don’t call again at least until late at night. we’ll meet then.”

Jim’s phone call ended. He took a deep breath and went back to his friends.  
“forgive me for that interruption”  
“you had to go to the bathroom, nothing to forgive”  
“how’s about we return to our merrymaking!”  
“merrymaking…..okay...” the three spent some more time hanging out before going over to Claire’s for the rest of the evening. Claire’s sweet baby brother was being watched by them as Claire’s parents went out. The night began and Jim said he needed to leave. Jim said goodbye then ran off to the Janus order….

…………………………………………………………..

Noten, Jim, Walt, and Nomura were all in an office now with only one another. Noten was laughing loudly as he looked at Jim.  
“you are the WORST at this! you’ve been a plenty good actor before, what gives with it now?”  
“i never had to portray someone as important as Jim!”  
“you just lay around all day and do whatever the hell ya want! How is that hard to do actin?! he’ll we could switch places and I’d be a better double!”  
the Door was suddenly banged on loudly. Nomura opened the door to see two elite gumm-gumm guards standing there  
“well that was unexpected”  
“silence impure. We have come for the polymorph!” Jim started to panic. Walt sighed and looked at him  
“what could you have possibly done?”  
“i don’t know!”  
“well go with them”  
“what about any of you?”

the guards smashed an arm against his armor  
“THE DARK UNDERLORD HAS DEMANDED ONLY FOR YOU” Jim started to shake and stood up. He made came to the doorway, only to be grabbed and hooded.

………………………………………………………

Jim was thrown to the floor and had his hood taken off. Gunmar seethed in anger as he walked down the steps to the throne.  
“SO. THIS IS THE IMPOSTOR THAT DARES INSULT ME BY PLAYING THE IMAGE OF MY SON.”  
“no i-”  
“WHAT FOOL WOULD DARE TO EVER ATTEMPT THAT?. DID YOU THINK YOU COULD TRY TO REPLACE HIM?! THE MOMENT I WAS TOLD ANOTHER WAS PARADING AROUND AS MY SON WAS THE MOMENT I HAD BEGUN TO PLAN IN MY MIND THE ABSOLUTE WORST TOURTURES I COULD DO TO THEM!”  
“please! I can explain everythin-”  
“you have 5 seconds before you beg for the sweet release of death.”  
“this was an order from your son! I swear!”  
“you now lie? Directly to me? What do you know of my sons?” Gunmar now had his blade summoned and tucked the point under Jim’s neck.  
“if this was an order from him. Then how did he possibly give it to you.”  
“your son contacted the Janus order yesterday night! He said I needed to replace him for the time being! Only to-”

The throne room door opened and through it, walked Bular and Jim. Gunmar’s eye opened in shock.  
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?” both Bular and Jim looked tired and ragged. Jim wore a baggy and moth bitten shirt, he also wore oil stained pants. Bular looked the same as usual. Only more tired and pissed off, somehow.  
“looong story dad...oh hey Otto”  
“see! See! I did not say a single lie my kaiser!” Gunmar retracted his sword and stepped towards his sons, looking them over as if checking to see if his sight hadn’t betrayed him.  
“what happened to the two of you? Why had neither of you report to me at least once for so long?. Explain. Now.” Bular and Jim looked at one another and groaned. Jim spoke up and pointed to Otto  
“let Otto go first, he did he a huge favor, he doesn’t need to die or anything” Gunmar, without even looking, waved a hand. A couple guards escorted Otto out of the throne room and to the nearest gumm-gumm doorway. Jim rubbed his face and then rubbed his horn.  
“Well, our amulet’s broke first….”

 

……………………………………………………..


	15. home at last. keep your future.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nothing says fun brotherly bonding like almost bleeding to death, eating people, deep conversations, a police chase, more deep conversations, and then a too many boring hours to count.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love to write brotherly bonding! it's fun! expect more in the future!
> 
> WOOO 1,500 notes! so happy it's been looked at this many times! =D

Jim tried to get up. He gagged and collapsed over as his stomach seemed to remember that it was cut. Bular got up and shook himself off. He looked around and tried to identify anything he could. The smell of blood drew his attention. He quickly crouched down next to his brother to check the wound. Jim gasped when Bular touched it, instinctively grabbing it.  
“hold still, do not cover it up”  
“it fucking hurts!”  
“i know. It will hurt worse if I can’t aid you”  
“oh and how do you figure?!...i...I’m sorr-”  
“shhh. Do you hear that?”  
“my only focus is the blood POURING OUT OF ME CURRENT-” Bular covered Jim’s mouth. The two listened as some people nearby were talking, Two adult human males came closer into earshot.  
“-here, I SWORE I saw a bright green flash!”  
“you’ve just been drinking too much”  
“no I have not!”  
“oh really? Cause I don’t see a god dam ‘bright green flash’.”  
“shut it! I know what I saw!”  
“I’m going to bed before the trolls come out. You go do whatever.” the sounds of footsteps faded away.  
“well don’t fucking leave me out here in the dark!”  
“then hurry your ass up!” the second human ran off to catch up with his friend, the sound of a truck driving off was the last thing the two gumm-gumm princes heard.

Bular let go of Jim’s mouth. Jim spat out the disgusting taste it left then said  
“Bular. If die, tell dad I loved him. I want my funeral to be epic, I want fireworks and streamers and strippers and-”  
“you will not die little brother. Strippers what are those?”  
“people who sexually dance and take off their cloths. Believe it or not but that is a job people get hired for!”  
“at a funeral?”  
“yeah! Crazy right?...UGUHHH….i feeeeel like I’m….I’m going to pass out from blood loss...”  
“you haven’t bled that much. Now stop complaining.”  
“OH SHOULD I?! YOU’RE NOT THE ONE WHO WAS CUT”  
“silence. We need to get you to a human medical hut”  
“hospital. How exactly?”  
“we follow those two fleshbags”  
“they drove off in a truck! there are no houses close enough to get to! Let alone a hospital!”  
“we go to those fleshbags homes. I will get the materials I need and apply to you what I know. Then we can go to your medical hut and get you healed properly. Why do you not just use your message device?”  
“1. I don’t have it. 2. I wouldn’t have service all the way out in who knows where.”  
“we shall find an impure”  
“none around here”  
“how would you know that?”  
“unlike you, I actually check in on our changeling friends, I know for a fact that none live in the middle of a desert. At least any in the states, to my knowledge….where are we?”  
“they are tools, not friends, and how should I know our current location?”  
“i was being-nevermind.”

“can you walk?”  
“no”  
“hold still. Do not whimper.” Bular put his arms under Jim and picked him up bridal style  
Jim gasped and cried  
“what did I just say?”  
“you said no whimpering first of all, and second THIS HURTS MORE THAN WHEN DAD ALMOST BROKE MY RIB CAGE, OH BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE YET TO SAY ‘hey little bro sorry for CUTTING INTO YOUR STOMACH!’”  
“I’ve been more hurt than you have plenty of times. I’m sorry my sword cut into you that deep.” Bular held his brother close carefully making sure not to jostle him around in his arms and then started to walk.  
“you aren’t as sensitive as I am! Owowowowow stop stepping on every rock!”  
“i will even my footing when I can. Bear the pain.” Jim closed his eyes and tried to relax. His body was throbbing and leaking. He hated bleeding out. He loved to watch other things, but not him. It was one of his top things he hated to do (obviously). Jim tried to get comfortable, however it was extremely hard for obvious reasons. Jim would occasionally try to shift himself slightly to try and look around, only to feel the fresh wave of pain surge through him. The night had already begun who knows how long ago, so that really didn’t help to see where they were at. The two men spoke English, they were in a desert area, it was pretty barren of human life and human living, so that at least helped to narrow down where they were.

“Bular, do you know where you’re going?”  
“no”  
“don’t get us lost please. I don’t want to die! I never got married or had a kid or ruled my kingdom!”  
“you will be able to experience those things. I don’t plan on having you die.”  
“i promise, when I die, I’ll let you have my sword. Put it in my will”  
“no. where is your sword?”  
“ooooohhhh shhhitttt it’s with Kanjigar and Draal! The dam thing wasn’t close enough to me when our-wait why did we teleport?”  
“you’re asking me? you’re the one who is the thinker.”  
“guess when the thing was already halfway on when it was broken, it malfunctioned and sent us to...here, I guess”  
“you know more about the surface world. You should know this area”  
“oh? Should I? Is that your reasoning? Because if so YOU’VE BEEN ALIVE A HELL OF A LOT LONGER THAN I HAVE! shouldn’t YOU have memorized the surface by now?”  
“no. stop sassing me. Funny how even though you’re bleeding out you still retain enough energy to be a smart ass”  
“it’s my smart ass reserve energy. Also whenever you have kids, tell them stories about me, how brave and handsome and better than you at fighting I was”  
“HAHAH like you could ever best me. You will not die. Not now, not ever. You will die from old age. Father will not have it any other way. You will live as long as we can make you live.”  
“haha, dad’s gonna shove his sword up the grim reapers ass just for me”  
“grim reapers?”  
“its a human concept of death, never mind it doesn’t matter.”

Jim and Bular stopped talking for a while. Jim’s blood flow had lessened a bit by now, still it wasn’t helping much. Jim hissed out in pain when his stomach growled.  
“how are you hungry?”  
“i haven’t eaten since...noon wow, that’s a long time!”  
“humans need to eat so often.”  
“i know, not fun. I wish I would have ate before we fought”  
“you would have been too full and lethargic.”  
“well now I’m hungry, I can’t hunt, and I’m still bleeding.”  
“i will hunt for you like I did when you were a whelp.”  
“aww such a good big brother!. there’s nothing out here but lizards and snakes anyways. Not like that will help.”  
“when we arrive to the fleshbags huts, you will feast”  
“does sound nice….but we can’t leave any trails or signs that we were here”  
“now you sound like an impure.”  
“we need to cover our tracks. I’m the thinker, remember?”

Jim went quiet again. He tried not to think about the hunger or pain...his mind actually started to think about his other hunger, the one for the heartstone….he should have grabbed some, he didn’t want to wait around though. He wanted to leave trollmarket as fast as he could. Jim was half asleep, he didn’t know how long for though. Bular broke the silence.  
“you aren’t dead right? If I bring home your corpse, father won’t be happy with me, or anyone.”  
“i was...sleeping...i don’t know….maybe I am dying….nice to know that when I’m brought home, you’re more worried about dear old dad’s anger than grief over me”  
“i will grieve for you. Stop thinking I’m some heartless monster”  
“we ARE gumm-gumm’s. Kinda are thing”  
“i reserve emotions only for you and father” Hearing that caused Jim to shut up. He never expected to hear that Bular would say that. Sure Jim joked around about him being cold and dead inside, and hey, most of the time he was, but still...he loved Jim as much as their own father.  
“suddenly you don’t wish to speak?”  
“I’m sorry for all the shit I say to you….”  
“now you start to feel sorrow? This doesn’t improve the situation. I know your little jests are only meant to prod at my nerves anyways. I don’t take anything to heart.”  
“I’m sorry that I got us into this mess...”  
“you couldn’t have prevented the trollhunter from crushing our amulets”  
“actually I meant all of it. If I never left that night when I was in heat, I would have never met Kanjigar, and none of this would have happened.”

“fate is strange. Nothing you can do now but move forward”  
“that’s...pretty smart”  
“I’m no fool”  
“well I mean, you’re not a deep thinker usually”  
“i can’t tell if that’s a compliment or not.”  
“I don’t know, it’s a fact I guess….how long have we been walking? Well, you’ve been walking for”  
“not sure. I used to be able to tell distance and time by the stars. Now I can’t see them, or hardly at least here”  
“well that’s a somewhat good sign”  
“how?”  
“light pollution”  
“what?”  
“it’s when too many lights are causing..well..light, it starts to pretty much build up and block everything else out in the sky. it’s another thing that people do that screws nature up and shit. Point is, that means a lot of lights, meaning a potential city….which is also a bad thing...”  
“how?”  
“well, more people, more lights, more noticeable large black troll with giant swords and a kilt adorned with skulls holding dying half troll in arms while wearing battle armor, not a good thing to see. Besides, other trolls might see us and realize who we actually are, people won’t really be a threat so we don’t have to worry about some random guy seeing us and instantly knowing who we are” Bular just grunted in reply. It was another long half asleep silence before Bular said anything again. Bular walked over a small hill when he saw a small gathering of homes.  
“wake up whelp. Fleshbag huts”  
“mm..hm? oh...wait those aren’t houses”  
“what are they?”  
“trailer homes”  
“i thought you just said they weren’t houses”  
“no there’s a diff-never mind it doesn’t matter...not many...hmm...all the way out here? Well I guess they don’t have to worry about much” Jim looked at everything and though of different possibilities  
“well we have two options. Kill everyone here-”  
“that’s the plan then.”  
“-oorrr the second one is to scare them all off.”  
“no. killing is easier, plus we need to eat. You’re not the only one who hungers”

 

“well, if they do run away and drive off to wherever, they’re going to talk to someone. Buuut they could just be brushed off being told:  
‘those are just trolls, probably on their turf, just wanted to scare you away’ buuuut people will start to ask around about it, there’s 10 trailer homes. If we kill them-”  
“which we’re going to do”  
“-we will leave a huge mess-”  
“my appetite will prevent that”  
-with blood and broken things everywhere. Plus everyone will wonder why people went missing out of nowhere”  
“humans go missing all the time. I doubt they will simply give us aid in your time of need”  
“hm...maybe they will...”  
“I’ll simply put you down and go slaughter, come back and get you fixed, then we feast”  
“you’re still just as blood thirsty as ever”  
“do you want to eat?”  
“okay fine...well, guess they really got the shit end of life. Alright big guy, go do your thing AHHH CAREFUL!” Bular put Jim down, laying him on the softest and most flat part of the ground he could find. Bular stomped off and went to business. Jim closed his eyes and waited. He blocked out most of the roaring, gun firing, yelling, and overall destructive nature that was Bular. Jim was feeling cold and woozy now, he needed to eat and sleep. He was somewhat afraid of falling asleep though, not knowing if he’ll wake up again. Jim nodded off without knowing it. He woke up suddenly as he felt the sharp pain. He opened his eyes and saw he was being carried by Bular into one of the trailers.  
“forgive me for the pain, I had to bring you inside.”  
“it’s...fine….” Jim looked around, blood and bullet holes everywhere, the corpses of many people littered the area, a lot of damage done to the few trailer homes that were in the small place. The entire area was completely silent, except for the creaking and air whistling as it made its way through the small passageways opened up from the bullet’s punctures. Jim was laid on some bed, looked like something out of a ‘fun family road trip’ movie.

 

“I’ve already searched the metal huts. Nothing I can really use to dress your wounds.”  
“aww, and here they wanted to go to the prom”  
“what?”  
“nothing. Dumb joke. I’m bleeding out”  
“now you’ve lost a good amount of blood at the point. I’ll hurry. I’ll sanitize your wounds then I have a a hot piece of iron-”  
“oookay how about nooo AHHH IT STINGS!”  
“hold still whelp”  
“THIS SHIT STINGS LIKE NOTHING YOU COULD KNOW OF! YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT INFECTIONS LIKE I DO, SO YOU’VE NEVER HAD THIS DONE!”  
“quiet. What do you think the sun feels like? Now, we must cauterize the wound. You might prefer death over this pain, but I don’t.”  
“see this marking? The trollhunters? See this? I got branded! That was waaay more painful ‘hot metal contact’ than I ever wanted in my life. So nOOOOOOOOOOOO” Jim screamed out before having a pillow jammed into his mouth.

……………………………………………………..

It was about 20 minutes later now, Jim whimpered and cried in pain as he laid in a make shift nest Bular threw together from the various mattresses/blankets/pillows and what have you, from the trailer homes. Jim’s pain was fading away slowly and at least he wasn’t bleeding anymore. The hot numbing at least covered the stinging, not like that truly helped. Bular gathered up all the corpses and ripped smaller bites off for Jim to eat. Jim tried to eat but he was in too much pain for much. He just took some pain killers (which THANKFULLY someone had) and rested. He almost always slept on his side, if he did it any other way, it was hard to fall asleep. Well he had to make do. Bular finished eating the third body when he looked over at his small brother who had stopped moving  
“hey. HEY, are you dead? don’t die.”  
“I’m not! I just wanted to rest my eyes….”  
“you can rest after you’ve eaten more.”  
“it hurts too much to eat. I want something smooth”  
“fine. I’ll pour blood into a mug.”  
“i want a smoothie. Something colder.”  
“then I’ll put frozen water in it and put it in one of those spinning metal devices”  
“i want something sweet”  
“then I’ll put sugar in it. you’re being more picky than when you were a whelp!”  
“….do you have any regrets?” Bular was surprised at the sudden change in topic.  
“what’s this now?”  
“i just….maybe I’m loopy from the blood loss but...do you have any regrets? I have a lot.” Bular let out a low rumble  
“what could you possibly regret about?”  
“I’m not a good enough son.”  
“father doesn’t think so.”  
“i do….i feel like I’m too..weak. I can’t fight, I get emotional, I slow things down. You don’t do any of that.”

“don’t compare yourself to me”  
“bad enough being a half troll. An omega on top of that? Everything sucks.”  
“enough”  
“i mean it, i-”  
“hush!. You can’t change anything, so don’t think about it. If you fill your mind with it, you will only drown yourself.”  
“that’s deep, like as deep as you cut me”  
“when will you let that go?”  
“ohhh I won’t, I’m going to be an old old man and still complain about it” Jim smiled and laughed. Bular grinned from seeing his brother cheer up. Jim looked at his brother a bit more serious  
“do you have any regrets?”  
“of course. Everyone does.”  
“what are they?”  
“doesn’t matter, I can’t change them. No point in dwelling on it.”  
“please? For me?” Bular snarled at his brother who just made puppy dog eyes in return. He couldn’t be angry at that face. Bular sighed strongly.  
“fine….i regret running away at the killahead bridge fight, I regret not stopping the trolls from coming to the new world, I regret failing to fight when I was younger, I regret failing father, I regret not being able to get him out of the darklands, I regret not being able to procure victory at the second bridge battle, I regret…..not spending enough time with you when you grew up.” Jim repeated those words in his head.  
“you do?”  
“yes.”  
“why?”  
“I’m your brother. You matter to me.”  
“aww, you matter to me too...I’m not being sarcastic either. I mean it. You mean a lot to me. I’m more than sure I would have died by now if it weren’t for you…..what did you mean not spending enough time with me?”  
“because I didn’t like you. You were annoying. A pest. A tick that clung to me at all times. You climbed me all over and followed me. You pulled my tail and my hair. You wouldn’t shut up! Over and over and over and over you would just talk and ask questions and talk and talk and more questions. I was….jealous of your childhood.”  
“of being a kid?”  
“a very small part, but I was jealous because you got attention. Mother and father never gave me that kind of attention, well, the attention you got from Blinkous I mean. I grew up alone, cold, I was hardened and pushed. I enjoyed it, But still. You were given everything, I had to fight and kill for it. If I wanted to eat, I fought for my meat. You were handed everything on a plate...i was the most jealous because you were loved more by father than I was. He gave you attention, even if it were little. I didn’t get that kind of thing. He would praise me and celebrate my victories, but he didn’t do anything else. I was an agent with a high rank, that’s how I thought of myself. Then your mother came along….i grew bitter towards her. All the years, all the breaking, all the pain, all of it I had to do by myself. All for little in return. She comes along for a couple centuries and has a few successes, then she suddenly gets to be by fathers side constantly. 

 

Then after they became mates...well...you happened...i was jealous when she announced her pregnancy. I though I was being replaced. That I had failed as fathers heir. He wanted another, one who would best me. Who would do better than I ever could have. Every time I saw you, that’s all I could think about. I avoided you because I hated myself. Then when you grew up...i saw just how big you were getting, how fast you were growing….i regret not spending enough time with you. To see you every day…... It wasn’t until I really saw who you were until you were getting big enough to not need guards around at all times. That you couldn’t climb on me anymore. You had new emotions and interests, I didn’t even know you had started to train with Blinkous and Arrrg. I wanted to watch you fight for the first time. It finally dawned on me….you would never live as long as I would. I would outlive you. I would have to watch you die…. When the day came and you were old enough to hunt, I couldn’t have felt happier. That truly was a milestone in your life. Well. Now I want to make sure I be with you as much as I can, so when the day does come that you die, I will have plenty of memories to last for the rest of my life, then I could tell your whelps along with mine about your life.”  
“wow….that’s….heavy...”  
“well, like I said, no use dwelling on the past”  
“i didn’t know about any of that”  
“not like you would have if I didn’t tell you”  
“thanks for being all, open and stuff, it makes me feel good to connect with you. I’ve always loved when you would spend time with me”  
“i should have spent more”  
“well, now we can. Okay, from here on out, I promise to spend more time with you”  
“i will too. Now that I’ve been ‘emotional.’ you have to as well.”  
“sounds fair”  
“tell me. What do you think of the trollhuters whelp” Jim tensed up.  
“what do you mean?”  
“you know what I mean. I hope you don’t think a certain way about him. He isn’t one of us. Father would be more than furious if anything were to….. happen. As your brother I have to look out for you. I have thoughts, doubts about certain things. don’t let them become reality. If something that may or may not be real, happened, you would be severely punished. For the sake of everyone, let mine and fathers doubts be wrong.”  
“i uh...promise”  
“i will take that as a no. I can hear it in your voice. When something like this happens and sends you off balance, you have a certain tone. Father knows this as well as I do. He knows something isn’t ‘adding up’. Even if I don’t give him ‘specific’ details about our encounters, he has a hunch. He isn’t a fool. He knows what you may or may not be thinking.”

“i...uh….”  
“exactly. I’m going to pretend I don’t know, that my doubts are not real. That we will kill the trollhunter, move on, and live in the future as we are supposed to. Once all that happens-” Bular stopped talking as he heard a sudden movement outside. Someone gasped and started to sprint. Bular rushed out on all fours after whoever it was. A shriek, the sounds of a truck engine turning on, then a loud scream and roar. The trucks alarm started to go off, but Bular quickly pounded the truck into flat metal chunks. It was a quiet couple of minutes until Bular returned with a man’s body, he dumped it onto the pile of corpses and sat back down as if nothing happened.  
“where was I?...yes, the future. When we have what we set out to do. Everything will be alright. DON’T Let certain emotions or images or ANYTHING like I think, happen.”  
“i….I’m tired...i want to sleep soon”  
“avoiding it. Like I’m trying to…...”  
“..if hypothetically...i may or may not have certain...feelings for a certain individual…..what….would happen?”  
“if in this reality, father would punish you severely, he would kill the individual while you watched, and then...hm….I’m not sure. All I know is that father will cause you a lot of pain. Please, don’t let it happen…..” Bular brought out his swords and started to sharpen them on his arms.  
“...when father brings you a suitable mate, you won’t have any feelings for any specific individual anymore. You are young, you are lonely, you just need the company of someone who is one of us. Father has already informed me about looking into potential candidates from my soldiers for you. I want you to pick them out yourself. it’s your matehood, not mine.”

“if...certain individuals...became one of us….”  
“it wouldn’t matter. They aren’t a pure blooded gumm-gumm. Your mate will keep your mind focused. He won’t be any regular little toy you play with. He will be smart and have meaning. He will be under you, but that won’t mean he doesn’t have power over you….at least in some aspects. You are our fathers son, but that doesn’t mean it forgoes your omegahood. He will be your alpha, he will be in charge. You will become official mated, you will bear his whelps, you will be happy. You just need to wait a little longer to find one. And all these ‘if’s and ‘what’s’ will go away. Focus brother. you’re our family member. Do not throw your entire life away for some passing glances. Knowing you well enough, more than glances would have happened by now. Again, hypothetically.”  
“riiight….i uh...yeah I’m tired...but...before I do sleep….what….does dad think about….this possible....”  
“he tries not to. He is getting impatient. You spend too much time with ‘others’. He is afraid of loosing you, all to some sort of ‘phase’. He will be proud of you, he will forgive and forget the possible situation if it may or may not exist, as long as you keep focused.”  
“y-you’re right...i...keep focused….keeeeep focused….my mate...what...will he be like though?”  
“that’s for you to decide. I know a few very powerful alphas who could be the best. When we return home, I will show you them.”  
“thanks Bular…..i don’t know what I’ve been feeling for a while now...”

“i know. So does father. So does Blinkous and even Arrrg.”  
“r-really?!”  
“you aren’t that good at hiding it. Like I’ve said. Focus, keep moving forward, everything will be put behind us. This is what our lives are meant to be. Not...whatever you may or may not imagine. Don’t throw everything away just for a few mere moments.”  
“i need to….i think I don’t want to think about anything right now”  
“good. You shouldn’t….think about that I mean. I know you can’t bottle up your emotions. you’ll die.”  
“right, right...i uh...yeah so let’s talk about something else….”  
“good. What should we speak of?”  
“mom” Bular stopped, he was caught off guard. He turned to see Jim looking nervous and picking at lint from his nest  
“her? What of her? you’ve never been interested before”  
“well, you said you were jealous of her. I don’t really care, I just...i dunno….maybe it’s the lack of blood and need of sleep”  
“hm...well, not much to tell. She was one, if not THE, strongest half trolls I’ve ever encountered. She was beautiful, she knew when to take action and how to do it. She was smart, she was quiet and mostly kept to herself. She didn’t rub it in to anyone when she mentioned she became our fathers mate, she did have a small smug attitude at times, she had a sarcastic bite when she wanted to be”  
“guess I get that from her”  
“yes. You do….hmm...not much else. You look almost identical, easily able to tell you are her son. Father was the most happy I had seen in a very long time. When she died…..well….no one ever mentioned her name again.”  
“why? I thought she was important”  
“oh she was, but father refused to speak about her. He loved her so much, and she left so suddenly. He knew he wouldn’t have much time already, yet within a few moments….he swore he wouldn’t make the same mistake again. So he makes sure to put a lot of effort into you, even more now than in the past. When your mother passed, everyone was forbidden from mentioning her, not directly, but heavily implied. So everyone avoided her as a subject. If anything ever came up about her, like the need to select someone to replace her status in the horde, she wouldn’t be named, only that her position must be filled. ‘the previous title holder is no longer within our service and a new general must be selected’.”

 

“what about your mom?”  
“hm? Oh, not sure. I was young when she died. Everyone was afraid of her, father loved her. She was his first mate, she rubbed it in. she was a true terror among the living. She inspired fear into everyone’s hearts. When I was born, father couldn’t have been more proud. Mother didn’t take it easy on me. She wanted a TRUE warrior, something that would surpass her and father. She died on the field of battle, father was devastated. He turned cold. Harder, less...hmm, not sure how to put it. As I grew up, things only became more difficult. Then blah blah, your mother happened, blah blah, then you happened, and here we are now.”  
“did dad ever be with anyone else? Cause he never did when my mom, you know, kicked the bucket”  
“no. he only took two mates. I think he swore to himself that he would never again love someone else, in a mate way at least. it’s almost midnight, you need rest”  
“will you sing to me?”  
“no.”  
“pleaseeee”  
“no.”  
“hum?”  
“hmmmmmmmm there happy?”  
“fiiine...what about you? You need sleep”  
“i will be fine. You sleep first whelp. You need it far more than I do. I will watch over you.” Jim nodded and tried to get comfortable as best as he could. He closed his eyes, listening to the faint noises around him, along with the hypnotic sounds of blades sharpening against Bular’s tough stone hide.  
‘shhhhhhing’  
‘shhhhhhing’  
‘shhhhhhing’  
the repetitive noises helped to make everything fade away….  
Bular watched his brother’s breathing slow down and his body came to a full rest. Bular moved his arm over to Jim, ever so lightly petting him soothingly.  
“sleep well little brother….find yourself in the world once more when you awaken.” 

……………………………………………

Jim slowly opened his eyes and woke up to the smell of something cooking. He stretched a bit before feeling a fresh surge of pain when he moved his stomach. It was a lot less now, but still far to strong. Jim at least could walk now without being in complete pain. Jim limped out of the door to see Bular cooking the bodies over a large fire pit he made under the shade.  
“good. you’re awake.”  
“mmmh, smells good”  
“I’m cooking these as well as salt them for you”  
“Aww just for me?”  
“i can’t risk you getting ill from bad meat” Jim covered his eyes as he looked around. It was very bright and sunny along with an intense heat with very little shade at all.  
“great. Hey Bro you ready to take a nice long walk in the direct sunlight?”  
“i will pass.”  
“no need to be stubborn, it’s fun! You should really try it! The sun is sooo nice and warm”  
“come eat, stuff your mouth so I don’t have to hear it.”  
“well this actually is really bad...how the hell are we going to get anywhere?. can’t move these trailers without trucks, which I now see are all busted up because of those stray bullets and you going wild, even if we did have a truck neither of us can drive or fit you into one. We could cover you with a bunch of stuff, but I can’t walk, even if you carried me it’s still too hot for me to be outside of shade for very long. I don’t plan on getting heatstroke...hmmm”

“eat first, think later.”  
“fine.” Jim limped over and sat down. Trying his best to stay as far away from the fire. He didn’t need anymore heat than he already has, trolls might not have a heatstroke, but he sure as hell will. Bular carved some pieces off with his sword for Jim and put it on a plate. Jim let it cool a bit before munching down. It was okay, fresh kills always were the best. After Bular had picked clean the last corpse, he snuffed out the fire and began to bury the remains. Jim offered to help, but Bular told him to rest as much as he could. The two really didn’t do much throughout the day. Jim was restless and wanted to move around, however Bular made sure he didn’t. Jim needed to conserve as much strength as possible. Jim watched his brother, how big and strong he was, how impressive his might is. Jim felt angry with himself. He spoke under his breath  
“i wish I was like you...”  
“did you say something?  
“nothing...”  
“it doesn’t sound like nothing. Speak, or I will force it out of you.”  
“fine….i wish I wasn’t half troll.”  
“why?”  
“because I’m not like you! I can’t do the things you can easily do!. I’m too weak.”  
“you’re young. Wait.”  
“no matter how old I am or how much I improve, I’ll never be like you. I also don’t want to die...”  
“everyone dies”  
“i want to live longer though”  
“no one can just ‘live longer’”  
“you know what I mean. If I was full troll I wouldn’t have to worry about so many things. I could do waaay more stuff!”  
“you think I can do ‘waay more stuff’ than you can?”  
“yeah”

 

“you can walk in daylight without dying, you can blend in, you can do what you like without anyone batting an eye…...you have fathers blood. His powers I mean…..” Jim didn’t know how to feel after he heard that. It was a bit quiet for a few moments before Bular started back up  
“I feel weak whenever the dam sun rises once more. Having to be locked away, imprisoned in the shadows. Half of an entire day is taken away from me. You can walk anywhere without caution.”  
“so you just want to walk around, big deal! You don’t have to constantly worry about the stuff I have to worry about!”  
“you are correct, I don’t, but you need to not pressure yourself into becoming something you’re not. You have your own limits, just like everyone does, even father knows his own.” Jim was quiet now. He didn’t know what to say. Bular noticed this and tried to be ‘comforting’, at least in his own way.  
“you need to stop letting your troll side overwhelm you. You need to focus on your humanity just as equally.” Jim was truly surprised that Bular said that, why would he support ‘humanity’.  
“why?”  
“because it’s half of you. You can’t push one side more than the other or you WILL FAIL. I don’t know a dam thing about fleshbags, but I know enough that you need it just as much as you need us. Blinkous told me that”  
“he is smart….another thing I wouldn’t have to worry about if I were full troll.”  
“well you aren’t so stop pestering yourself, you’re eating yourself alive. Relax, enjoy your other half. You need friends and stuff and….music and...uh….medicine”  
“you really don’t know much”  
“why should I?”  
“yeah you’re right. Well none of that will matter when dad’s out”  
“we will keep some fleshbags around”  
“wait really? I mean I know I would keep my friends…..”  
“you need them to live. We plan on keeping enough around so we can have a steady source of food, along with you having all the ‘friends’ and such you need”  
“so...my kingdom will just end up being...some cattle ranch?”  
“i wouldn’t put it like that, but, I suppose you could look at it like that”

“I don’t know how to feel about that”  
“well, you can always take it up with father”  
“ehhh maybe not...right away” Bular chuckled in amusement. Both of them feared their fathers anger equally  
“show your humanity more. Even if none of us understand it. We like when you do, it proves your being healthy. The truest humanity and all that crap. Your emotions, thoughts, needs and desires for friends and whatever. don’t hold it back. Humans grow ill if they have receive no contact from one another, be it physical or emotional.”  
“I will make sure I remember that...Bular...if...i was just a regular person...would you love me?”  
“do you mean if you were born a human? Or just some regular one”  
“i mean I know you would just eat me if I was some common dude, I meant if I were born fully human”  
“don’t know why you would be. I think so. If you were still the exact same, but simply in a different body, my opinion of you wouldn’t change. You would still be the annoying brother who won’t stop bothering me, but I would be more weary for your sake since you would be far smaller and weaker than you are now” the two of them laughed at that  
“well. let’s say I was full troll”  
“i would think of you as a rival who truly would be a threat to me.”  
“really? Wait I don’t right now?”  
“no. you are too small to be any threat to me” Bular laughed  
“well maybe I SHOULD be, I suddenly think I want dad’s throne”  
“ha. it’s mine, I’m thankful you don’t wish for it. If you truly did, then I would put you in your place and prove I am the worthy heir by besting you in combat”  
“i bet I could kick your ass if I was a full troll. eh, I don’t want to rule over everyone and having to be all tough like that, I’ll be chill when I have my own kingdom, it’ll be small so I won’t have to worry about every gumm-gumm trying to conspire against me for my throne of course.”  
“good.”  
“that’s it huh? Just good?”  
“yes” Jim was silent for another few minutes, then he broke the silence  
“hey Bular….do you ever think about having kids?”  
“no, my mind is preoccupied elsewhere with more important things at the current time than to be thinking of a mate and having whelps”  
“i mean, I dunno, sometimes I do….am I going to be a good parent? who’s my kid gonna take after?, how will they be?, that sort of thing”  
“this thinking is either due to your human side or omega side. Or both.”  
“yeah probably...i...actually learned something about that...i guess it’s kinda bad...”  
“what is it?”

 

Jim paused before taking a deep breath.  
“well, I’m only ever going to be able to have one kid. I got this medical checkup and well...yeah. One time thing”  
“hopefully you don’t die giving birth” Bular chuckled as he kicked at a trailer, watching it crumble.  
“yeahhh….”  
“hmm. Perhaps that was insensitive”  
“kinda was actually.”  
“one time, one chance. Hmm….better make it count then”  
“I’ll try to. Do you think I’ll be a good parent?”  
“i don’t know, I know nothing about parenthood or anything relevant.”  
“yeah but you know me”  
“yes, then I guess you will make a good mother”  
“mother huh?. hm...maybe...i hope so...”  
“you don’t plan on having a whelp yet, do you?”  
“nooo noo! it’s just something that crosses my mind every once in a while” Jim looked over to the distant city, then asked

“sooo when you get your own big kingdom, what are you going to do with it?”  
“rule it”  
“i know that! I meant like, a certain direction I guess”  
“hm...rule it the same way father does ours.”  
“well that’s helpful. I meant like, anything specific planned? I was thinking of making mine kinda open and fun and wild”  
“that sounds like you”  
“well, I mean, my kingdom will technically be a prison for humans, won’t it?”  
“if you wish to view it as such”  
“well no matter what, at the end of the day, everyone’s going to be locked up in my place, being taken eventually, getting eaten, that sort of thing”  
“in the age of Gunmar. Your kingdom will flourish. You will want for nothing. You will live your life until your dying breath as a ruler, a true son of Gunmar.”  
“that does super super sweet, guess you will too huh?”  
“yes. After I inherit the throne, I will rule everywhere just as father did, if not better.”  
“you think you can accomplish that? Kind of a big order”  
“something I will prove I am worthy to do, that is my intent”  
“Well I’m more than sure you’re going to use more...killing-fighting-eating-threatening, ways of dealing with things in your kingdom huh? I know I might make everyone just do something funny, then fight…...what if I won’t be a good king? Ruler? Whatever”  
“why do you worry about that? All will follow you, or they will die. Simple as that”  
“yeah but I want people to like me”  
“I’m going to assume this is a human thing, this, ‘having others like you’”  
“you know me, positive work environment gets things done!….speaking ooofff, I think the first we we gotta do when we get into the city is find a phone, I need to call the Janus order, give them info on our current….well...this”

“how long will it take the impures to do their job and bring us back?”  
“would you relax with them! they’re great! When everything is said and done and I get my kingdom, I want all the humans, changelings, and half trolls”  
“then you will receive them. Humans I understand, but why impures? And half trolls for that matter?”  
“well, humans yeah like we’ve already talked about, the changelings because I like them and they like me, I want to keep them, as for the other half trolls...well we don’t have much. I want us all to finally have one place where we all belong in.”  
“first ever half troll kingdom. hm. I wonder how that will play out.”  
“doubt me and my ideas?”  
“not doubt, only curiosity. First ever ruling half troll. interesting”  
“when dad does retire, I highly doubt it will be in my lifetime, and you take over….Where does that leave me?”  
“you will be my champion, as I am to father. You will serve as my second in command. You will follow my orders and be by my side”  
“ohh suddenly I have to start following you huh? Call you big boss bro?”  
“yes, I will in fact be your boss”  
“hmmm, now I want to have the throne even more! Mostly cause that would make me YOUR boss”

“hahah, funny.”  
“….when….when I do die...what will happen?”  
“...i don’t know. let’s not speak of that.”  
“yeah…...” Bular walked over to Jim and looked at him closely.  
“Take your armor off”  
“uh...what?”  
“take it off. I need to properly check your wound. You also shouldn’t be wearing it, the armor will keep heat in and cook you from the inside out.”  
“yeah it probably will cool me down….although I don’t have actual cloths to wear. Just my basic gear underneath”  
“you will take that off as well. Fetch the cloths the fleshbags had within these metal homes”  
“oh fun, shopping day….wait what are we going to do with my armor?”  
“bundle it up, then I carry it on my back.” Jim shrugged off the armor with Bular helping, crying when he had to move and stretch anywhere near his stomach, the two were as careful s possible. The wound wasn’t infected, but it wasn’t something pretty. Some proper cleaning, healing, medicine, and his body would patch itself up. Perk of being a half troll!. However, it will leave a scar….  
The only cloths Jim could find that actually fit him was a large baggy moth bitten shirt, and some oil stained pants. Clearly those two articles had been worn for a long time. Jim never bothered with shoes, no need really. Plus his claws didn’t exactly help keeping the shoes together.

 

It’s been a few silent hours. The two simply laid about all day, watching for the burning and bright sun finally set. Finally at long last, the sun had gone down juuust enough to provide shade for Bular, as long as they were careful when walking at least. Bular had bundled Jim’s armor up in sheets and tied them onto his back, then he carefully held Jim and the two walked along the large expanse of dessert and hills. Bular didn’t say much until they came across a street sign, the only one for miles.  
“what does that say?”  
“can’t read?”  
“no”  
“huh, well now that I think of it, you really wouldn’t need to read English”  
“well what does It say?”  
“well it just says a city’s name and how many miles. Well, time to head that way for a while.” the sun was almost gone by the time they had reached the city. Now the real problems began. Bular looked around at all the cars and humans just going about their business. A couple trolls here and there but they really didn’t stay around too long. Typically humans and trolls didn’t bother with one another, stay on your side I stay on mine type of unspoken deal. Well, at least no one argued, for the most part. Bular and Jim started to become noticed by everyone while walking. Large scary black troll carrying small half troll in arms. Large twin blades and large bundle of ‘something’ strapped to his back. Not exactly your everyday thing. Bular was getting annoyed by everyone staring. He said quietly with anger  
“you are up here on the surface more often. Do something.”  
“like what?”  
“anything.”  
“don’t like being looked at?”  
“only when I’m gawked at like some fool’s show.”  
“well not much I can do.”  
“you practice magics. Use those”  
“I hardly know anything! Besides, I don’t have mind control powers or anything”  
“you have fathers blood. You have a fraction of his power. Use that.”  
“that only gives me extra strength, barely, and I can hardly hold it for more than a minute without practically collapsing onto the ground.”  
“what other magics do you know? don’t you know how to summon the dead?”  
“noooo, whoever told you that is wrong”  
“Father did”

 

“well he doesn’t have it...exactly right. I’m practicing, learning, trying. I can’t do anything! I mean, I made a gnome twitch but that was about it”  
“that’s something. At least. Where are your dam medical huts? Everything looks the same!”  
“hmm, look for a sign saying its one”  
“like that?”  
“no”  
“that one?”  
“no. oh wait you can’t read. Okay great….uh...well I can’t see one. Well shit...oh..OH wow. Didn’t think I’d ever see one of those again.” Jim looked at a nearby pay phone. A couple of them, very old and worn, still were functional at least  
“oh shhhiiittt. We should have taken money!”  
“why do you require wealth?”  
“we need to pay for the call.”  
“the impures provide it the wealth”  
“trueeee but we can’t contact them without paying….going to have to ask for help”  
“like some filth?!”  
“would you rather walk home?”  
“yes.”  
“well I don’t. Alright go up to that guy”

Bular huffed and walked over to a man on a phone call. He hardly paid any attention to what was going on around him. When his phone call ended Jim polietly cleared his throat.  
“uh hi” The man turned to look, only to gasp and move backwards  
“no no! it’s okay! I know I know this looks really weird. Loooong story, point is, can I borrow some change? If you have any. This is my brother, we’re lost and trying to get home, we need to call a friend of ours and we’re broke” The man just shook his head without speaking  
“mind if we borrow your phone? Just for like, a minute? Look We’re not going to break it or run off with it”

“w-what’s with the...skulls and swords?”  
“again, long story. Point is we’re lost and need help”  
“i-i’m sorry I need to go” and so the man quickly ran off. Bular started to slowly follow until Jim spoke up  
“where are you going? Pay phones that way!”  
“we will kill this fleshbag for insulting us for not doing as we requested. Then we take his device and wealth.”  
“we CAN’T make a scene!”  
“then we follow him and watch until he is alone.”  
“nooo! Okay new plan.” Jim looked around, only to now notice the streets ‘for some reason’ were a lot less crowded. As if for some reason, people didn’t want to go in their direction.  
“great. Okay see that guy? Run over to him DON’T actually run, just walk…..hey excuse me, sir, c-” the man ran off screaming.  
“rude….okay him over there….yeah hi, DON’T BE AFRAID! Look pleaassseee just tell us where the nearest hospital is” a woman who held a now crying baby close jut pointed in a direction before moving as fast away from them as she could. Bular snarled as he walked in the pointed direction  
“i should kill everyone here for not assisting.”  
“they don’t know anything. Honestly if I were some rando and saw us, I would freak out too.” After a few streets (and plenty of people stepping out of the way) the brothers walked into a hospital. Everyone they walked past just stared as if the med’s they may or may not be taking was causing them to trip. Balls. A woman at a desk cleared her throat and looked at Jim, making sure not to have eye contact with an angry looking troll with weapons.  
“s-sir’s there are no weapons allowed within the building.”  
“don’t worry, it’s cosplay. Long story, anyways short version, can we use a phone? And a quick check up? ME not him. don’t worry.” the woman didn’t know what to do or make of the situation. She quickly just typed on her computer for a while before clearing her throat and brushing her hair out of her face and then turned to Jim  
“i need your name and date of birth please. Who is your medical care provider?”  
“i actually forgot. Also I don’t think I’m in the system. Not from aroudn here, clearly. Look I just need to make ooonneee tiiinyyy phone call, then I can get the info for everything and payment and blah blah.” the woman clearly wasn’t sure what she should do. Bular started to look even more pissed off….the woman decided to just let them have what they wanted.

Jim was on a cordless phone in a waiting room, he punched in the Janus order’s phone number in, now he simply had to wait. Meanwhile Bular was sitting down trying to hold himself back from going on a rampage. One child next to him kept touching him.  
“stop that. I mean it. Do not make me angry.” the child didn’t care, or understand, she just kept touching him all over. Bular was about to snarl when Jim had to throw his finger at him and make a:  
‘don’t you fucking dare make a twitch or else we are going to be in serious trouble, do you honestly want to wait here any longer than we need to? Then sit down and shut up!’

FINALLY after a couple minutes of waiting Jim’s call had gone through.  
“welco-”  
“yeah hey James shut it I realllyyy don’t have time, yeah its me Jim. In trouble, I’m with Bular. In…..” Jim turned around and asked where they even were at. Someone pointed to a map  
“wait we’re in NEVADA?!” Jim went back to the phone  
“okay we’re in Nevada. Please get Walt on the phone. NOW.” within a single minute the phone call was transferred to Walt  
“oh thank-”  
“listen. We can talk later. Right now. Bular and I, in Nevada, got nothing, need to leave ASAP. Get us a plane or whatever and get us out of here before-” Jim heard a child crying and turned to see Bular had pushed a child onto the ground  
“of for fu-” a few very terrified guards had made their way over to the ‘now pissed off troll only holding himself back because Jim told him to stay put so they could hurry up and leave’ troll. Jim went back to the phone  
“Walt. Locate us from this phone, it’s in some hospital. Get someone to meet us out here, NOW. Oh and get Otto on the phone real quick, I need to ask him to do something”

……………………………………………………………

Shit hit the fan pretty fast. Currently Jim was riding on Bular’s back as the larger brother ran through the streets fleeing from a few dozen cop cars chasing after them. Back at the hospital Bular lashed out and Jim had to hold him back. Thankfully no one died. But a guard was horribly wounded. So now the two had to flee from the cops who were called on them. Bular just wanted to kill them and be done with it. Jim of course told him that he COULDN’T KILL THEM BECAUSE HE CAN’T KILL AN ENTIRE CITY OF COPS. After all, if one dies, someone else is just going to come after them. So flee they did!. Nothing says brotherly bonding like bounding down streets in a high speed police chase. Bular huffed and roared as he smashed things aside and jumped here and there. Jim just wanted to go home. He was tired, he was hungry again, he wanted to wear comfy cloths, he wanted a nice long hot bath, and he mostly didn’t want to get arrested. In all honesty that really wouldn’t matter since the Janus order could just wipe everything from the records. Still, Jim didn’t feel like going through an entire process. Bular had climbed up a small building then crawled around and crept past some other buildings. The sounds and lights of the police cars started to fade away in the distance. Bular and Jim finally had some breathing space. Now the two just sat in a dark corner between buildings and waited. Knowing the Janus order, they wouldn’t take long to find them, the huge mess they made would also help to show where they ended up.

Bular was seething with anger. All he wanted to do was go home with his brother. Then all these fleshbags had to ruin it by being in there way. He couldn’t wait until he killed and ate most of them, then herded the rest into Jim’s future kingdom to be punished for their crimes of not complying.  
“you’d better have made that call count dear brother.”  
“i did. Thankfully. Why did you attack that guy?!”  
“the little fleshbag whelp started it!”  
“A CHILD, YOU GOT MAD AT A-you know what I really shouldn’t be surprised.”  
“i didn’t want to keep getting touched and drawn on.”  
“then you had to make a scene because you made a child cry!. Then, oh yeah, you MAULED A GUY”  
“he started it!”  
“YOU STARTED IT! it’s in the past. doesn’t matter now. Great. Juuuuust great. Instead of just getting picked up at the hospital, now we have to wait until everything dies down, which won’t be for a very very long time. what’s worse is that now no one has any way to contact us.”  
“…..the whelp started it”  
“Bular. I honestly would eat you if I could”  
“HAHAHA try it whelp. Try to slay me.”

the two sat still and just listened to the city around them go by. The brothers hadn’t heard a police siren in a while now. Jim fidgeted with his shirt a bit while he quietly spoke up  
“hey….back at the trailer homes, you said you were jealous because you didn’t have dads...blood and junk.”  
“yes. What about it?”  
“if I could give it to you, I would.” Bular looked his over curiously. Jim seemed quieter, introverted, something he never usually was.  
“why speak of this all of a sudden?”  
“I don’t deserve it. you’re stronger than I am. you’re the one who’s more like dad, you could actually use it. I feel like it’s wasted on me”  
“stop.”  
“w-”  
“don’t be so oppressive to yourself. A gift isn’t wasted unless the one who receives it doesn’t use it. that’s your birthright. Not mine. Nothing will change the fact that I don’t have it and you do.”  
“don’t you want it though?”  
“i will admit. I have many times in the past been jealous of you for having something I didn’t even know father could pass on. you’re right. that’s exactly what I thought. All the things you said. Nothing can change it though, so don’t worry about it. You don’t need to poison your mind with negativity. Perhaps I am more deserving of it than you are. Maybe I SHOULD have been the one to be born with it. No matter what though, it’s yours and nothing will change that. Maybe fate gave it to you for a reason”  
“why would fate care?”  
“fate is strange. Believe it or not but even father fears it. it’s something that can’t be controlled. Things happen no matter what, there will always be something outside our control and that’s what father fears. Being vulnerable to something he can’t fight. Perhaps fate gave you those powers to make up for your weaknesses” Bular chuckled. He he noticed his little brother start to smile, Bular was glad that it worked.

The two turned as they noticed flashlights pointed at them, a group of people were walking towards them. Bular got up and drew his swords  
“Bular do-”  
“quiet. Still yourself.” before either could do anything a woman quietly called out  
“we’re from the order!” Bular simply gave the woman a leer. Jim got up and walked over to her. Bular growled at the action.  
“Brother, why do you trust her?”  
“because 1, we have no choice, 2, no random civilian would know where we are, or walk up to us. And 3, I’m tired and hungry and at this point I’m willing to leave with anyone who offers me a hot bath and a sandwhich.” Bular sheathed his twin blades and walked forward. The small group of changelings explained that they tracked them down, and are going to bring them somewhere safe until they could arrange a way to get the brothers to the nearest doorway. Bular was skeptical about going with them. Even more so when a large black van pulled up to them, opening it’s back to let the brothers in. Jim trusted them, so Bular would too. Jim was smart, he knew the changelings more than Bular did. 

The brothers sat in the back for who knows how long. It was getting stuffy and boring. Jim felt like he was going to pass out right then and there from exhaustion. Finally the van stopped and the doors opened to reveal a decently sized home they were parked in front of. The area around them was far enough from the city and in the less developed areas. Only a few other homes dotted the area. A couple changelings told them that they will be staying here for the night. A changeling, ironically, named Jim would house them until the preparations would be completed. Jim laughed to himself, he would have made some smart ass comment, but he just wanted to head inside and crash. The door opened and the two entered the home. It was basic and plain, not something to really be interested in. It was clear the changeling was both part nervous and excited. He introduced himself and reached out for a handshake. Bular just leered at him. The changeling quickly retracted his hand and tried his best to stay calm. Jim shook his hand.  
“I-I can’t believe it! I get to meet both of you In person! And house you!? This truly is a great honor! Even if it was simply because I was the only one who could house you at this time” Jim smiled tiredly and asked where the bathroom was, he needed hot water right then and there. The changeling showed him and then asked if the two needed anything. Bular said he was hungry and wanted to eat someone. He stared with intense hunger at the changeling, who feared for his life. Pretty much everyone knew that the second son, Jim, was far easier to approach and talk to. The changeling tried his best to look busy so he wouldn’t have to be near Bular anymore than he had to. At least without Jim around. After a half hour, Jim finally came out of a nice how shower. He already felt a lot better, although his wound was still hurting, the hot water made it worse for a short time, although the pain was worth it to be clean.

Jim was now eating a nice large meal the changeling Jim had made for the brothers. Bular sloppily ate raw meat like the true gumm-gumm he was. Jim actually had table manners, which the changeling was thankful for. After the food Jim asked about where he was going to sleep, he was shown a nice spare bedroom, small but at least it was comfortable. The changeling offered cloths for Jim to wear, sadly everything was way to small to use. So he stuck with his current cloths. Bular slept outside under a large gazebo. The morning went by well enough, the changeling left to go do his regular ‘daily’ job. Bular was bitter that he had to stay inside and wait. He hated to wait. Sure he could be patient for most things, but that didn’t mean he liked it. Jim laid around watching TV, Bular would occasionally watch too, but he found it tedious. Too many people doing too many things. Even IF they showed fighting and killing, it was mediocre to him, he COULD EASILY do far worse. That afternoon the van drove up to the home and a couple changelings told the brothers that they had arranged a way for them to get to a doorway, however the nearest one would take all day to get to since they had to drive. It was the only thing they could do on such short notice. So they did! An entire day of long grueling hours, being stuck in traffic almost the entire time. Finally by nightfall they came to a secret under ground facility. It was under the surface just far enough to go unnoticed. The large doorway had to be re powered before it could be used. More waiting. Bular was terribly pissed off now. The entire day of just waiting. He needed to kill something as soon as he could to finally let out all that pent up energy. The changelings there were scared to approach and talk to the brothers, the ones who DID talk all wafted over to Jim, he didn’t mind, he was just tired from having to sit around all day. He did some meet and greets, signed some stuff, and took pictures. Bular found this aggravating. These impures wasting his brothers time for little things. 

 

Bular let it go. It was what Jim wanted to do, also it wasn’t like they had much else to do. Finally after an hour of waiting the doorway charged up and the brothers were sent into the darklands...they made their way around the giant maze of a realm, passing by some patrols who were sent out to frantically search for them. The gumm-gumm princes had finally been found!. Jim and Bular told them the search was over and to call back all remaining parties. They handed Jim’s armor over to a patrol, telling them to bring it to an armory to fix it up. Then there they were now entering their fathers throne room…

 

“-that’s about it dad.” Jim finished speaking with a yawn and a stretch.  
“show me your wound.”  
“it’s pretty healed up at this point, so no need to worry about it really, if that puts your mind at ease” Jim said calmly as he lifted up his shirt. Jim and Bular had lied about who truly inflicted the wound. They pinned that onto Kanjigar. Gunmar looked it over, he felt a strong anger building up inside him, the trollhunter had scared his child. Not just some small thing, or one to show off and be proud of, but one that would forever mark his body as a sign of weakness. His son already bore the trollhunters mark on his neck, now he bore the trollhunters scar on his belly. Gunmar wouldn’t tolerate this. He wanted Kanjigar to suffer. He wanted it now. The only relief he had gained was that his son’s had returned alive, as well as Jim breaking the mind of the trollhunter from the poison. At least the trollhunter would suffer now. Being eaten alive by living nightmares for the rest of his life. Endless mental torment that lasted every moment.  
“Jim, go to a medic.”  
“I’m ok-”  
“DO NOT SPEAK BACK.” Jim flinched from the sudden boom. Gunmar relaxed himself, he shouldn’t lash his anger out onto his son.  
“go.”  
“okay dad...” Jim held his stomach and walked off. Gunmar watched his son slightly limp away. He turned to Bular  
“my son. You failed to protect your brother. Yet again.”  
“i beg for forgiveness”  
“and why should I give it? you’ve allowed him to be hurt before, but now he has something that will forever bring shame to him. He doesn’t deserve that. Yet you let it happen.”  
“i did let it happen...” Bular regretted his action. He wished he could go back in time and prevent himself from hurting Jim by mistake.  
“i understand he is impatient. That he yearns to fight. He hungers for blood. However from now on, he is not allowed to engage with the trollhunter, at least in battle. I will tell him that myself later. I want you to remember that. This is your doing…..” Gunmar closed his eye and calmed his anger. It was his son’s fault, but it was the trollhunter that had caused all of this to happen in the first place. He deserved the punishment, not either of his sons. 

 

“my son. I will allow this to be forgiven. You protected your brother when he was vulnerable. You brought him back safely. You tended to him when he couldn’t tend to himself. For this your reward will be forgiveness. Do not let it happen again.”  
“thank you father. I do not deserve this.”  
“leave. You are dismissed. Do as you like.”  
“thank you father” Gunmar just nodded and turned around and walked back to his throne. He would have to consult with Blinky later about how he should handle Jim. He shouldn’t be punished, but he needed to be. The wound was punishment enough, but Gunmar still needed to show his armies that weakness is not permitted. No one goes without punishment, not even his own spawn.

……………………………………………………. 

Bular had left through a doorway and headed to Arcadia. This doorway was a few hours away, but that didn’t matter much when Bular just ran on all fours. He needed to do something before the night ended…

Bular was now walking the halls of the Janus order in Arcadia. The changelings around him would stay as far away from him as they could. Bular didn’t see the point in keeping these disgusting creatures around after Gunmar seizes the world. Jim wanted them. Fine. He could have them. Bular stopped and turned to one changeling. She was thankful she wore a mask, so didn’t dare look Bular directly in the eye. Bular said in a dark and aggressive tone  
“where is stricklander?” the changeling managed to squeak  
“in his office!”  
“show me.”

the changeling practically darted away, making sure she was just close enough to be followed. Walt sat in his office writing papers and replying to E-mails. His door was knocked on, he politely invited them in, he didn’t expect to see Bular shove his way past the door and the changeling.  
“ah, what an unexpected surprise to what do-”  
“silence. I don’t wish to waste any more time here than is needed. You will spy on Jim and report to me your findings.”  
“spy? Exactly what-”  
“you will report to me everything he says and does. Where he goes, what he does, how long he does it.”  
“Jim won’t appreciate me spying on him.”  
“i don’t care”  
“he will find out. he’s far smarter than you might imagine”  
“if he does find out, you tell him to speak with me.”  
“i do work for him-”  
“i am first heir. I outrank him, no matter what he commands. You. Work. For. me.”  
“very well. And everyone wonders why Jim is so loved”  
“do not mock me impure! My brother might have grown some sickening fondness for your kind, but I haven’t. You are a tool to be used and discarded. Never forget your place. If I had my way-”  
“you’d what? Kill us all? Oh yes, that certainly wouldn’t upset your father. All his time and resources poured into us, all just to go to waste suddenly.”  
“ENOUGH” Bular slammed his fists onto the table, breaking it apart. Walt managed to grab his mug of tea at the very last moment.  
“do as you’re told and serve your purpose. that’s the reason we created you. Report back to me everything you learn. He trusts you and will say things to you that he wouldn’t say normally to anyone else. You can get the information I need from him.”

 

“information for what?”  
“doesn’t matter”  
“it DOES matter, how else will I know what to look for?”  
“all you need to know is that he is doing something that from here on out can NOT be continued.”  
“being a bit traitorous to you brother”  
“i have my reasons. I won’t stand for what he is currently doing any longer.”  
“as you command. I shall report to you and your fath-”  
“no. only to me in secrecy.”  
“hiding things from your father? Now isn-” Bular grabbed Walt’s throat and squeezed.  
“there are more important things going on than you realize. I’m going to make sure they end once and for all. My father doesn’t need to waste time thinking about these matters. I’m seeing to them personally. You serve me, you do it right, you live. There are more than enough of your kind to easily replace you.” Bular released his grip on Walt and let him drop to the floor. Walt rubbed his throat and held back his anger.  
“as you command.”


	16. unresolved feelings will eat you alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim goes through a lot of intense emotions within such a short time. life never gets easier does it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been very inspired recently! trying to get as much out of it as i can

It was the next day. Jim and Bular stood on top of a bridge watching a celebration down below them in a huge field. Jim paced back and forth grinding his teeth in anger. Bular was simply polishing his twin blades and occasionally cast his glance down below, showing little care.  
“dear brother. You are going to ruin your teeth.”  
“i don’t care.”  
“without them you won’t be able to eat anything.”  
“I’ll deal with that problem later.” Bular knew just what was happening at the moment. Down below was a praised and famous champion among the horde. One of the top 5 most distinguished, one who truly made a name for himself. Jim hated him. Whenever anyone would speak of him, Jim would grow spiteful and bitter. Jim was truly jealous of the champion.  
“You can’t just keep doing this. The bitterness is going to kill you.”  
“why can’t I be better. Why can’t I be stronger. Why can’t I go out and hunt. Why can’t I do what he’s able to do. Why can’t I endure more pain. Why can’t I shrug off wounds like he does. I hate this body. I hate this so much it hurts.”  
“we’ve been over this plenty of times. You can’t rush yourself anymore than you already do. Nothing is built properly within a day. It took me centuries to-”  
“i don’t care about you! You aren’t as small as I am! I hate this body. I want to be full troll.”  
“you keep forcing yourself beyond you limitations. you’re only doing more harm than good.”  
“I’m improving too slowly.”  
“you’re-”  
“i hate him. I want to be like him. I want this poison out of me.”  
“your humanity isn’t poison.”  
“it is.”  
“i want to be able to kill things on my own without nearly dying! I want to be seen as dangerous as he is! No one respects me because I can’t do anything on my own! I’m not good enough! I want to be recognized and feared! Not just from being Gunmar’s son! But being a deadly creature! I want everyone to see me and know who I am! I want their approval! I hate this!”

“if you want to go out and hunt, then do so.”  
“NO. I can’t! You know I ALWAYS have to have others around me because DAD KNOWS I CAN’T SURVIVE ON MY OWN AND HE’S RIGHT!”  
“every-”  
“EVEN IF I DO GO OUT AND HUNT, THEY WILL JUST LET ME DO THE KILLING BLOW. You KNOW that! Whenever I drag anything back here, everyone just sees it as  
‘oh he’s come back with them’ I want to come back WITHOUT HELP! My body has this hot numbness in it, I hate it. I want others to speak of me in a good way and NOT JUST OUT OF FEAR BECAUSE OF DAD. I’m so tired of being seen as the ‘little child who needs tending to’. I want EVERYONE to appreciate what I do! I hate that I have to be held back because this stupid fucking body won’t let me do what I want! I GOT CUT ONCE AND I WAS INCAPACITATED FOR DAYS BULAR! YOU get cut and you just walk it off! I COULDN’T EVEN MOVE TO GET THE AMULETS! I bleed too much, I can’t EVEN USE THE ONLY THING I’M GOOD FOR BECAUSE I’M TOO WEAK TO EVEN LAST LONG ENOUGH TO HOLD IT. I want to do what he can do. I want to stop feeling so terrible. I want to be known and respected. I don’t want to get help anymore. I don’t want to live like this anymore. I want to be an alpha, I want to be a full gumm-gumm. “

Jim punched a large rock on the bridge. He gasped and held his hand  
“IT FUCKING HURT AND I DIDN’T EVEN CRACK IT. WHY AM I SO WEAK. I’M TIRED OF BEING HELD BACK BY EVERYTHING. I hate my emotions. I don’t want these anymore. I don’t want to feel attached. Why can’t I just do what he does. What EVERYONE DOES.” Jim started to feel hot tears roll down his face. His breathing was ragged from the mental frustration. No, it was far worse than that.  
“see? I can’t even control my own emotions. I want to be recognized. I want to be seen. I want to be appreciated. I want to contribute to everything and be known, not just because of who my dad is!. All this effort isn’t doing anything. No matter how much I practice, I just can’t fight well enough. I don’t want it ‘one day’ I want it now…..i thought if I learned some kind of magic, it would help me push past my limits, that I could do SOMETHING. It doesn’t help…...i want others to come and beg to be in my presence. I want-” Jim stopped talking as Bular had hugged him. Jim just growled and cried while his body shook.  
“brother, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. I don’t want to just keep repeating myself. Clearly it doesn’t help. You must stop repeating yourself. You can drown yourself in as much of these feelings as you’d like but it will never change anything. You can see him as a champion, but not matter what, he is just some common gumm-gumm. Your life is far better than his is, and will always be. You will be recognized, just not right now. One day all will do as you’d like. You are appreciated, even if you don’t know it.”

“who exactly wants me around? If I wasn’t our dads son, I wouldn’t even be worth looking at.”  
“that isn’t necessarily true. Your mother was living that life until she rose up. You can become far greater than any other in the horde. Even father knows to be patient, so must you.” Jim shuddered and sniffled, he leaned more into the hug, which Bular took as a sign to hold him closer.  
“when am I going to get better?”  
“in the future”  
“i hate that I don’t know an exact date.”  
“well, no one can tell the future. Do you think father doesn’t feel the same way about his escape?”  
“huh...i...yeah...i guess so.”  
“he hates the waiting. But it’s what he can only do. So he does. You must do the same. Nothing will force it faster, no matter what you do. Keep up the training that’s been specifically created for you. Then and only then will you grow stronger.”  
“i guess the only way I’m going to be useful is if I finally grow my blood, power, thingy whatever. Yeah...I’ll grow it until nothing withh hold me back. I’ll even be more powerful than dad!”  
“that will make you a force to be truly feared. Mastering fathers blood, It will show everyone exactly what you want. You will get respect the more you practice and perfect it. Only time will allow you to grow perfectly. Better than father huh? I don’t think I’d mind seeing if you can actually do such a feat” Bular looked down at the celebration. He chuckled  
“i think I know a way to take all that hate and bitterness out of you.”  
“how?”  
“you could take him as your mate, then use all that emotional energy while you two are alone”  
“ha! Yeah right! Everyone would just count it as another victory for him. And if we had a kid? don’t even get me started on how smug he would be.”  
“well, at least father wouldn’t mind having another strong gumm-gumm to bear his blood”  
“….thanks for...this...”  
“Do you feel any better?”  
“...not really….ugh….I’m going to go eat someone.” 

 

………………………………………………………………………….

Jim had left through a doorway, a specific smith who forged the amulets the brothers owned said it would take a while to recreate such complex devices. So the brothers now just came and went through whatever doorways they could go through. Thankfully there was one near(ish) to Arcadia. Walt had insisted on helping Jim get around with his car. Technically Jim could run faster than it, but he didn’t want to just tire himself out all the time. The ride was nice, although Walt had asked strange questions the entire ride. Jim just didn’t put much effort into thinking about it…….

Jim was currently digging into a fresh kill. He was too busy thinking things than to actually savor the kill.  
‘first thing I need to do is eat more. That will give me a nice strong boost of energy each time. Vendel did say I needed more meat in my diet….Vendel….shit I need to visit them, knowing Otto he probably would have not made much sense to everyone. Great, now to go repair whatever damaged he might have caused. Still he did me a big favor...’ Jim winced at the pain of his stomach being filled.  
‘fight through the pain. Ignore it. Get used to it. No weakness. No weakness.’… Jim finished up what he could shovel down without wanting to vomit back up. He put little effort into hiding the body, he didn’t care at the time, to hell with getting caught, he had more important things to attend to….

After cleaning himself up and making sure he didn’t stink like gore, he walked through trollmarket on his way ‘home’.  
“heeeyyyy guess who’s back! Your fa-” Jim was suddenly rushed at by a big hug from Draal.  
“OWOWOWOW please let go!”  
“i have so many questions! First, are you injured?”  
“yeah...i got hurt the other day fro-it doesn’t matter.”  
“second question, where did you run off to?! I searched everywhere I could!”  
“run off to?” Jim was genuinely curious. hadn’t yet talked to Otto about what happened when Jim was gone and replaced.  
“yes! Do you not remember what we were doing?”  
“noooot really...”  
“you were bit….off. So I wished to take you on the fleshbag ‘date’ you spoke of. I thought we could start it off with a little ‘physical contact’. You declined” Jim mentally flinched  
‘awww shit! I would never had said no!’  
“however”  
‘however!?’  
“i remembered how much you enjoy the chase. So I gave you a head start to hide from me. I was excited to claim my prize when I found you~.”  
‘PHEW that was close...good thing he just thought that I wanted to be a bit playful...’  
“However I couldn’t...i began to worry when I could not locate you. Now you are here!”  
“ohhh yeah..uh sorry I left you high and dry...i had to...go back to my dad! He needed help with some stuff. Stupid me, totally forgot! Sorry about that”  
“I’m glad you are safe here now. You had been acting a bit strange though...” Jim smiled but mentally screamed. Draal grew a sad expression.  
“i just assumed it was from when...well you were taken...”  
‘PHEW….wait what?...OHHHH right..i was ‘trollnapped’….fuck what did Otto say?!’ Jim cleared his throat.  
“soooo uh...i did? Sorry I guess I was a bit off from...how did I describe it?” Draal looked worriedly at Jim  
“you said you were ambushed, then knocked out. You said when you woke up, no one was around so you managed to flee. You waited under the bridge for me”  
“YES! Now I remember! Partially….yeah it wasn’t fun...i just..i dunno, I can’t remember. It was a dark and soundproof room and, well it doesn’t matter lets move on!”  
“yes. We no longer need to speak of it. Come! Father will better seeing you once more!”  
“oh? Wait better?”  
“yes...he still has yet to recover...”  
“wait...he...still hasn’t?!”  
“no….”

Jim felt then heavy pang in his heart.  
‘this shouldn’t have happened. Why did he do that? w-’ Jim breathed in deeply and steadied himself.  
‘no. this was weakness eating it way back inside his heart. Ignore it.’  
“take me to him.”

 

Jim felt another heavy pang as he saw Kanjigar sitting in a chair, slumped over, eyes glazed.  
“father. Jim has returned” Kanjigar grabbed his head and breathed painfully between his teeth before straining to talk.  
“good….good...Jim..” Draal went to his fathers side and placed a cold rag on his head. Jim felt the sudden urge to just...do something. He had to fight those urges back. This wouldn’t happen anymore. He was going to kill this ‘affection’ once and for all. He needed to focus on his future. Jim spoke under his breath.  
“this shouldn’t have lasted this long...” Draal looked over to Jim  
“did you speak Jim?”  
“no...uh...no….the others who had this done to them, when..... how long did it take them to recover?”  
“others? How did you know about them?”  
“uh..i heard a rumor! And seeing Kanjigar...like…..this……..it uh, I assumed the rumors were true!” Draal looked a bit skeptical.  
“i had heard no rumors being spread...well, that doesn’t matter. The others recovered within a half hour”  
“but Kanjigar...hasn’t….and it’s been...” Jim rubbed his horn. He felt like his head was splitting in two. One part of him told him to just leave. The other told him to stay and help fix what HE did.

 

 

Fuck it.

 

 

“hey Draal, go get Vendel I need to ask him something, I’ll watch Kanjigar” Draal nodded and left. The second he did Jim rushed around and got whatever he could use to make a ‘remedy’. He knew how to make it, why couldn’t he figure out how to unmake it?. He hardly had anything to work with. However he did have one of THE most important things he needed….  
Jim made a mug of some strong tasting and smelling glug. He needed it to mask the final ingredient. His own blood.  
“you’re killing me Kanjigar. You just haaaad to run into me that night. You just haaad to make me start wanting to be the ‘good guy’. You just haaad to make me start having morals. This is fucking stupid.” Jim said quietly to himself as he grabbed a blade and cut his palm. Just enough to draw out a decent amount of blood. Jim groaned through his teeth as he squeezed his palm into a fist, letting the fluids leak into the mug. Jim quickly mixed It all up, then patched his own hand. It would smell like fresh blood. He would deal with it later.  
“ooookay, here you go big guy, drink up. that’s it, drink the whole thing. God I hate you. Why the fuck do you make me want to help people!? You and your fucking son make me want to ‘better myself’. All I’ve wanted to do with my life is get to my dads approval and do right by him. I would get my own mate, I would get my own kingdom! I would have a kid and live happily ever fucking after. Now I’m falling in love with Draal and I don’t want it to go away. I blame this on how amazing at sex he is….there, Nice and empty. Alright, my blood will start making its way into your system and start thinning out the poison. By tonight you should be up on your feet like usual! You stupid sack of helpful shit. I wanted to be just like my dad but noooo now I have the intense urge to just throw my amazing life away to come here and be ‘nice’.

I don’t want to! I want to be dark and evil and-oh god am I goth?. Whatever, point is I was about to live the best fucking life but you and Draal had to go and ruin it. I was going to be a king! Dad would be so proud of me! His little gumm-gumm growing up! My brother would show me more of his love! HE NEVER GETS EMOTIONAL! Do you even realize how amazing that is?! I was going to get hitched to some handsome bad ass warrior and have a kid and I’d live with my family and love them. How do you think dad would feel if he saw me doing this?!...oh shit can the other troll ghosts see me?! Fuck It I’ll deal with it later.

This would kill Blinky if he saw this! LITERALLY! My dad would think he failed at his job and KILL HIM FOR IT! ALONG WITH ARRRG! I try to be a good son so dad would approve of him too! he’s practically my adopted dad/mom/whatever! And Arrrrg too! They love me so much and raised me and UGH I HATE THIS. Now my stupid heart wants to make a future here. Living all ‘goodie goodie’ with the random dumb trolls, get married to Draal, have a kid, raise them to be some good troll to protect others. OH and let’s NOT forget a SUPER BIG PART OF BEING A PRINCE, everyone BOWS to you! Everyone’s AFRAID OF YOU!...well more or less for me….STILL! Everywhere I go, others bow and or cower! Here? Well here all I fucking ever get is the occasional push, or being spit at, or talked behind my back, or haha BEING DISRESPECTED IN GENERAL!. If a gumm-gumm would have done that oooohhh they would have been killed on the spot! And here, I CAN’T kill whoever I want whenever I want! Because it’s ‘bad’. Oohhhh and how could I forget the changelings?! They are my FRIENDS! I LIKE THEM! They like ME! Bular wants them to all die, and I HIGHLY DOUBT dear old dad will want to keep them around after he’s done with them! Ohhhh and one really really really fun thing that would happen when I got my kingdom, THE HALF TROLLS WOULD HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO! Somewhere to LIVE somewhere they could stay at without feeling like they were outcasts! Some place we could FINALLY belong!. I was going to do that! Whhhyyy did I have to leave my nest that night?! Why can’t I just sit down and do the right thing….is THIS the right thing?! I don’t know! I am so fucking torn it huuuuuuurts. I feel like-”

“J-jim?” Jim suddenly shut his mouth as he saw Kanjigar come back ‘into reality’  
“heeeyy big guy. How are you feeling? Wow my blood worked faster than I thought...” Kanjigar’s eyes opened a bit more, like his body finally went from ‘hibernation mode’ to ‘on’.  
“h-huh? Where are we?”  
“nothing. Oh we’re home….my home...ugh...”  
“what’s going on?”  
“long story short, this little gumm-gumm prince threw his whole fucking life away just for you and your handsome dumb as shit son.”  
“f-forgive me I still can’t seem to hear properly..what did you speak? Is it about gnomes?”  
“noooo. Not gnomes. Just a dark little prince screwing himself over just because he wants to screw Draal.” Kanjigar rubbed his head and face, then tried to stand up, only to collapse back into his chair.  
“Eaasssyyy big guy easy. Relax until my special magical blood finally helps snap you out of it.”  
“s-snape?”  
“no not snape you dumb piece of trollhunting shit. You just haaaad to give me affection and make me feel good inside, like the dad I always wanted, the TRUE kind that hugs you and gives you love for no reason and surprises you with gifts! You just haaaaad to say you cared about me. Well guess what? I’m starting to return the favor and I despise it!”  
“i-i don’t understand….what about fatter gnomes?”  
“well at least on the bright side you don’t know what I’m talking about. Kinda makes me feel better to let this all out, like I finally have this nasty thorn pulled out. Listen. You can’t try to be my dad, no matter how warm and friendly and loving you are...not the cold...emotionless father I have already. Someone who ignores you most of your life until you’re considered useful to him….not like I wanted to be held and told stories and taken to parks and go bowling and shit like that. Not like I wanted to have a fun day out just...spending time together. Not like I wanted a brother who didn’t ignore me my whole childhood. Not like I wanted to have a bunch of friends instead of just either being surrounded by guards who ignored you unless you needed something, or by your caretaker who just made sure you didn’t die for the most part. Not like I wanted to have someone else be with me instead of growing up in the cold hard bitter darklands alone. Yeah, Blinky was there and would hold me and hug me but...it’s just his job, sure yeah he loves me but no matter what, he WORKS for my DAD. The second I do something bad, he reports it, or its his ass on the line!. I never had friendly fatherly bonding. I never got to celebrate fathers day. I never got to have a birthday party like the other humans got to. What I got Instead was a giant gore feast. I love it, but still….sometimes I just want to….have something quiet….i think dad hugged me like, 5 times over my entire life. Meanwhile you hug me and want to listen to me whenever-” 

 

Jim heard Vendel and Draal start to come in. Jim didn’t realize that he had started crying. He cleaned himself up as quickly as he could and washed the blade off before putting it back. Jim cleared his voice  
“h-hey guys” Kanjigar started to register things more clearly, like everything was finally started to focus and load properly. Draal rushed over to Kanjigars side.  
“father! you’ve woken up! At least more than you have!”  
“ugh...my head feels like it’s been split in two” Jim shook his head and quietly said  
“tell me about it...” Vendel looked at Jim who wasn’t paying much attention  
“you wanted to speak to me?”  
“hm? Oh uh yeaaahhhh! I uh...wanted you to know I’m sorry for how I acted with the whole ‘royal visit’”  
“apology accepted.” Vendel looked at Jim and squinted his eyes a bit while he tugged on his beard  
“you are Jim correct?” Before Jim could reply, he almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was a worried Draal.  
“Jim, were you crying?”  
“uh….”  
“you wept for my father didn’t you”  
“..yeesss...”  
“do not be ashamed of it...are you bleeding?”  
“uh….”

The next few moments completely phased out of Jim’s head. One moment he was in the room with the small group. The next he was walking through trollmarket. The next he was standing in the heartstone having his hand fixed. The entire time Jim just mentally checked out. He just didn’t know how to feel. It felt like everything had exploded and made a big sloppy numb mess in his heart and head. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t feel, he just wasn’t there. Jim started to come back when he felt his shoulder being gently shook  
“-Jim”  
“huh?”  
“will you please leave the room for a moment?” Jim just nodded and walked out. 

 

……………………………………………………………

 

Vendel had asked for Jim to leave for some….troubling news.  
“i wanted to wait to tell you Kanjigar, until you got better I couldn’t have this sully your mind. Or make it worse at least.” Kanjigar had felt like he was blessed. The entire mental fog lifted and everything seemed so clear, like he had forgotten what reality was like.  
“Well I’m here, now then, what’s so important?” Vendel grumbled a bit before gently placing some crystal shards on the table  
“these. Back when we tested ‘jim’s’ blood, we were far too eager to receive the answer. I hadn’t noticed until much later that the test confirmed something entirely different.” Kanjigar and Draal looked at one another, as if they were about to hear the date to the end of the world  
“what would that be?”  
“the tests did in fact confirm it wasn’t gumm-gumm blood. It was changelings blood.” Draal and Kanjigar had become utterly silent, until Draal finally broke it  
“impures had been wiped out. How could this even be a possible result?! Jim is clearly not one! No impure can take the form of a half troll!”  
“perhaps I should explain. changelings take the form of humans. The ones which became their familiar. However there is word of a very rare breed that could take the form of anyone. The blood tests confirmed it was a changelings. The Jim you know may not be the Jim we know. And before you ask, yes, I know the differences in blood very well. There is no possible way these two had any similarities. Even if the rest died, there is at least one alive right at this moment.” Draal growled out in distress.  
“no wonder he was acting so strangely….that couldn’t have been him….how many times had that...thing replaced him?! No wonder the gumm-gumm’s knew so much about us. About our lives. The take his form while he isn’t here and spy!” Kanjigar took a calm deep breath in and slowly let it out.  
“this Jim...the fake one...the truth of the matter is that this truly is a fact. They know about us too much. Jim is too much a carefree spirit. I will have to keep him here. It he doesn’t leave us, he can’t be replaced…..this Jim now….” Draal felt like a cold grip was around his heart….was he falling for some impure?! Or the real thing...which had he been with!? And for how long?! Which one was HIS Jim…..did the real Jim even share the same romantic intent?

Draal wanted to...he didn’t know what he wanted to do. He needed to have some release from this pain.  
“i must know if this thing is here among us now. I shall fetch-”  
“no need. I have one right here. Bring, well you know. Hold him still. And let’s hope for the best.”  
“and if the worst outcome happens?”  
“then there is one less changeling in the world. The real Jim would eventually come back”  
“what if the real Jim is long gone….” Kanjigar turned to his son who looked devastated.  
“Don’t think ab-”  
“what if he hasn’t been here for a long time. What if that thing simply replaced him long ago.”  
“we can’t think about that. I sha-”  
“no. I will bring...whoever that is back here. I will hold him steady. If this truly is….then I will be the one to kill it.”

 

……………………………………………………….

Jim hugged his knees as he sat in a dark less known place in trollmarket. He just focused on the ground. He had simply counted all the cracks over and over. Trying to just have something else on his mind.  
“you. Come with me. Now.” Jim looked at Draal who looked remorseful. Jim couldn’t tell why…  
“what’s wrong Draal?”  
“come.” Draal had practically forced Jim up and hurried the two along. Jim would try to talk to him, only to get silence, or the very least, a grunt, in reply. Jim walked into the heartstone now, he looked to see two judgmental trolls looking back at him. Draal now stood behind Jim. Holding him tightly in place. Jim started to panic. He had no idea what was about to happen. Was he caught?! Did they find him out?!. Vendel walked over slowly then suddenly poked him with the horseshoe all over.  
“uh...whats...going on?” Jim giggled as it tickled him. The trolls showed what looked like intense relief on their faces. Draal relaxed his grip, and turned it into a hug. Kanjigar looked Jim dead in the eye  
“i know I’ve said this plenty of other times. I know I’ve let it slip. But I mean it. From now on, you are to never again leave my side, or at the very least Draals.”  
“if you don’t mind m-”  
“i do mind actually. This isn’t something to be discussed.”  
“what about my dad?”  
“no. you belong to me. I didn’t want to have to throw my weight around before. Now I have no choice. I shall speak to him directly if I must” Jim almost burst out laughing at hearing that. He just imagined his dad and Kanjigar sitting down having a casual chat about Jim while they sipped coffee.  
“this isn’t a joking matter.”  
“what’s wrong exactly? Did I do something wrong?”  
“no. it’s simply something that affects you too drastically.”  
“my d-”  
“i do not care anymore. I swore an oath to protect everyone to my best capabilities, this oath overturns my promise I made to you. If you wish to see your father, you must be escorted.” Jim almost laughed again. The image of him coming to the darklands with Draal, holding hands and talking before being dropped off with a hug and a kiss.  
“Jim. don’t take this lightly.”

“s-sorry Kanjigar.” Jim really was In a tight spot, and not just because he was being lovingly hugged by Draal. He didn’t have his amulet. The only way home was if he went through a doorway. The only One close enough would take at least an hour to get to and come back from, so he couldn’t just ‘pop In and out’. He couldn’t stay too long in trollmarket without causing his father to think….things. He couldn’t just go to the darklands for too long before Kanjigar might think….things. He couldn’t just...leave….hmm...maybe in the day….

Jim’s mind started to process the information and form plots and ideas around it.  
“okay. So….i gotta stay next to either one of you from now on….alright...i can live with that”  
“glad to see you compliant. Now then, I need a nice long walk. I feel my body weaken from lack of activity. I need to stretch myself.” Jim tensed up a bit as he felt it. The hunger within him. As if his body finally realized he was near heartstone, it started to stir with want and need. His body started to faintly glow. Jim had to leave asap.  
“Heeey Draal let’s hurry up and get out of here like, riiight now.”  
“hm? Why the sudden rush?”  
“i feel bad for leaving you that day and I want to try again today, right now, while we have time!” Kanjigar smiled and told them to leave and have fun. Draal let go of Jim and cheerfully said  
“i suppose so” Jim smiled widely and started to quickly leave the heartstone. He nearly gasped in shock as he saw his sword and the pieces of both amulets in an opened chest under the table. He held his breath and forced himself to keep moving. He would return to it. After the two had left, Vendel spoke quietly to Kanjigar.  
“we need his blood.”  
“what for? We already know he isn’t a changeling”  
“yes. But when we originally did the test, we wanted to see if the...you know what...was in fact, Jim. We test his blood. We will have our answer.” Kanjigar looked at the floor.  
“i had almost forgotten about that….it must be done. Wait why can’t we use the rag he bandaged his hand with?”  
“it wouldn’t enough. The test needs a more direct dose.” Kanjigar looked out towards the entrance of the heartstone.  
“then it shall be done.”

…………………………………………………………………

It was a couple hours later now. Jim purred and moaned. He was currently stuck on Draal’s knot in their home. The two had just finished having sex. Jim was on top of a now blissful looking Draal. The two had gone on a nice ‘date’. Or at least the troll equivalent to one. Since it was still day, Draal couldn’t leave. So, the two just stayed in trollmarket. They talked, bonded, and fought (the show of power and battle craze really did get Jim ‘in the mood’.), they even ate food (well, Draal did at least.) and then went home to take their date to a nice physical end. Throughout the date Jim slowly felt better, his mind coming to a more peaceful side. His anger and bitterness seemed to just wash away in a soft tide. He felt...loved, fulfilled, happy!. He had forgotten his hunger for the heartstone, his need for gore, his overall gumm-gumm nature. Thoughts of his family and their views were pushed into the very back of his mind. The talk he and his brother had seemed to be forgotten. The only thing that mattered to him now was the pleasant present (haha). The sex somehow felt better than ever. He felt so...sensual, it felt so ….meaningful. He felt like the pleasure was not just being derived from the sex, but from an emotional connection. Something Jim had never experienced before. This time was the very first time Jim felt a warm safe glow post orgasm. he’s felt good plenty of times in the past, this time was different. It didn’t have the selfish touch previous encounters had. When Draal first saw Jim’s wound he had terrible worry, Jim eased it out of him by saying it was his fault. He and his brother were helping their father move some big metal things around, Jim wanted to prove himself he was stronger than he used to be. It failed. He accidentally dropped what he was holding and fell onto it. he’s mostly fine now, nothing to worry about. So Draal made sure to be careful around that part of Jim’s stomach.

Jim ran his claws lightly over Draal’s chest. He knew Draal loved this, especially post sex. Draal closed his eyes and enjoyed the absolute euphoria he was drowning in. Jim looked at how relaxed Draal was, Jim felt intensity just as much as he did. He was thankful Kanjigar was gone, the two could just be like this forever, or at least Jim felt like he wanted that. After a few minutes of this, Jim was ready to just lay down and sleep. The knot was still as hard as ever so he couldn’t pull off. Jim just awkwardly moved his hips and legs around so he could at least lay on Draal’s chest. The entire time he shifted Draal hissed through his teeth. It was….pleasurable, and painful due to his soreness. After Jim had laid down and got himself comfortable, Draal put an arm around him and started to rub his back. Draal spoke softly as to not ruin the mood.  
“Jim, I need to know the answer to my question, I don’t want to ruin the mood with it however...”  
“mmmhh, go ahead big guy, I doubt anything can ruin this~”  
“how do I ask this….hm….when we first bred, during your heat...”  
“yeah?”  
“how...I’ve been wondering this...how have I yet to impregnate you?” THAT woke Jim up.  
“oh..uh...that’s birth control”  
“birth control? You can control when you have children? I did not know half trolls could do such a thing” Jim laughed at that thought, it would be a useful ability to have  
“nooo, that would be awesome though, no see birth control, well to make it simple it’s these little pink pills I take, it was made by humans to prevent pregnancy”  
“ah...i have another question...”  
“yeah?”  
“the two of us have grown...fond of one another..a great deal...at least I have...uh….have you ever considered a life here...with…. me?” 

Jim’s teeth felt numb, he started to feel anxious from the question. It was hard to answer the question especially since Draal was LITERALLY INSIDE OF HIM.  
“i….” Jim did think about it...he couldn’t lie...he couldn’t admit it however...he didn’t want to get Draal’s hopes up…...what exactly was Jim even doing right now!?  
“forgive me Jim...i shouldn’t have spoiled the mood.”  
“no it’s….alright….why do you and your dad care so much about me? I mean, he sees me like a….son….” that word felt sickly warm in his mouth.  
“you like me, clearly, I mean, you’re LITERALLY knotting me right now. But why the constant need to protect me? Why needing to constantly watch me? Why, well, everything” now DRAAL didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t just say they suspected him to potentially be a son of Gunmar. He couldn’t just say how they want to watch him at all times to make sure he doesn’t get replace by a changeling.  
“i...cannot say.”  
“Draal. Listen. If you want to keep doing whatever this…..is. You have to be truthful. I don’t like being lied to.” (ironically.)  
“you must speak with my father. Only he can say.” Jim closed his eyes. His mood was ruined. He wanted to at least salvage whatever was left.  
“can we just stop talking? I just want to sleep. Hopefully on you, instead of leaving.”  
“yes...i will stop speaking.” 

soon the two eventually fell asleep

…………………………………………………………….

………….elsewhere. That night…………

Bular kicked the door open to Walt’s office. The door cracked and broke off it’s hinges.  
“fantastic.” in stomped a very angry Bular.  
“h-”  
“report.”  
“w-”  
“do NOT give me any kind of sass or patronize me or I WILL end your life.”  
“very well. I shall-”  
“hurry up and speak so I may leave this den of filth”  
“I’m trying to. there’s not much to report. Today Jim called for a ride, I gave him one. We spoke little, he didn’t seem interested in anything. His mind was elsewhere. The few things I could get out of him was simply that he wanted to eat someone. I don’t see why he has to keep his hunting grounds here, the more people that ‘go missing’ the more the city grows paranoid. Thankfully it’s large enough to not be able to pinpoint any specific area. When they DO, well we make sure to undo their work just enough to not be noticed.”  
“these are his grounds. They are special to him. So, that is all you have to say?”  
“yes, actually, one last thing to note is that when he left, he didn’t say goodbye-”  
“and? How is THAT note worthy?!”  
“he always does, let me finish. Please. He didn’t say when he wanted me to pick him up and drive him back. He hadn’t sent me any kind of message all day. That was that last time I had contact, no one else was contacted either, we’re a bit...worried. Seeing as what just happened, we have our fears.”  
“fear only for your own lives. hmm. I think my brother needs to have a talk with me.”

………………………………………………………………

the next morning, Jim had woken up and headed to the bathing areas. He REFUSED to go out in public looking, and smelling, like a mess. He would rather use the troll baths, as horrid as they are. Jim at least had his own small supply of soaps and extra cloths in his room with him, so he grabbed those and went off. Draal had come along, seeing as Jim now HAD to be next to them. At least a nice semi hot shower happened. Jim was cleaning himself along with Draal. Until Draal had some perverse thoughts. He started to wash Jim off. Sensually working his hands all over his body. Jim did enjoy it...but he needed to hurry up. He shouldn’t have stayed as long as he did. His brother had grown suspicious, and worse, so had his father. After Jim had finished off and got dressed he said he needed to leave. Draal said not without himself for company of course, Jim at least had some excuses.  
‘i need to go to college’  
‘i need to check with my father’  
‘i need to see my friends’

Draal had agreed, only because it was day!. The moment dusk fell, Jim HAD to come back home. Jim agreed. Well, he’s good at managing things...more or less. Two lives plus his own. Easy peasy right?. Just play both sides, don’t get caught, time everything right, make time for friends and school, niiice and simple! At least he didn’t need a day time job. Kanjigar would learn Draal had agreed to this and be furious. However he couldn’t stop Jim from going out in daylight. Besides, they DID have plenty of gaggletags. And if they DID catch this impostor ‘Jim’, they could just kill him, and would no longer have to worry about Jim being replaced. Jim had called Walt that morning to get a ride, Walt was able to slip out of work, thankfully. Jim entered the doorway and made his way through the darklands and into his room. While he passed a guard, he said to go pass on the message that he’s home and for his dad not to worry. The guard nodded and ran off. 

Now, Jim was taking a nice hot actual bath. He moved his hands over his form, imagining it to be Draal’s touch instead of his own. He fondly replayed the night before in his head. Truly enjoying himself while relaxing. He was in his own little world, the one around him melted away and with it, his worries. Suddenly his door was burst open. Jim screamed in fear from the sudden loud noise, made all the worse do to his head spacing out. Bular angrily slammed the door shut behind him. He growled at his brother and stomped over.  
“you.”  
“me?”  
“i just heard of you returning home. i thought we had talked about this.”  
“my bat-”  
“NO. DID YOU FORGET SUDDENLY?! DID YOU HIT YOUR HEAD?! It hasn’t been more than a few days since we had our little ‘chat’ remember!? You are supposed to stop being ATTACHED.”  
“okay cool it! I have no idea-”  
“oh? don’t you? Then explain why you left to go to Acadia yesterday and didn’t come home until now.”  
“okay, first I went to eat, which was amazing by the way. I still felt crappy. Then I went to visit my friend-”  
“the round one? Hmm, I somehow doubt that.”  
“-then-”  
“admit you went to trollmarket. Admit what you actually did.”  
“-i did go to trollmarket f-”  
“save it. I am this close to telling father about this little ‘adventure’ of yours. I wanted to talk sense into you and have you listen! I don’t want to see you punished! I don’t want you to suffer simply because you’re confused!”  
“- I only went to trollmarket to try and find my sword, and the amulet pieces”  
“and yes another lie. Well, if this is the truth, I don’t see any proof”  
“i couldn’t get th-”  
“of course you couldn’t. Stop going to trollmarket.”  
“you k-”  
“no. you CAN stop. You just refuse to. When we rule you don’t need to worry about ‘blowing your cover’. The moment the trollhunter AND his whelp DIE, Is the moment you no longer have to pretend. You can go back to living your life with the little fleshbags, go to your education thing, and have your fun in the sun.”

“if you let me just explain-”  
“no. I do NOT wish to hear any more words that spill from your mouth unless they are plans ACTUAL PLANS to kill them.”  
“tonight I’m going back. I’m going to get my sword, AND the amulet pieces. I’m going to bring home as much heartstone as I can. You can either let. This. go. OR tell dad about what I’m going to do. You can tell him I didn’t come home last night and, yes, I DID stay in trollmarket AFTER visiting my friend. Now, I have a lot of things to worry about, and I don’t need anymore stress from you.” Bular roared out and tried to look as intimidating as he could, alpha style. Jim flinched and whined, he was covering his head and cowering. Bular saw how vulnerable Jim was and calmed himself down.  
“I’m sorry. I care so much for you. I don’t want anything to happen. We are so close! don’t loose sight! we’re almost there! Everything is at your feet! don’t kick it away!.” Jim just stared at the his brother. Bular felt bad about what he did. Before leaving he calmly and quietly said  
“I’m sorry for that. Starting from the moment you return from trollmarket once more, I’m going to be by your side. You will go nowhere without me.” He gently closed the doors behind him and left. 

‘and then there were three...’ Jim groaned and slipped under the nice hot water….  
Bular shouldn’t have let his anger get the best of him. Jim didn’t deserve that, and even if he DID he shouldn’t be punished like that. Bular feared greatly for his brothers sake, he just wanted Jim to realize his actions before he made a huge mistake, the kind that can’t be forgiven. If he wanted to reach his brother and pull him out of whatever mind set he’s currently in, he would have to do it a different way. A more ‘emotional’ way. Something healthy to humans. Bular had the wonderful idea of them bonding. Do activities, grow closer. Let Jim truly open his eyes to Bular’s words. What should they do? They really didn’t do much together come to think of it….

 

Bular decided they would hunt. They would kill and eat together. Bular would tell stories of the past when he set out and killed trollhunters, hopefully THAT will spark up the passion to end the trollhunters life, along with his whelp. Jim always loved to hear his stories. The two would train together as well, Bular had been meaning to do that for a while. Just the two of them, Bular could see just how much Jim is improving up close….Jim said he wasn’t developing fast enough. Another reason Bular wanted to train with his brother, see if his brothers words were true or he was just being dramatic. What else could they do?...Bular didn’t like the fact that he had no idea about Jims personal life. He wanted to start to truly learn about his brother. Yeah, they could bond over that. Over Jim teaching him things. Speaking of knowing his brothers life better, it was time Bular started his investigation, first on his list. Meeting his brothers friends……

He knew exactly the first one he would meet. He knew where he lived after all. It was a good start.


	17. Bular the brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bular tries his best to be a better brother. it goes as well as you would expect.
> 
> oh Toby, didn't anyone teach you not to talk to strange trolls?
> 
> same goes for you Claire, and everyone else for that matter.
> 
> Eli don't touch the troll. Eli stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i don't know why but for some reason i just couldn't write this chapter exactly as i wanted to. i re wrote the entire thing several times, nothing seemed to fit in place. well, i hope it does this time, i decided to just keep it like this instead of wasting more time on a single chapter
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> expect more Bular trying to be a 'good' brother in the future!
> 
> woo over 100,000 words! didn't know if this story would come this far =D

Toby was walking home, it was a sunny day. He and Jim were supposed to walk home together, but Jim said he needed to do something real quick and that he’d catch up in a bit. Toby didn’t mind too much, he was enjoying himself, and listening to music always made things go by faster, it was a far walk but he could manage for a bit. A small distance away in the forest to his side was a large black troll stalking him on all fours. First keeping out of sight, then slowly crept closer and closer. Toby was completely oblivious to the lethal creature making its way towards him. Bular had decided to ‘become more approachable’ by leaving his swords and his skull decorated armor back at home. Now he just looked like any plain old dark prince of Gunmar wearing basic cloths. Toby hummed to himself and was doing little dances from time to time, until he slowed down and nearly had a heart attack from seeing Bular. He paused his music and wanted to bolt. He couldn’t outrun something like that, but he COULD at least run away in daylight. Bular called out in a dark voice from under the shade of the trees  
“human Toby.” Toby could only squeak out  
“h….hi?...t-that’s..me….”. Bular just silently looked him over, memorizing him. Toby was frozen in fear from the powerful silence, like a deer in headlights.  
“i don’t see what he sees in you. Then again I’m not him.”  
“who?”  
“my brother.”  
“w-w-ho?”  
“Jim.”  
“you’re Jim’s brother?!” Toby was now more freaked out than ever. He honestly never would have expected THAT to be his best friends brother. Yeah, Jim’s said he was big and burly and tough, but THIS was NOTHING like he had imagined.  
“oh...uh...yeah...i...see the family...resemblance...uh...he’s not here….i...i need to go”  
“stay put.”  
“yes large troll dude!” Toby was afraid to move even a single muscle  
“do not fear. I do not plan on eating you. My brother has forbidden me from doing so.”  
“hahahHHAHAHhah! Ooookay, nice to know! I really need to go”  
“STAY”  
“yes!”  
“i know you. Yet you do not know me.”  
“yooouu doooo?”  
“I’ve heard about you. My brother speaks highly of you. He wants to keep you around. You should be thankful. If it weren’t for him, you might very well have gone ‘missing’ by now. Like all the rest” Toby started to just laugh awkwardly, truly not wanting to be alive in that very moment  
“HHHhahahahHAHAHHhahaha! I….uh...thanks?”  
“come closer.”  
“I'd rather not...i...like the sunlight...its warm and bright and makes me feel safe..”  
“come closer. I will not ask again.” Toby saw Jim heading towards them at a running pace. Toby had never been more thankful to see his best friend in his whole life  
“OH LOOK IT’S JIM!” Jim stopped in front of Toby, guarding his friend from Bular’s intimidating gaze, or at least tried to. Jim growled out  
“what are you doing here?!”  
“i wanted to see your friends.”  
“okay, first of all NO. Second GO HOME”  
“do not tell me what to do little brother. I was speaking to the human Toby. I want him to come closer so I may study him better”  
“you’re freaking him out! Go home!”  
“have you forgotten about our talk yesterday?”  
“don’t...do as you said yesterday...at least right now...we will talk about it later. Just please, not right now.” Toby was more than curious of what was going on, but far more afraid to draw attention to himself by doing literally anything.  
“fine. I will not keep by your side for the time being. We WILL talk about it later. i didn’t even see you arrive this morning like you said you would. What happened? I hope you didn’t displease father.”  
“i didn’t. I told him and...did….what I said I would do.”  
“good.”  
“yeah, good, now go”  
“I want to learn about your ‘human’ side more. Stop hiding the whelp and bring him to me already”  
“no. go home. You want to know? Fine, Bular this is Toby, Toby this is Bular, my bigger brother who’s full troll and needs to leave”  
“you are being more emotionally unstable than usual. What happened since last I saw you?”  
“i don’t have to tell you. Dad already knows. It doesn’t matter anyways, and as for my emotions, just chalk it up to an upcoming heat. Leave!” Bular looked to Toby with a spine chilling gaze  
“convince my brother to let me stay.”  
“uh...Jim...I...uh….” Jim growled out  
“keep him out of this.” a glow slowly started to creep up Jim’s neck through his veins. Bular noticed this, another ‘out of place’ thing. He knew this happened to Jim when intense moments sprang up, or when he forced it to happen. Either something changed this or Jim was trying to ‘intimidate’ his brother, something he’s never done before. Another oddity. The biggest thing that drew Bular's attention, was the color of the glow. It was always blue Jim's whole life, now, it was orange. The color of heartstone to be exact.  
“walk away Bular. Go home. you met him, you saw him face to face. Now go home. Please. We can talk about you being more in my life later.”  
“fine. I’ll leave this spot.” Jim watched his brother creep away into the trees. After a small amount of time Jim picked Toby up and started to quickly walk away.  
“uhhhh so...that...was your brother huh?...nice...guy”  
“Shut it Toby no one asked you to talk…....i...sorry I just..i didn’t mean that...a lot’s happened today and….” Jim started to get choked up  
“it’s alright Jim, everyone has shit days that make them feel terrible, I know you’d never actually mean anything like that”  
“you have no idea….ignore my brother. If he tries to talk to you or even be near you, call me. don’t talk to him. I made him promise not to hurt you or anyone else….uh...i meant...”  
“ooookay thanks….so...why would he hurt me?”  
“long story. I told you, my brother likes violence. He sees humans...never mind. Point is don’t listen to him. And DON’T go out of sunlight. He doesn’t plan on doing anything but still. You don’t need to have a panic attack”  
“thanks for defending me...he said some weird stuff….”  
“like what?”  
“well something about..kinda...me going ‘missing’ if it weren’t for you-”  
“OHHH THAT ASSHOLE. I SWEAR I’LL KILL HIM. He doesn’t need to be talking...like..that. let’s just go to your place, have fun. And forget this happened.”  
“i...don’t mind meeting you’re.....family..”  
“Toby. I’m not going to get offended if you talk shit about my brother”  
“suddenly all the things you told me about your family are making more sense”  
“trust me, he was being friendly”  
“really? Wellll I’d hate to be on his bad side”

 

“eh I could kick his ass for you don’t worry about it”  
“thanks, you can put me down now”  
“no. not until we get to your house. I have feeling we might need to be faster.”  
“he’s not going to follow us...right?”  
“in actuality, he might.”  
“fun...he scares me”  
“i know, pretty obvious, no offense. Trust me no one besides our family isn’t scared of him”  
“are you going into heat soon?”  
“nah, I just said that to get him to stop his questions”  
“why does he want to meet me?’  
“oh yesterday he said he wanted to...be in my life more. Guess he started with you”  
“why me though?! What did I do?!”  
“you’re my best friend! Makes sense since you are one of the most important ‘human’ things for me. anyways don’t wooorrryyyy I got you!”  
“aww thanks Jim”

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

Bular crept behind a large rock surrounded by thick trees as he watched his brother carry his friend away. Bular felt like he failed. He should have done better. Now his brother was mad at him, and wouldn’t even explain himself. Bular stopped following them for a bit and left. He had others he could find out about. As he turned around and walked away, for a split moment he thought he saw a horn. Turning towards it, there was nothing there except trees. He assumed it was just a branch..…

 

……………………………………….

 

Kanjigar left that day to check up on things, mostly Jim. Jim said he needed to go to class today, he really was putting it off lately, Kanjigar let him leave, he didn’t want to hold Jim back from doing human things, they made him happy. Kanjigar wanted to make sure he would be safe and guarded. He doubted anything would happen to Jim in such a public place, especially in direct daylight, but still. From now on Kanjigar also carried a gaggletag. It was a nice quiet day, nothing out of the blue, as far as Kanjigar knew (rhyme haha) although he hardly ever traveled during the day, few trolls did. He stopped suddenly as he came to a horrific sight.

Jim was carrying his friend on his back while they talked

However nearby was Bular watching them, crouched down and following for a bit. It didn’t take long for Kanjigar to realizes that he wasn’t wearing armor and he wasn’t carrying his twin swords. This would be the perfect chance to strike! To kill him! End this once and for all!. He couldn’t do it. Jim and his friend were too close. He didn’t want to risk their lives, as well as anyone else nearby. Kanjigar hid as Bular started to move away, taking a moment to look in Kanjigar’s direction, before leaving for good.

 

……………………………………………………..

 

Jim and Toby now sat in Toby’s room, Jim collapsed onto the floor, tossing his backpack aside. He was so tired. Emotionally, physically, mentally. Toby noticed how beat his best friend was.  
“sorry I weighted you down”  
“whaaat no! Trust me you hardly felt like a rock. My day’s just been hectic. Now I can just hangout with you and relax”  
“wana talk about any of it?”  
“nooooo not right now....well….okay so it’s a bunch of family drama and...a bit other stuff….so last night I went out and did something I needed to do for, a few people...and myself….. The next morning I came back home and felt sick from the night before. Anyways I was super happy I could just go to class again, ignore everything and just be ‘normal’ for a little bit, besides I’ve been missing a bunch of it”  
“oh yeah I know, so….uh sorry if I’m being annoying about asking this but, will you finally tell me more about your family? Now that I’ve met your ‘wonderful’ brother.”  
“sorry family secrets are taken to the grave. Although yeah I guess you can know a little bit now, you met my brother and survived, not many people can say that”  
“okay, haha and everything, but he wasn’t serious about killing me right? And you just said ‘and survived’. Like, trolls don’t...do those sorts of things anymore right? I mean they haven’t in forever but...right?” flashes of Jim killing and eating people came to mind.  
“nope. And all that stuff he just jokes about….he’s...old school troll style. He NEVER leaves home so he doesn’t learn anything ‘modern’….....he doesn’t like being around others for very long, he gets annoyed. He’s pretty much always pissed off and grumpy. Anyways he’s super old, like, over 1300-”  
“WHAT!? THAT’S SO OLD!”  
“dads waaayyy older, but yeah, not much exposure to the world, so he has...dark thinking. I get it, my dad and our uncles and….friends...do too. Still, don’t think anything of it. If he says he will kill you or something around that subject, just forget about it.”  
“he said you told him I was ‘forbidden from killing’”  
“yeah another joke. The whole ‘all my friends are off limits, no one will kill them except me’. So relaaax, you’re only ever going to be killed by me”  
“i honestly don’t know if I feel better about that or not. Okay but like, you two don’t really look the same...like...at all”  
“trolls don’t look as close to their parents as humans, or half trolls do. That and we have two different moms”  
“ohhh, yeah that makes sense...duuuh….wow I feel dumb for asking that” the two boys just laughed  
“well, I like that, let’s just be dumb for a bit and ignore life and the shit storm it can become”  
“real quick, were you...glowing earlier?”  
“nah, that was just, the light I guess. How would I glow Tobes?”  
“yeah I was scared out of my mind, probably just thought that out of pure wetting myself terror, I didn’t of course” Jim just chuckled and sat up. The two played video games and talked. Then worked on some school stuff, and overall be ‘normal’ for a bit.

 

……………………………………………………………..

 

Kanjigar watched Bular leave out of sight before moving out of his hiding spot. Kanjigar was conflicted. Either go after Bular, or follow Jim and his friend. He had to choose his job over his heart. Kanjigar tried to follow Bular, but always seemed to loose him. Eventually he wasn’t found for a while, Kanjigar just decided to stop searching, thinking the dark prince must have gone somewhere else for the day. Well, at least he could now do what his heart told him to. Kanjigar watched Jim and his friend be with one another from the shade looking up into the window, enjoying each others company. Jim, smiling and laughing along with his friend. He seemed so, innocent, normal. How could he possibly be a monster? Then again, Looks are deceiving. Still. Jim seemed to be just a normal civilian, having no relations to anything he’s been thought of. Kanjigar felt relaxed, his mind a bit more at ease, seeing something so simple as this. His thoughts assuring themselves that this was Jim, not whatever he thought of. Kanjigar did say last night how he wanted to take more of an interest in Jim’s life, along with his son. Kanjigar didn’t stay for much longer before leaving to return to trollmarket, hopefully tonight he might get better answers from the night before.

 

…………………………………………………………..

“ooooohhh CRAP! I didn’t realize it was so late!” Jim looked outside to see a very beautiful sunset, something that spelled doom for him though.  
“time flies when you’re having fun I guess”  
“i gotta go! I need to do some stuff”  
“like family stuff?”  
“yeah”  
“uh….speaking of family...does it have to do with your brother? What was his name? Bult?”  
“Bular. Haha Bult, yeah sorta” Toby’s phone buzzed, his eyes went wide open as he saw his messages  
“speaking of speaking...Jim...”  
“yeah?”  
“look...” Toby turned his phone to Jim, showing a few texts from Claire, one of them being a picture of Bular with their little friend group.  
“life never gets easier…..stay here, text me later, or I will. Either way don’t leave. Also don’t loose my progress on that game, I didn’t grind this whole time to loose it all” Jim ran out of the room quickly  
“wait! Wait! Jim! you forgot….your bag…..guess I’ll tell him later.”

 

………………………………………………………………..

Bular remembered the images of Jim’s friends from the various photo’s in his little brothers room. He had no idea where to look for them. He knew Jim went to school but he didn’t know where. The only clues he had was the images of the scenery in the back of the photos. Bular spent hours searching, it took a lot longer for him since it was bright daylight. Bular tried to stay unseen, however sometimes it was unavoidable. People gave him fearful stares and wide berths, Bular enjoyed their fear, however he couldn’t truly enjoy it AND focus on his task. Finally after annoyed hours of daylight, it started to wane and die. Now he could REALLY search. It took a while longer but he finally found them at a small park. Easy parts over. Hardest part, conversation. How do humans do it? Not like he could ask one before he killed them, gumm-gumm’s didn’t have casual conversations. What did they talk about? Bular just made a small growl in his throat and moved forward. He would think of it on the spot. Bular walked from behind a tree and approached 4 human females and 2 human males.  
“humans. Which one of you is the human named Claire” everyone went slack jawed at the sudden appearance of the large black troll standing fully upright. No one said anything, fear made silence, the only noises to be heard were that of the city around them.

 

“well? Speak up. I won’t ask again.” everyone looked to Claire who cleared her throat  
“hello….sir?”  
“you looked bigger in the pictures.”  
“excuse me?”  
“pictures. I’ve seen all of you in them. All of you will speak to me. I do not feel like being interrupted by my brother this time.”  
“I’m going to need more to work with than that...”  
“you don’t know who I’m talking about do you? Hmfph. I doubted as much. I am Bular, son of Gun-.” Bular stopped himself, humans always shared information so quickly. It spreads faster than their illnesses, he didn’t want Jim to be killed by the trollhunter if he somehow found out.  
“nothing. I am Bular. You all know my brother. He knows you. I wanted to learn more about his life on the surface world. So I will speak to all of you. What is it exactly? Casual conversation?. I already tried with the other human in your group, topy?”  
“Toby?”  
“human names are all the same. So, speak to me.”  
“I don’t really know what to say...uh...how are you feeling? I would also like to know who exactly your brother is...please”  
“well you know my brother already. What shall we converse abo-” Bular stopped as he felt a small hand on his arm. At his side was a delirious Eli. He tapped and felt the rough surface of Bular’s arm  
“soooo cooooool”

Bular turned his attention to him, the moment he did, Claire pulled her phone out and took a picture, quickly sending it to Toby wondering who he was.  
“you have gronk-nuks for approaching me without my permission.”  
“is that a good thing or a bad thing?”  
“why are you groping me?”  
“you’re sooo cooool! I’ve never even seen a troll up close! You really are made of stone! And you’re warm too! It feels like I’m touching the ground! But living!” Bular found this mildly amusing, such a tiny insignificant thing praising him, even without being forced to. Steve quietly spoke through his teeth  
“okay Eli, that’s enough, stop that before this large troll gets angry”  
“sooo cooool. Can you eat rocks?! Do you eat cats? Is it true that trolls actually live in boxes? Do trolls hate flowers?” (get the references?)  
“you are such a tiny creature. How do you even exist?”  
“your eyes glow! I just noticed! That’s so cool! Can you see in the dark?! Do you have heat vision?! Your horns are amazing! Your teeth look so cool too! Is it hard to brush your teeth? Is your tongue made of rock too!? Do you really have organs? Are THEY made of rock? Is it true trolls can be over a million years? YOU HAVE A TAIL! THAT’S SOO COOL! It looks like an alligators! These things on your arms look like fins! Can trolls swim? Or are you all too heavy? Would you drown if you sank like a rock? Did trolls really eat people? Do gumm-gumm’s exist? A lot of people debate online about them ever existing! People think that trolls use them as an excuse so they could get away with it! Do you know about them? Do you have internet? Do all trolls live underground? Can you drink lava? If you have sex, is your jizz like, cement? You have a lot of scratches everywhere! When rocks do it’s because they’ve had a lot of exposure or friction done to them, is that why you have them? Whoa you have claws! Is it hard using them? Do you scratch and break things easily? Can they retract like a cats? Oohhh cool! You can make cats noises! Can you roar like a lion? Can you really just eat garbage only? Oohh coool! You have a mane like a horses! Can I touch it? Is it like cables? Does water hurt you? Do you get cold?”  
“you speak so much for such a tiny thing. You speak more than my brother did when he was a whelp”  
“your voice is sooo coool! it’s so dark and scary! it’s like someone put a voice editor in your throat! is it true sunlight hurts trolls? I mean, it’s kinda common knowledge but is it true though? What do you do on a regular basis? I mean, are you like people where you have a lot of jobs or hobbies or activities or are you just kinda not doing much? Why do trolls collect trash? Do trolls have pets?”

Bular was suddenly knocked to the ground. Jim had slammed into him. Jim breathed heavily and looked murderous. Bular chuckled as he got up.  
“getting stronger, that wouldn’t have happened if I had my guard up however.”  
“you said you would go home!”  
“i said I would leave that spot.”  
“why didn’t you go home?!”  
“i told you, i wanted to visit your friends. I spent my hours in this wretched daylight just to search for them. The only clues I had to their whereabouts were from the pictures in your room”  
“WHY DID YOU LOOK FOR THEM!?”  
“i JUST said I wanted to visit them. I told you I’m going to be more involved in your human affairs. I thought a good start was to meet these human friends of yours. They mean a lot to you, so now I must know them. I would eventually. When father walks the surface once more. Why not start now?.”  
“i don’t want my two lives to crossover...at least not yet. I just want to have a normal life!”  
“why?”  
“because I don’t want everyone to treat me like….you know”  
“like a son of our father?” Eli let out a sudden and loud gasp  
“YOU’RE BROTHERS?!” Jim groaned and smiled awkwardly  
“surprise….heh...” Bular huffed out  
“I thought humans enjoyed boasting about royalty. I suppose it makes sense since you want a ‘normal life’.” Eli gasped again  
“YOU’RE A PRINCE?!” Jim did another groan and awkward smile  
“surprise….haha….” Bular gave Jim a questioning glance  
“yes. My brother does not vie for the throne as I do, which fits me perfectly. what exactly have you told them about our lives?” Jim cleared his throat and growled angrily in troll  
“look. don’t ruin this for me! I don’t want them knowing anything else! All I have ever said about my life is that I live with my father, my brother aka you, my uncles Blinky and Arrrg, and a few ‘friends of the family’ far far underground. A place where none of them could survive.”  
“hm. that’s a bit general isn’t it?”  
“don’t speak in English!”  
“you really don’t want them to know much, do you?”  
“NO! LET ME HAVE THIS!”  
“alright, I will not interfere with anything else. This is your life.” Bular looks around at everyone, all in a stunned silence with a mixture of confusion and fear on their faces.  
“you humans better expect to interact with me more often. I will be.” Jim growled out with a more intense look  
“GO HOME! YOU’VE MET THEM!”  
“fine. I will depart. hm. Being around so many humans for so long has made me hungry anyways. Why don’t you come eat with me? I’m sure you’re hungry. I don’t see how you manage to be around them for so long without wanting to eat.”  
“no, and you get used to it. Now leave! And don’t….just….don’t be anywhere near here.”  
“not enough blood in the air for me here anyways. Do not forget, father doesn’t like it when you’re out this late. Return home soon.” Bular grunts before turning around and walking off.

 

When he was far gone Jim groaned loudly and rubbed his face then his horn.  
“whyyy did you do that….” Jim turned around and cleared his throat.  
“i know you all must have a million questions. I can’t answer them for...personal reasons. Yes, I’m a prince. Yes that was my brother. But listen very very carefully. I WILL be KILLED if ANYONE finds out about this. that’s the biggest reason I never said anything. You know how human leaders argue over territory and politics? Well trolls do it, except with more killing and less talking. Point is, our family isn’t….liked….very much. Which is why we are far far away and stay hidden. At least for the time being. Yeah my dad is going to come move up here with my family and friends, but that won’t be for a while. I think. Lots of family issues and drama and all this old history crap. I might be almost 100, but my dad is literally from the dark ages. Like, castles and horses and stuff in Europe. My brother is too. Lots of old… ‘beliefs’ and arugments and grudges. Looots of terrible things. Like, horrific things. History changing things for trolls and possibly humans at one point. They never come up top for….those reasons. Only recently have things gotten even more complicated. Hence why my brother suddenly wants to be in my life more. Anyways point is. No one say anything. At all. To anyone. If anything, let’s just pretend none of this evvveeerrr happened. No pictures, no videos, nothing. Like I said, I WILL be KILLED. None of you were supposed to find out about any of this until...like...way later on when things were...safer for me. You never met Bular. You don’t know about my status, you don’t know anything other than from what I’ve already told you. Okay? let’s just go back to being normal. don’t think about it, even though It’s probably impossible to just ignore, but I really really really need you all to.”

 

…………………………………………………..

 

It was later that night. Jim laid on his back in Toby’s room. He, Claire and Toby hung out without talking about much. Claire shared her ‘experience’ with Toby and he shared with her his own. Jim thought that was fair, he already knew about Bular, might as well know the other stuff from earlier. Toby was upset. He felt hurt, his best friend hid so much from him. They told each other EVERYTHING! But Toby understood how ‘intense’ things apparently were for Jim. After a few minutes of very quiet and basic talk Jim sighed heavily and said  
“Alright. you’re both my best friends, I know you both won’t say anything. You can ask questions. I most likely won’t answer, but certain things you are allowed to know now.” Toby couldn’t hold himself back when he heard the ‘green light’ to ask questions.  
“OH MY GOSH WHERE TO BEGIN!? FIRST, YOU’RE A PRINCE!?”  
“yeah.”  
“FROM WHAT KINGDOM!?”  
“troll stuff I can’t say. But it’s super super old. Not many know about it anymore. Good for us I guess.”  
“YOUR BROTHER IS HUGE AND SCARY AND HOW ARE YOU RELATED?!”  
“trust me, if you saw my dad, Bular wouldn’t look that scary.”  
“HE SAID HE’S GOING TO BE AROUND A LOT MORE, IS HE GOING TO FOLLOW US ALL AROUND?!!?”  
“i...I’ll talk to him about that.”  
“YOU COULD BE A KING AND YOU DON’T WANT TO BE!?”  
“loooot of work and danger. No thanks.”  
“PEOPLE BOW TO YOU AND EVERYTHING?!”  
“pretty much”  
“WHY DID YOU EVEN COME UP HERE?!”  
“well, like I told you back when I first did, I wanted to just, experience a normal life with humans. I grew up pretty much alone. No friends or anyone to talk to. I wanted to know what it was like, having no one know you or treat you like if they looked at you wrong they would be killed. I wanted friends who treated you for being you, not for being a prince”  
“SO ARE YOU RICH!?”  
“well, trolls don’t use money, but I get what I want when I want it so, yeah?”  
“WHAT DOES YOUR KINGDOM LOOK LIKE?! ARE YOUR DADS FRIENDS ACTUALLY YOUR SUBJECTS?!”  
“its underground so, its rocks? Like a bunch of caverns. As for my dads friends….yeah….they follow and serve us”  
“HOW BIG IS YOUR KINGDOM!?”  
“can’t really say, it’s pretty big, I guess? it’s hard to actually tell since it’s all underground and nothing is really measured”  
“okay BUT SERIOUSLY THAT WAS YOUR BROTHER?!” Jim laughed at that. He really was used to just seeing Bular as Bular. From the outside, it truly must be a strange sight. Jim stopped as he had a sudden thought. All this talk about his family, his lives, his brother. All the shit he’s been through within the past 3 months. he’s had it.  
“Toby. Would it be cool if I just stayed here for the night?”  
“like a sleepover?”  
“i guess, yeah”  
“TOTALLY! Wait won’t your dad and, well, family get mad? don’t you need to like, rule a kingdom?”  
“no, that’s my dads job. And honestly, I don’t care. I need me time. I’ve been through so much shit within the past three months, can’t say it, but it IS about family drama. I need me time. And me time includes you time, you too Claire. I’ve not been able to just, hangout and be normal! That was the whole point of coming up top!”  
“OH MY GOSH THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME! YOU’VE NEVER STAYED OVER!”  
“Exactly! I never get to spend nights with friends, hangout late at night, go places, go to movies, ANYTHING! Well, I’m an adult and this is my life. I’m choosing this and I need a break before I crack. I don’t care if Bular or my dad or Kan-...i don’t care what anyone thinks!”  
“this is gonna be sweet!”  
“okay, I do need to make a quick phone call, I’ll be right back.” Jim left to go outside and pulled out his phone. Toby realized Claire was still in the room  
“oh uh, Claire do you wana?”  
“no thanks, but thanks for asking. I actually should get going, I may not be a princess, but I know my mom will kill me if I stay out too late”  
“she still super freaked out about the disaperences? Wait, duh, shes the mayor.”  
“yeah, exactly. Believe it or not but my mom is even more paranoid for my safety than anyone else. don’t tell anyone I said that”  
“i won’t”

 

………………………………………………

“Welcome to-”  
“yeah hi Gloria, shut up real fast, it’s Jim, I need to talk to Walt, or just leave him a message for me actually. Tell him I’m staying up top for a while at my friends house. No one bother me. I don’t care who thinks what or who says what. This is my choice. I need a break because I feel like I’m going to crack. Everyone leave me alone. Okay bye.” Jim ended the call and took a deep breath. He looked to the stars and let it out.

‘fuck what’s dad gonna think, he’s gonna be pissed, and what about kanj-no.

No one matters.

 

No one except me right now.

Wait, fuck. I don’t have anything!. Not like I can just swing by my room and take what I need. hm...i could just sneak into trollmarket and grab my things there. Yeah….yeah...in and out before I’m even noticed. Leave a note. Ohh I bet Kanjigar will freak out the second he sees it. Ugh, He’ll probably go looking for me. Maybe I should just tell him where I’ll specifically be at. Yeah, that will prevent any further suspicion. Just watch out for him...shit...Bular’s gonna be on my ass. Whatever, I’ll doge him like the plague. Not like Toby’s gonna be mad if I do, if anything he’ll be thankful we do.’ Jim made a quick plan of action and set it out into the world. First, he ran into Toby’s room saying he would be right back while he grabbed his backpack and took off. Then he went under the bridge and made a portal, then ran through trollmarket going unnoticed, going through the darker less used parts of the markets streets. Then he came into his second home. He opened his backpack and started to stuff a lot of things into it as quickly as he could, things that wouldn’t fit he would just carry. He couldn’t bring that many things, so he brought essentials.  
“Jim” Jim grinded to a halt hearing Draal’s voice behind him.  
‘shit shit shit I didn’t want to be seen!’ Jim smiled and quickly said in one go  
“heeeyyy Draal. Okay look I’m trying to be quick so listen. I’m going to stay at my friends house for the night and I really don’t want to be bothered by anyone, I get it, I’m supposed to be ‘watched’ but I really really need a break and I’ve been through a lot recently, with, uh, well doesn’t matter. Point is I feel like I’m going to snap and I need to be with my friends and try to be ‘normal’ in a human life. Anyways I’m just grabbing some stuff then I’m heading over there to relax, if for some reason either you or your dad need me, please don’t bother me, but if you do. Here.” Jim just as quickly as he spoke, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down Toby’s address then handed it to Draal.  
“there, that’s the address to my friends house, so you will know where I am and don’t have to worry about going out and looking for me or watching me. Okay gotta go bye!” Jim finished stuffing his bag and grabbing other things, he ran out. Draal was just confused about the situation, he didn’t even get a single word in. He looked at the paper in his hand  
“I can’t read human….”

 

……………………………………………………………………..

Bular was furious. It was late now and he watched Jim and his human friend in their room. He wanted to go in there and...he wasn’t exactly sure. About a half hour earlier from that moment, Bular had entered Walt’s office in the Janus order, demanding a report. Only to be told the message Jim had sent. Jim KNEW he was supposed to come home, instead he decided to ignore their fathers demand and do whatever he wanted. Bular knew exactly where Jim would be at, he knew which human was his favorite, he knew how protective Jim was of him. Fine. If he wants to defy their father, then he can. HE will be the one to face their fathers wrath, not Bular. Jim would face the consequences of his actions alone. Bular snorted and decided to leave. No point being there and getting caught.

………………………………………………………………………………

Kanjigar looked into the window at the sight of Jim and his friend, he couldn’t read human, but he knew where Jim’s friend had lived and it also matched the letters and numbers on the note Draal was given. He was a bit...worried when Draal told him what had happened. Earlier that evening when Kanjigar had returned home, Draal explained what had occurred. Kanjigar knew he needed to check up on them, especially because of what happened that day. He had yet to find any new trace of Bular since that moment. Still, Something nagged Kanjigar in the back of his head. Something he couldn’t place. He pushed it aside for the time being. He wanted answers from Jim, proper ones. However he didn’t want to interrupt Jim’s ‘normal’ time as Draal had said. Jim needed this, so he would allow it. If Jim felt like he was going to ‘snap’ then Jim would get the comfort of his friend without interruption. Kanjigar felt content for the time. He knew where Jim was, he knew he was safe, he knew he wouldn’t leave that spot. If he did come across Jim, he had the gaggletag and the information. Kanjigar turned and walked away, only to stop for a brief moment as he heard movement. He turned towards the noise, only to discover nothing. The sounds of the wind moving the trees and the cars driving late in the night were the only sounds around, other than a few bugs and birds. Kanjigar assumed it must have been nothing. He walked away from the house, going in the opposite direction Bular headed….


	18. Too late to turn back now. too much has happened.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> point of no return. Jim doesn't know how to feel about it.
> 
> no going back.
> 
> no starting over
> 
> it's too late for any of that. only thing to do, is to keep going and hope for the best.
> 
> also Jim has an existential crisis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gotta admit, I had too much fun writing at Jim's suffering.

‘and then there were three...’ Jim groaned and slipped under the nice hot water….

A few minutes after Bular had left his room, Jim got out of the tub, no longer feeling relaxed. A shiver ran down his spine, not from the cold world around him, but an internal cold. He felt heavier than usual, less solid somehow as well. His head hurt and he just wanted to sleep whatever it was off. No nap came, he laid in his nest for at least an hour, hardly falling half asleep, before deciding to get up and do something else. Jim tried to kill time by doing whatever else would come to mind, no matter what though, nothing could stop the slow creep of anxiety growing inside of him. He had to end this, today instead of tonight. He had to end the life in trollmarket for good. The sooner the better. It started to hurt just to think about it, that he had to get rid of something he started to love. In a minor way it reminded him of a little gnome he kept as a pet for a month in his room when he was just a small child, until Blinky found out about it and had it killed. Jim was devastated for a while after that had happened. His one and only friend had been killed. The gnome was vermin though. A lower life. Something undeserving of his time and affection. At least that’s what Blinky told him. What made that a fact though? What evidence said that? It was just a thought. Nothing physical to prove it. It lived as much as Jim had. What made it any less than him?. Jim almost forgot about his little pet, it seemed so long ago, which in all technicality it was. Jim cleared that memory from his mind, he didn’t need to be reminded of it. No point in that memory.  
‘no more wasting time. Just, get it over with.’ Jim breathed slowly trying to steady his emotions from rising up. 

 

Jim had told his father his plan, Gunmar didn’t make much of a reaction. Actions speak louder than words after all. He honestly didn’t know if Jim would go through entirely with the plan, or if he would ‘fail’ in some proportions. Jim always did technically keep his word, so he couldn’t be blamed when he didn’t ‘fully’ deliver his promises to every detail spoken of. Jim left and made his way to trollmarket. Jim’s stomach started to churn, his anxiety rose. He wanted to turn back and hide instead of moving forward. No, he had to do this. He already promised his father his connections would die tonight. No turning back. How the hell was he actually going to do it? He didn’t even think this far….he had no idea why! He always had details and plans fully made! Even on the spot!. His mind formulated plans, but something in him told him to either not go through with it, or make a new one. He was stalling, a part of him knew that.  
‘remember what Bular said. Easy peasy. Just end this, you’ve broken bones before, you’ve had to have them put back into place, hurts bad, but feels far better after. This is the same, right? Just end this life to put your ACTUAL one back into place. Draal and Kanjigar, they’re too small. Like the gnome. Something he had affection for but, had to kill those feelings off. It was the logical thing to do. Your head will go back to normal. No more thoughts or anxiety. Stop growing attached. You only need yourself. No one else truly matters. Except for Dad and his rule. No hesitations to anything he says. Think of how proud he’ll be! Everything won’t just go back to normal, it will be even better!. What if he never escapes the darklands….what if none of that happens in my entire life...what if doing this was a mistake...what if I never even needed to kill this life off. Am I making a mistake? no. no dad….no…..you’re a gumm-gumm. 

No emotions. Dad will be so happy! Dad will approve! I’ve wanted this for so long! it’s right there! He even said he wanted to be with me more! So did Bular! My biggest dreams are coming true! And what, I’m going to throw away it all for some trollhunter and his son?. They don’t matter! They won’t! you’ll forget them just like you did the gnome. you’re Gunmars son, this is what you’re supposed to do! Hell you don’t even need to kill them! Bular will do that! You just say  
‘oh hey I’m taking off forever, see ya!’ AND THAT’S IT! Grab the heartstone shit, your shit, and leave! it’s so easy! Too easy even! Dad wants this so I want this! that’s how it’s been, that’s how it will always be! If dad wants it, I want it. No debate. Besides, like he always says, mom didn’t give up her life just for me to fail him, become useless, turn traitor. I’ll be in charge of my own place! Everyone will shit their pants when I come around! that’s fucking awesome that you’re going to be that scary! Plus all your friends, and the parties, and everything you get to have! It will be like regular life, but a whole fuck ton better! you’re evil, your a prince! you’re above everyone else! No one will glare or give you shit ever again! No restraints, all respect. There. Now I feel better. let’s get this shit over with and head home!’

Jim heard a voice behind him  
“Jim”  
‘aw fuck here it comes.’ Jim turned around to see Draal  
“..hey...uh...”  
“I wanted to formally apologize for...last night. I didn’t this morning. I should have.”  
“it’s alright, I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did”  
‘WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY AM I TALKING?!’  
“Thank you for your forgiveness. How has your day been?”  
“good, I’m actually glad to be back”  
‘SHUT THE FUCK UP’  
“I’m happy to hear that, I’m also happy to be in your company once more”  
“same here”  
‘FUCKIN GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER JIM’  
“i was wondering if maybe...perhaps...you and I could have...another ‘date’ like yesterday?”  
“i would love that!”  
‘WHAT THE FUCK’S WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU CAME HERE TO QUIT AND NOW YOU’RE TRYING TO GET MORE?!’  
“although I am curious, why are you back so soon? Not that I’m complaining”  
“oh, I uh finished up what I needed to do”  
“shall we go then?”  
‘NOOOOOOOO’  
“yes”

 

Yet another wonderful day happened. Jim felt happier than ever. He didn’t want the rest of the world to come back to him, he just wanted to spend time with Draal. Still, whenever he looked at the heartstone, he felt like his heart had a hole in it, and that hole began to bleed out. He tried to forget about it, at least for the few brief moments he could. No matter what though, his mind always turned to what he was supposed to do. To end a potential life he wanted, but was never supposed to have. He remembered what he had to do. Throughout the day Jim’s mind wouldn’t stop making excuses…....  
‘okay, just….one last thing….okay now this is the last thing….okay, this is it…...okay one last thing to make him happy….why do I care if he’s happy?…..okay...just...one final time I have sex with him...we’ve both earned it...he is really good too….okay but nothing after that!..well...i am tired...maybe...just...sleep for a tiny bit...that’s all…..maybe..just...cuddle….then I leave!’  
Jim was now held at Draal’s side and a bit under him. Jim felt so relaxed, so at ease. Everything else just melted away. He was thankful Kanjigar left them alone all day, it didn’t take anything to convince him to go do whatever else for the entire time. Draal was caressing Jim’s head, causing Jim to want to live in that moment forever. Nothing else mattered. He was the happy, fulfilled, satisfied, his mind intent on wanting to keep this forever….….Jim just wanted to tuck himself more into Draal and ignore his mission. If he’s going to end this, then he wants to at least have the final moments be incredible.  
“Jim”  
“hm?”  
“i promise this isn’t any kind of questions like yesterday..but...i really want to finally know who you are. Please, will you finally open up more about your personal life?”  
“you know me already big guy~”  
“no. I really don’t. I want to know more about you and your other life.”  
“hmm? Oh~ well, my school is nice and my friends-”  
“no not them, although I do wish to speak of this another time. I want to meet your father, your brother, I want to see your family” Jim’s mind came to a dead halt.  
‘and there goes the bliss again. God dammit.’  
“not. Not now, things are...difficult...life at home is...stressful...please...drop it for now...i really just want to finish enjoying myself with you. Please, let’s just talk about this later, and just enjoy this bliss”  
“i will, as you wish.”

 

It was later on, Kanjigar had let the two have their fun. Now, he needed to be serious. They needed to test Jim’s blood. He told Jim that he and him needed a bit of ‘personal time’. Jim was worried about what that might mean, but he couldn’t exactly say no. Kanjigar let Jim bathe and clean himself up before they continued. Jim was led into the heartstone where Vendel was waiting. Vendel sighed  
“let’s get this over with” Jim tried to back up a bit, only being stopped when Kanjigar was right behind him.  
“no need to be nervous. we’re just going to do a simple blood test.”  
“uh….why?’  
“to check if something is...correct. Now, hold still, we just need to prick you.”  
‘shit shit shit shit!’  
“i uh….kinda am afraid of blood loss-”  
“well, steel your nerves.”  
“oookay, OW” they cut his palm and let the blood drip onto some crystals.  
‘fuck fuck fuck a blood test?! What the fucks this for?! Oh shit, they’re gonna find out I’m a gumm-gumm won’t they?’  
“now to wait. Here, let me patch your palm up”  
“thanks”  
‘FUUUUUUUCK, OKAY, okay I have a few moments. What the fuck am I going to do?!...distraction...then….FUCK I DON’T KNOW!’ a troll ran into the heartstone  
“we need you trollhunter! Vendel you two!” Vendel looked up, irritated  
“what why?”  
“there’s been a terrible gnome outbreak!”  
“why do you need my help?”  
“they have acquired heartstone!”  
“ugh. Fine. Jim, you stay here. Do NOT move.”  
“you got it!”  
‘HOLY FUCKING SHIT, WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF LUCK IS THIS?!’. Jim watched the three larger trolls leave.  
‘okay...okay...okay idea….fuck the test finished. Okay, no biggie….oh...OH I CAN CHANGE IT! Even if it’s just a tiny bit...yeah...yeah...I’ve done blood magic before...i can change this….’ Jim ran over and looked at the test. He knew that he could do a very subtle difference, just enough to make it seem like a common blooded half troll, at least enough of one to not raise suspicions. He needed common regular troll blood though….. he quickly ran out of the heartstone and manage to sneak around. He found a sleeping troll, with a small knife, he managed to cut deep enough to dribble some blood onto the test crystal. Just as quickly he fled, just in time for the troll to wake up to see the small cut, without noticing anyone nearby…

Jim set the crystal down once more in it’s spot. He focused and chanted a little spell. The crystal changed into a different color.  
‘okay...there….good….now to-’ he heard Vendel and Kanjigar re enter the room, Jim quickly stepped a bit always and acted ‘casual’  
“heeey guys, how did the gnome thing go?” Kanjigar sighed  
“wasn’t as bad as we believed, and it wasn’t heartstone, it was just some kind of amber. Honestly, some trolls can’t tell simple things apart.” the two large trolls walked back over to the table and checked the test. Vendel was visibly relieved. Kanjigar looked at him  
“is...”  
“no. everything is fine.”  
‘FEW IT WORKED! Way to go me!’ Jim smiled and relaxed.  
“sooo, can I go?”  
“yes, let’s go back home.”

.…………………………………………………….

It was late at night, Draal and his father were off doing something far away. Jim had managed to convince Draal (which is now clear to Jim that he’s the type to cave in, so now he’s the ‘go to’ one to get what he wants) to let him just walk around trollmarket for a little bit, stretch his legs, have some breathing room, some ‘self’ time. Draal agreed, knowing that everyone needs personal space at times. Jim had sneaked into the heartstone, no one was around, a rarity but it was all you can drink glug night at the glug pub now, so everyone would naturally be distracted enough for Jim to do his work.

This was it. This was the end of his trollmarket life.

Jim felt anxious, his body trembled a bit and his heart raced. He felt like he was being slowly pushed towards the end of a cliff, afraid of falling off of it. He had to. He had to do it. 

Jim stood in the heart of it all. His breathing rapid and uncoordinated. He reached a shaky hand out to stuff the amulet pieces and his sword into a large bag he brought with him. Then he swallowed and turned to face a wall. He walked over and cautiously placed a hand on the surface every so gently, ever s lightly. It felt...soft….warm….safe….he started to just...feel at ease...like everything was going to be okay. Then, it happened.

His body started to glow.

Dark draining tendrils started to reach out and make its way through the surface, eating the heartstone from the inside. Jim felt such an incredible rush! This was 100xs better than eating someone! He started to uncontrollably giggle. His heart beat fast with adrenaline! He felt waves of energy flow through him, almost to the point where he was afraid he couldn’t keep it going without hurting himself. He felt so powerful! So strong! As if he could fight and kill the very world!. Suddenly Jim started to rip chunks out of the heartstone wall. Digging his claws and hands into it, as if it were pudding, and tore out chunk after chunk, draining each piece of it in his hands. He watched his veins practically bulge out from all the consuming he was doing. Each piece he finished draining, he would simply let it fall out of his hands, all while he replaced it with another. His mind was a flurry of energy and thoughts, far too quickly for him to even understand. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, to no avail. His giggling only intensified and his body wouldn’t, no, couldn’t stop shaking in absolute pleasure. After draining the last chunk, he watched it fall to the floor and shatter. Then he just started to look at it. He actually noticed the floor was practically no longer visible from the shattered remains littering it. His giggling started to slow down as he examined his work. His attention turned to the actual heartstone wall. It was horrid. It was like a nasty splotch, some kind of infection from an open wound. His giggling finally ceased, he started to actually SEE what he’s done. His body stopped vibrating, all the feelings of power started to settle and vanish. His heart….actually twitched...in...sadness…

 

“I’m a parasite.” 

 

His mind started to form thoughts of what he had done, no longer in a positive light, but a much darker one. Jim looked around, the glow of the rest of the heartstone was fine, but the closer to his little feeding frenzy, the more decrepit it looked. 

 

“I…..I did this….” Jim didn’t know why, but he suddenly felt like...he wanted to cry. He moved his sight back down to the floor where the drained husks of the former hearstone now resided. His thoughts turned back to what he had done. Looking back at the infection he created, he began to think. Why?.

‘I did this. Why did I do this?. It’s just gone now. It won’t ever come back. It can’t grow. It can’t live. This gave life, helped others thrive and live. I took it away. Why?. I’m a parasite, aren’t I?. That’s what they do. They feed off others to survive while giving nothing in return. I’m alive though. My life matters. I need this to live. Others need this more though….don’t they?. I took advantage of others. For my own benefit….no...that’s how life is. The strong survive. The weak are eaten. that’s how nature is…..am I natural though?. I don’t belong here. Do I. I’m not natural. I’m just some...mistake. I wasn’t born naturally….my kind shouldn’t exist...i shouldn’t exist...should I?. Dad exists, my mom existed, I was born. I deserve a place in the world. Right?. Dad wasn’t natural either…..he was made artificially….he’s a parasite…..no….that’s how life is, it evolves, it changes. Everything kills something else to survive, I’m doing the same. I’m following natures truth. Am I just protecting myself so I don’t die? isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?. Everything exists without a purpose, but I do. Dad gives me a purpose, I was made for a purpose...i should live. Dad tells me what I should be doing. Dad is always right…….i don’t...need this...do I?….nothing is born with a purpose. I was. My brother was. My dad was. We all were made for a purpose. We all were made because of someone’s actions. We were all born on earth. doesn’t that justify this? It doesn’t…..does it.’ Jim noticed tears dropping onto his hands. 

 

‘we are parasites aren’t we. This is just self gratification. We take everything away because we only know how to do that. We don’t want to change. We want to live how we want to live. This is selfish. I’m killing others for my own self interests. I don’t belong here do I?. My kind doesn’t belong anywhere. Am I doing the right thing?. There is no right or wrong thing though. Morality and law are just fictional things we create out of our own thoughts and ideas. Things are only right or wrong in someones own eyes. Do I want this? Dad wants it. So I do….do I?...I live because he lets me, because I’m supposed to….should I?. Why can’t this thing inside of me just leave! I don’t want to keep feeling this way!. I can’t make it go away. I want this don’t I?. I….i love this….why can’t I have this?. I’m not supposed to. This is wrong to my father so it’s wrong to me…..I’m alive for him, because of him….do I deserve my own life? Am I worth it? My family are the only ones who want me….Draal and Kanjigar want me…..no one else does though…..I don’t belong here. This isn’t my home. I shouldn’t be doing this, I shouldn’t be here. I don’t know what I want anymore. I can’t understand the voices in my head anymore. I’m just here to die aren’t I? I’m just living for my father, I’m not living for myself, am I. I’m just going to die one day and be nothing. My dad’s practically immortal, I’m just a tool. I’m just going to break and be useless to him. How do I know my efforts will actually do anything? I don’t now when dad’s going to get out, I don’t know if he’s going to get out while I’m alive. I’m being useless. I’m nothing. I’m just eating something else to sustain myself. I have nothing to give back. I want this don’t I? This makes me feel good! I want this! I’m just being selfish though. I’m just taking what’s not mine, only because I want it. I just...i want dad to love me...he says he does...only because I’m doing what I’m supposed to. He cares about me, right? Does he really though. I can’t fix anything. This is it. There is no going back. I’m in too deep now. I can’t turn around and change things. I….i want to...don’t I?….i want a different life….mine is filled with a single cause. I need this to live, so dad will let me live. Everyone serves him, or doesn’t live. Why am I any different? I….’ Jim took a deep but shaky breath. It was too late to turn back. He couldn’t. He kept reminding himself that there was no way now. He could only move forward. Keep going. No point in looking back and blaming himself. He didn’t want to. This is what he WANTED. Why should he REGRET THIS?! He loved this! This feeling, this power! He felt amazing! He wants to keep doing this forever! Heartstone was there for the taking!.

 

Jim grabbed a chisel and went to work….

 

Jim now had a massive amount, nearly an entire wall was carved out. He managed to get rid of the ‘infection’ evidence. Now, it only looks like an entire wall shrunk for no reason. He kept reminding himself this is what he wanted. He ignored all other voices. He can’t go back. This is what he wants, this is what his dad wants, this is what he wants. No regrets, this is what he wants. He slung the huge sack over his shoulder and started to walk away….

He was now in a dark pretty much forgotten part of trollmarket, not a single living being in sight. He dropped the bag and hid it, there couldn’t possibly be anyone who could find it now. He forgot one last thing, he knew if he didn’t go grab it he would regret it. Jim sighed and rubbed his face and his eyes. He could only imagine how red they must be. Of course, like his usual luck, he ran into Kanjigar, literally, after turning a corner and trying to make his way past someone.  
‘well fuck me. Why?. Do I deserve to get caught? Maybe I do. Maybe I shouldn’t even be living. Ticks, fleas, bedbugs 

(OOC: honestly irl those things are fucking scary. Look them up if you want, you might regret it though, well, they freak me out at least. Well all parasites do in general. Something about something inside of you or feeding off of you is horrifying to me. Anyways back to the story!) 

ringworms, everything gets killed so they can’t bother the host anymore.’  
“hello Jim, where is my son? are….you okay?” Jim doesn’t know why, but he just suddenly collapsed into Kanjigars chest and wept.  
“i don’t know anymore. I don’t know what I want anymore. I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t want to feel anything. I just want everything to stop. I just want all these thoughts and emotions to go away. I can’t make them go away. I try and try but nothing happens. I feel like something is yanking me from one side to the next. I just….i need to talk to my dad….” Kanjigar comforted him with hugs and pets.  
“I’ll let you go to him. But I want you to return as soon as you can. I want to be apart of your life more, along with my son, he might have already told you that however. I won’t ask you questions right now, but later I will.”  
“i...i...i need to do things...i...i want to go back to school….I’ve been putting it off.....i want to do fun things again...i want to see my friends….i don’t know if that will help though”  
“if you want to do more human things again, you should. If it will make you feel better”

…………………………………………………….

Jim departed from Trollmarket, saying his goodbye to Kanjigar, he managed to ‘accidentally’ go too far away from sight while the two started to leave to the entrance so Kanjigar could escort Jim to his other home. Jim grabbed his belongings first, and then everything else. He was quiet. His mind was silent. He realized that after eating heartstone, his emotions skyrocketed. He still felt how extreme they were, but he managed to keep himself from going off. He didn’t say much when Walt picked him up and drove off to the doorway. Walt of course tried to get Jim to talk, say anything, but Jim said he really didn’t feel good. So Walt didn’t pry. The two actually had a hard time fitting Jim’s stuff into the car, but they managed. Jim now finished walking through the doorway and into the darklands. He first went to his room. Cried and fell asleep. He would deal with everything else later.

 

The morning had come. Jim felt better, although he still felt that...intense...feeling at the edge of his mind. He first noticed, his body was glowing. Very brightly. He had no idea why. He tried his best to make it go away, now, he had to actually ‘turn it off’ something he found out was difficult. He felt like he had to push something large into a spot where it wouldn’t fit right. Finally he managed to do so, after a while that pressure seemed to go away. Now Jim had bathed and gotten himself ready once more.  
‘hhm….fuck it. I’m doing it. I don’t care what anyone thinks or says. I’m keeping my heartstone life. This makes me happy. I’m going to be happy. I can live both lives, I’ve already been doing that. It’s just a bit more difficult to lie about, no problem. I’m a good liar.’  
He took a few deep breaths, grabbed the heartstone bag, along with the amulet pieces, and headed off. Before he went to his fahter, Jim stopped at the gumm-gumm blacksmith who forged the amulets. He was shocked to see them once more, and promised to finish repairing them as quickly as possible. Now, Jim had entered his fathers throne room.  
“hey dad...I’m home...” Blinky was the first to speak  
“welcome home, master Jim” Gunmar spoke  
“Bular told me of your plan.”  
“yeah….”  
“well? I expect that you did so.”  
“i did. Like I said I would.”  
“Good. Good. Where is-” right as he was about to ask, Jim showed the large amount of heartstone he took.  
“I...uh...here dad...this is all I could carry. I made sure to bring back my sword and the amulet pieces too. so...yeah” Jim tossed the bag up to Gunmar who then picked it up with hunger and awe in his eye  
“mmh, very good my son”  
“I….I’ve been….i don’t know about my life anymore.”  
“what?”  
“i...” Jim started to whimper and cry  
“I don’t know anything anymore! I feel awful! I feel like I’m sick and I can’t get better! I can’t understand my life or who I am! I don’t know what I want or when I want it! I mean, yeah I know why I’ve been told and what to do and I’ve been doing it but my life seems to just have constant bumps now and I don’t know what I should be doing! I’m doing what makes me happy and yeah it does but now...I don’t know! I’m going to die! And then I’ll be gone! Will it even matter?! Do I even matter in the world?! I don’t know anymore! I try and….i don’t know how to explain it! Sometimes it’s easy but now it’s not! Its been difficult and I’m not fully sure why I suddenly feel like this but it’s happening! I mean I have my friends and my school and my fun and whatever else I could possibly want but now, everything feels like nothing at the same time! I don’t know what I should be doing! Should I be living one thing or another! I’m so conflicted and I hate this! I hate how I can’t even decide my own life! My own choices! Now I don’t know what I regret and what I don’t regret” Jim started to pace back and forth, the more he talked the more his body glowed. It was very noticable.

“and it’s not like I have some power to go back and time and fix my mistakes! Sometimes I have these moments where I replay those moments over and over and sometimes I cringe at those thoughts and desperately wish I could have done it differently except I know I can’t but then why am I so bothered by them!? Why can’t they just stop! My mind is split up in so many directions at once and I have these voices in my head complaining about one thing or another, and I feel like no matter what I do, I can’t do it right! what’s right and whats wrong?! I don’t know! Everything seems different than what they do and used to be and are and will be and everything! I mean, why am I even here?! What if I’m not here but somewhere else! Am I even myself still!? Am I just becoming someone else?! How do I know for sure this is me now! Am I just changing myself and still being myself but without being myself?! Do I REALLY want this or that or both or sometimes I can’t have anything and everything at once and I’m so confused about what matters to me and what doesn’t. Do I even want to keep doing what I want to do?! Does this make me happy and why does it and why does this NOT make me happy and why does it.”

“uh...”

“I MEAN, LIKE, WHYYY! I WISH I HAD SOMETHING THAT COULD AUTOMATICALLY JUST MAGICALLY TELL ME WHAT I WANT AND WHEN I WANT IT AND HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT, THEN WHY?! I MEAN, I’M THE ONE WHO CAN BUT I CAN’T AND I NEED TO BUT I DON’T WANT TO ALL AT THE SAME TIME AND I FEEL LIKE I’M GOING INSANE BUT IS THIS WHAT WILL HELP ME IN THE LONG RUN?! WHAT IS THE LONG RUN?! AM I EVEN HEADING INTO A DIRECTION I WANT TO GO OR AM I DOING SOMETHING RIGHT NOW IN THE PRESENT THAT I’LL REGRET LATER ON AND IF I DO THEN WHY CAN’T I LEARN AND NOT DO IT BUT I JUST CAN’T SEEM TO LEARN ANYTHING BECAUSE I DIDN’T DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE AND I REALLY DON’T KNOW WHY I MEAN, IF YOU DO SOMETHING AND KNOW WHY YOU DO IT AND IF YOU WILL REGRET IT LATER DOWN THE LINE, THEN WHY DO IT?! WHAT IF I DO DO IT AND I REGRET IT BUT ONCE AGAIN I DON’T LEARN ANYTHING BUT THEN IT MAKES SENSE TO ME YET AGAIN AND I STILL DON’T LEARN IT OR I DO LEARN IT AND SUDDENLY I DO THE OPPOSITE BUT THE OPPOSITE DOESN’T MAKE ME HAPPY AND I WONDER WHY I EVEN BEGAN THE ENTIRE THING TO BEGIN WITH! IF I DO DO ALL OF THAT WHILE DOING IT THEN WHY CAN’T THINGS JUST BE MORE SIMPLE IF I DO DO THAT AND I DON’T DO WHAT I ACTUALLY WANT TO DO BUT I DO THE OPPOSITE AND FOR SOME REASON THAT’S THE THING THAT’S CORRECT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON!” 

Jim took a long deep breath then continued

 

“CAUSE IT SURE AS HELL ISN’T SOMETHING I UNDERSTAND AND IF IT ISN’T THEN WHY CAN’T I UNDERSTAND IT?! I’M LITERALLY THE ONE LIVING THROUGH IT YET I CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER WHY I’M LIVING THROUGH IT AND IF I DO THEN WHY DID I CHOSE THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?! I MEAN, IT’S MY OWN ACTIONS AND CHOICES THAT I LIVE THROUGH YET I CAN’T SEEM TO ACTUALLY LIE THROUGH THEM UNLESS I LIVE THROUGH THEM WHICH I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I WANT TO DO IT OR NOT DO IT AND THEN IF ANYTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS THEN WHY DO I WIND UP BEING IN THAT MOMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE CAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT I CAN’T GO BACK IN TIME IN THE FIRST PLACE AND EVEN IF FOR SOME WEIRD ASS REASON I COULD THEN IF I DO DID DO THE THING I DO AND WOULD DO WILLINGLY DO IT WOULD THAT IS THE RIGHT ANSWER?! WHAT IF I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT I DID BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT IT WOULD ALWAYS LEAD ME INTO THE SAME EXACT SPOT I’M IN IF I DIDN’T DO WHAT I WOULDN’T HAVE ALREADY DONE BY DOING IT!”

“uh...”

“LIFE ITSELF DOESN’T MAKE ANY KIND OF SENSE AND EVEN IF IT DID WOULD THAT MAKE SENSE?! WHAT WOULD CAUSE WHATEVER TO BE THE VERY SPECIFIC ANSWER?! IT WE ALL GOT TO SEE OUR ENTIRE LIVES AND THE CHOICES WE MADE, WOULD WE CHANGE THEM?! EVEN IF WE DID THE OUTCOME WOULD STILL BE THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THAT WE SAW IN THE FIRST PLACE! TIME DOESN’T MAKE SENSE AND LIFE SURE AS HELL DOESN’T AND-”

Jim took another deep breath

“-IF I DO DO MY ACTIONS AND KNOW THAT I’M GOING TO DO THEM AND FOR SOME REASON I WOULD FIND OUT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THOSE ACTIONS WOULD I KEEP DOING THEM OR WOULD I STOP SO SUDDENLY MY LIFE WOULD BE TOTALLY CHANGED UP AND IF IT DID WOULD I STILL DO THOSE ACTIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BECAUSE SUDDENLY I WANT TO GO BACK AND LIVE THAT LIFE I WAS LIVING BEFORE I WAS LIVING IT BECAUSE OF MY ACTIONS THAT THREW ME INTO THAT LIFE BY DOING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE, THEN WHY WOULDN’T I DO IT?! IF IT WAS ALL THE SAME IN THE FIRST PLACE THEN WHY WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING BUT OF COURSE IF I DIDN’T WORRY MAYBE I WOULD DO THE SAME THING I WOULDN’T BE DOING BECAUSE I KNEW THAT DOING IT WOULDN’T CHANGE ANYTHING, AND IF IT WOULDN’T CHANGE ANYTHING THEN I WOULD DO THE ORIGINAL THING IF I COULD BECAUSE I COULDN’T LIVE THE OTHER LIFE I THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE IF I DID WHAT I WOULD DO BUT I WOULDN’T GET THE SAME EXACT ANSWERS TO THE LIFE I WOULD HAVE HAD IF I DIDN’T DO THE THING I WOULD DO BY DOING IT!”

“uh….”

“AND WHAT EXACTLY WOULD BE THE CHANCES OF ME GETTING THE EXACT RESULT I DIDN’T ACTUALLY SEE IN LIFE BECAUSE I NEVER EVEN STARTED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT IF I DIDN’T DO IT WOULD THAT ACTUALLY BE BETTER FOR SOME WEIRD ASS REASON AND IF IT WAS BETTER THEN WHY ACTUALLY WORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE I DID DO BUT WOULDN’T HAVE DONE BECAUSE OF WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE EARLIER ON TO PREVENT ANYTHING FROM ACTUALLY COMING TO LIFE AND IT’S NOT LIKE I CAN JUST PRESS A RESTART BUTTON TO TRY AND START EVERYTHING OVER WITH, BUT THEN IF I KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND CHOSE THE OTHER OPTIONS AND EVERYTHING WOULD JUST TURN OUT THE EXACT SAME WAY THEN WHY DID I JUST WASTE MY RESET BUTTON IF FATE ITSELF WOULD ALWAYS BE THE END RESULT OF THIS LIFE AND THEN MAYBE I THINK ‘OH GEE WAIT I MINUTE WHY DIDN’T I JUST THINK OF ASKING SOMEONE FOR HELP FIGURE MY SHIT OUT’ BUT THEN I REALIZE THAT THEY DON’T DO THE EXACT SAME THINGS THAT I DO AND EVEN IF THEY DID THEY MIGHT JUST END UP HAVING A DIFFERENT TIME THAN I WOULD AND THEN I THINK, HE, WHY DID THEY HAVE IT DIFFERENTLY THAN I DID IT WE DID DO THE EXACT SAME THING AND IF THEY DID HAVE DONE THE EXACT SAME THING THEN WHY WAS THAT?! I MEAN, WE’RE TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE SO THAT NATURALLY DOESN’T MAKE ANY KIND OF SENSE RIGHT?! RIGHT?!”

“uh….”

“EXACTLY! BECAUSE I DO THINGS YOU DON’T DO SO I HAVE A DIFFERENT ENDING TO MY OWN LIFE THAN YOU WOULD, AND ANOTHER THING, YOU DON’T DIE LIKE I DO SO YOU CAN DO THE THINGS I CAN’T DO BY DOING THEM SO I DON’T EVEN END UP DOING WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WOULD DO BECAUSE I’M DIFFERENT AND THEN THAT JUST BRINGS ME BACK TO THE ENTIRE THING OF WHAT I SHOULD DO IN THIS VERY MOMENT OF MY LIFE AND IF I DID DO WHATEVER I CHOSE WOULD THAT STILL HAVE THE SAME EFFECT THAN EVERYTHING ELSE IN MY LIFE OR WOULD IT BE DIFFERENT AND EITHER WAY I WONDER WHY THAT IS AND HOW IS FATE WRITTEN OUT?! WHO WRITES IT?! WHO DECIDES WHAT IS WHAT AND DO THEY HAVE A FATE THEMSELVES AND IF THEY DO THEN DO THEY DO THINGS THEY USUALLY WOULDN’T DO BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE THE FUTURE SINCE THEY COULD DO THAT AND ISN’T THAT A PARADOX!? AND IF IT WAS THEN THE UNIVERSE WOULD EXPLODE WOULDN’T IT?! SO IT HASN’T SO MAYBE THEY DON’T SEE THEIR OWN FATE BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE ANY KIND OF SENSE SINCE THEY CAN SEE AND WRITE EVERYONE ELSE”

“uh...”

“SO THEN IF THERE IS SOMEONE BIGGER THAN THEY ARE THEN HOW DID THEY WRITE THAT FATE IN THE FIRST PLACE SO DOES FATE HAVE A FATE TO IT’S OWN FATE AND THEN IT COMES BACK TO US OF WHY WE HAVE A FATE IN THE FIRST PLACE IF THIS GIANT OUT OF CONTROL SPIRAL PARADOX EXISTS THEN WHY DO WE EVEN LIVE IN THE FIRST PLACE IF NOTHING MATTERED AND NO ONE SEES REASON BUT THEN WHAT EXACTLY IS REASON?! PEOPLE ARE THE ONES TO DECIDE SHIT LIKE THAT AND THEN IT’S WHY IS THAT?! WHEN IS THAT?! WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR CHOICES IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH THEN COMES BACK TO THE INSERTING IDEA OF FATE AND THEN THAT’S ANOTHER PARADOX SO IS THAT A PARADOX WITHIN ITSELF OR TWO DIFFERENT ONES ENTWINING AND IS THAT WHAT MAKES US?! A TRIPLE PARADOX?! AND THEN IS THAT THE REASON WE HAVE A FATE IN THE FIRST PLACE IS BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE THE PARADOX FOR THE OTHER TWO TO HAPPEN SO WE GET FATE ITSELF TO WORK PROPERLY SO OUR FATES CAN HAPPEN AND THEN WHEN THEY DO ARE WE TRULY HAPPY WE CAUSED SOMETHING TO TELL US WHAT TO DO EVEN IF WE DON’T WANT TO DO THEM THEN WHY DID WE DO THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE IF IT WOULD HELP CREATE ALL OF THIS IF WE TRULY NEVER WANTED TO DO THIS ALL IN THE FIRST PLACE!” 

Jim took another deep breath 

“I MEAN COME ON WHY WOULD WE EVEN EXIST IF WE DIDN’T DO WHAT WE DID BECAUSE BY DOING WHAT WE DO IT WOULD MAKE FATE ITSELF WHICH CAUSES US TO DO WHAT WE DID AND SET OUT TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE YET WE CAN’T CHANGE IT AT ALL BECAUSE WE DID WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO SO WE COULD DO THE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE SO WE COULD DO THE OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING IN THE FIRST PLACE AND EVEN IF WE DID WOULD EVERYTHING BE CHANGED?! CAUSE WOULDN’T US CHANGING THE FIRST THING THEN BECOME THE FIRST THING AND THEN WE WANTED TO CHANGE THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE SO WE KEEP CHANGING IT AND WHEN WE DO THE REST OF OUR LIVES CAN’T CONTINUE CAUSE WE KEEP PRESSING THE RESTART BUTTON OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WHAT IF THAT WAS FATE IN THE FIRST PLACE SO NOW NOTHING MAKES SENSE BUT IT NEVER MADE SENSE BEFORE EXCEPT FOR FATE ITSELF AND APPARENTLY WE WERE THE ONES TO CREATE IT SO WOULDN’T THAT BE LIKE, FOUR PARADOXES?!”

“uh….”

“SO IF WE CREATE PARADOXES SHOULDN'T WE ALL HAVE DIED BY NOW OR WHAT IF WE ARE ALREADY DEAD AND FOR SOME REASON WE’RE ALL LIVING IN ONE OF THE OTHER PARADOXES BUT THEN THAT’S OUR FIRST ONE ORIGINALLY BECAUSE WE ALREADY SWITCHED OVER TO THE SECOND BECAUSE WE WANTED THE FIRST ONE TO BE DIFFERENT BUT THEN THE FIRST ONE WAS OUR SECOND ONE BECAUSE WE SWITCHED OVER AND NOW ARE SWITCHING OVER YET AGAIN MAKING THE SECOND ONE THAT WAS THE FIRST ONE NO LONGER BE THE SECOND ONE BECAUSE ITS OUR FIST ONE AGAIN AND THEN THE PARADOXES CHANGE AND FATE CHANGES AND THEN NO MATTER WHAT WE KEEP GOING ALONG AND DOING WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE ALREADY DID IT BY DOING WHAT WE DID EARLIER??!”

everyone in the throne room was just staring at Jim flabbergasted. The guards, Gunmar, and Blinky all quietly unsure wtf they just heard and are trying to figure out this mad episode Jim is going through in front of all of them. Jim was glowing as bright as a light bulb by this point he was practically hard to look at directly. 

“IF WE DID START TO DO WHAT WE DID WOULDN’T WE JUST RE DO IT BECAUSE WE NO LONGER ARE EVEN ON THE FIRST THING AND WHAT IF AT THE VERY END OF WHATEVER WE DID AND DIDN’T DO IT WAS ACTUALLY THE RESET BUTTON WE PRESSED SO IN THE END IT DOESN’T EVEN MATTER HOW HARD WE TRIED BECAUSE WE ENDED UP JUST LOOSING IT ALL-”

“SILENCE!”

“SHUT THE FUCK UP DAD I’M NOT DONE TALKING” Jim slammed his hands over his mouth right after saying that. Everything became dead silent.  
“i….i don’t know why I said that...i….I’m so confused...i...i need...i can’t...live...like this...i need to be normal...i need to be normal….” Jim started to mutter and just left the room. Everyone was still confused as fuck except now everyone was terrified for what Jim just did. He talked back to Gunmar. Yelled at him to be silent. Without even turning or raising his voice he just said plainly  
“Blinky. Explain.”  
“yes...i...do believe he’s going through an existential crisis. it’s something humans go through, they question their lives and the very nature of life itself and the purpose of all things, including their own value. it’s all very confusing and stressful to them and it’s known to sometimes be caused by intense shifts and strains on emotions and possible depression although those two are not entirely linked and can be two different things.”  
“hm. Strange. He glowed heartstone color. I'll look into this personally when he returns” 

 

………………………………………………………………

Jim was beyond emotionally tired, he just now stood in front of his college waiting for Toby. Their class would start soon and Jim was thankful. Even though after his ‘episode’ and yelling at his dad, which he was now TERRIFIED of going back home, he left early and was at the school for at least an hour waiting. He didn’t want to sleep, or eat, or feel. He tried to stay calm and clear his head. His body would occasionally ‘flicker awake’. After class, Jim noticed his body start to light up, he said he would meet up with Toby on their walk home while he rushed to a bathroom stall to try and calm himself down. After a few minutes of soothing his nerves he walked away. The sun was nice and warm at least. He was hoping today would just be nice and happy and relaxing, for the most part at least. Nope. He almost had his heart stop when he saw Bular talking to Toby.


	19. Toby the best friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing brings two people closer than sharing a nightmarish dark secret. 
> 
>  
> 
> Jim fucked up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uughhh! fuck tumblr! every things getting deleted pretty much, well if you own a blog, you already know, if you don't, well point is everything is pretty much dead now. kinda funny though, Verizon's stock just plummeted within such a short time, good.
> 
> well anyways enjoy this
> 
> tried to make best friend angst, was in the mood since i just don't write with Toby enough, pluuussss it's going along just as i planned in this plot line!

Jim laid his back in the little makeshift nest he had in Toby’s room. The home was silent and still from the deep night. Jim had a hard time sleeping though, he tried his best, but it didn’t work. He looked at himself, contemplating how much of a monster he really was. The sharp nails on his feet scrapped against the floor occasionally as he couldn’t sit still. His sight slowly trailed up his body, from his nails, to his digitigrade legs, to his stomach and chest, then looked at his hands and arms. He touched his claws together and then felt the palms of his hands. His dark blue body looked almost as black as Bulars very own from the darkness in the room. Jim ran his hands over his face, through his fur, and touched his horns. He closed his eyes and concentrated, it really didn’t take much effort anymore for him to glow. Actually, it was almost difficult now to keep it down, like trying to walk on ice. Jim watched as the glow spread throughout his body, lighting him up from his veins. The glow had become a very warm orange, exactly like the color of heartstone. Jim looked himself up and down a few more times, memorizing every piece. Jim felt warm, too warm, almost sickly, right on the verge of becoming painful. It almost felt like he had a fire inside of him, the heat pushing itself outwards and through his veins. He closed his eyes and breathed, turning himself off. He tried to stay still, hope for sleep to come. It didn’t. He was tired, but it just didn’t take. Eventually he opened his eyes again and scanned the room, remembering everything easily. The sounds and scents were familiar to him and almost gave him comfort. The memories of him coming here and hanging out with Toby throughout all the years they’ve known one another started to form in his mind. It was nice but had a bitterness to it that Jim couldn’t identify. Jim had always wondered what Toby saw in him, why was he so nice? Why did he like Jim?. Sometimes Jim wondered if it started out only because Toby didn’t have any friends, the only reason he even spoke or connected to Jim. Toby truly was the very first piece of Jim’s ‘human’ life. Jim always wondered what it was like to be a full troll, as well as human. It would be nice, if he were human, not having to worry about anything he has to worry about currently. To have some simple, normal life. No one would look at you weirdly or in disgust. To have anyone accept you no matter where you went, well, hypothetically since humans don’t always get along with each other. 

 

Jim looked over to his best friend who was sleeping deeply. What did JIM see in Toby? If Toby wasn’t his first friend, his first connection, would they have ever even been friends?. Would Toby have just ended up as someone Jim ate. Why doesn’t Jim just eat Toby? he’s right there, he’s always been right there, right next to Jim’s side. The craving for humans started to rise up in Jim, his feral attitude hungry for someone. Toby did always smell good, he had plenty of meat on him. Bular always questioned why he has kept the human around. Jim’s eyes narrowed, his mouth did water. He was a gumm-gumm, this is what they did. Jim didn’t move, he didn’t break his gaze either. A car drove by, the light reflecting off of Jim’s eyes, making them seem blood red and bright. Jim’s mind remembered the feeling of his first consumption, how euphoric it was, how intense it was. He remembered Bular standing next to him smiling at how his little brother was growing up. Everything else around him seemed to be a big blur as his mind concentrated on the food he was digging into. It was like nothing he’d ever eaten before. It made him feel...full...alive...strong. Like taking a deep breath after holding it for so long. The blood so sweet and savory, the meat soft and tender, the bones nice and hard, but broke easily with some effort to snap them. Jim chewed and gnawed on them, making sure to take in every flavor. After that ‘meal’, Jim no longer saw anyone as anyone. He saw everyone as potential food, prey for the predator. 

When Jim made friends with the others, he didn’t see them as potential food anymore, or even humans, he only saw them for who they are. Just like he see’s Toby for who he is. Jim was hungry but Toby meant a lot more to him than just a single meal. That was his human side telling him to be loyal, wasn’t it?. His human side wanted to have friends and connections. It always made him feel good when he could be around Toby, or Claire, or any of his friends for that matter. Jim had made himself a mental promise, he would guard his friends from everyone and anyone. He always made sure it was Clear to EVERYONE that they. Belonged. to. Him. If anyone was going to kill them, it would be him. No one else would have the privilege.

Privilege. That was a strange term to use.

Belonged to him. That was another strange thought. They were Jim’s property. He owned them, in a way. Well, he would own them, along with a great many others, when Gunmar took the world. Jim would keep his friends safe, he would keep them by his side. He couldn’t say the same for most others however….

….his hunger was getting to him. He hadn’t eaten for a bit, his addiction was starting to tell him to feed it. Jim quietly got up and walked to Toby’s bed. Jim just looked at his sleeping friend. Jim sighed  
“goodbye Toby. I’ll be back soon. I promise I’ll keep you safe. I plan on keeping it. No matter what. No ones going to hurt you.” Jim knew he didn’t want to eat Toby, he was his best friend! But...he did need to eat. Maybe that might settle his nerves enough to sleep. The thoughts of feeding, and his best friend, crossed for a few brief moments but, his need for Toby’s friendship overpowered his need for feral feedings. 

Jim was quiet, he left the home, he would return soon. He just needed to find someone to satisfy his needs….

Jim moaned as he dug into his new food. Jim made sure to hunt as far away from Toby’s house as he could. He didn’t want Toby to get into any kind of crossfire, Toby didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve the burden of being friends with a monster. Jim’s thoughts shifted rapidly between his friend and his hunger, in a sick moment, he imagined it was Toby he was eating. It only lasted for a few bites but Jim snapped out of it and spat out what meat was in his mouth with disgust. He ran a bloodied hand over his horn. Why did he just think that?! What is wrong with him?! Jim just stopped altogether and sat there, the heavy scent and taste of gore was numbed by his inner conflicts. Jim didn’t know how much time passed as he just sat there. Long enough for several cars to drive by, the lights from them had lit up the corpse as they passed. Now, Jim wasn’t even thinking. His head was gone. Emotionally shut down. He was taking too long. He needed to finish and leave. He took a few shaky breaths before going back to eating. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the taste. It just wasn’t the same. He felt terrible...but….he couldn’t tell if it were disgust or…..disappointment. The high he felt was gone, he hardly felt satisfied. His belly was fully but he didn’t FEEL like his needs were met. He was hungry! He wanted more! But he was stuffed. He NEEDED to kill! Consume! Do something!. The thoughts of killing a few more people made a slugs pace through his mind, but he decided against it. He ate, he took from the world what he needed. He didn’t want to be a parasite anymore than he had to be. 

 

Jim cupped several hands of blood and drank it. Trying to give his needs the flesh it desires by doing something that wouldn’t stuff him anymore. Thankfully it did. He got up, buried what little remains were left in a shallow grave he quickly dug, then left. Like it never happened. He felt tired now, maybe from being full, maybe from the emotional weight finally breaking him. Either way, he was happy he would be able to return and sleep. Jim stopped and groaned. He was covered in...well..person!. He couldn’t just go back! Only thing around here to clean him up was some water fountains. Jim thought maybe he should just go home. Bathe. Get yelled at. Punished. He didn’t care anymore. 

no.

he couldn't just let Toby wake up and suddenly ‘poof’ Jim’s gone. Toby deserved a good life. Jim wanted to make sure he had one. Jim had the small voice in his head saying that he was trying to live vicariously through Toby. Maybe that was true, maybe it wasn’t. No matter what though, Jim was jealous of Toby’s life. At least, the part where he could just be a regular human. Not a freak who shouldn’t exist. Just some small blight on the world slowly growing bigger and bigger to consume it. Jim wanted to be better! He didn’t know how to though. He saw, and he read, and he watched, and he even participated in ‘being normal’, but it never took for very long. Why wasn’t he allowed to do what Toby could do? Or anyone else for that matter! Fate wasn’t kind to him. Or maybe it was. Maybe this was some kind of punishment for even existing. Maybe he was tantalus in troll form, always trying to reach out to humanity, but always having it just beyond his reach. Maybe Jim did something bad and was somehow reborn to atone for his sins in some way. Maybe he was a human who did something horrible and now wants to get it back. Jim was too tired to think anymore. Everything hurt, everything was sore. He just wanted to go to some dark corner and be numb to the world. Good thing he didn’t drink, he would have ruined his liver by now.

 

Jim had walked to a water fountain and drank from it, swishing the clear fluid around and swallowing down the gore in his mouth, the meat stuck in his teeth, the blood dried around his lips and mouth. Cups of water, splashed onto his face, his fur was too thick to really get wet, or at least it would take too long to soak it. At least his mouth and face were clean. The rest of him was a mess. At least his torso was. Shit. He forgot all about his cloths. He was only wearing a basic T shirt and some shorts. He could just eat the shirt and ditch the shorts someplace, hide them well enough so no one could find them. 

So there he was. Running around in only his boxers through the cold night, sneaking around and heading for a small stream near Toby’s house, it was the only ‘shower’ he could have without ruining Toby’s. His body shivered as he now stood naked in the stream, washing himself off and shaking like a dog. He didn’t feel much from the cold, he was used to the cold in the darklands all his life, so this was nothing. Jim made a small giggle, the strange sight of him just walking around wet and in his boxers, imagining what anyone else might think if they saw him. He slipped into Toby’s home, dried himself off with a towel then tried to eat it, only to feel like he was on the verge of barfing from being too full, then slipped into some cloths before collapsing into his nest. He decided tomorrow he will take a real shower. He looked over to see Toby, still sleeping and quiet. Not knowing what horrors Jim just committed. Jim seemed to go full circle. Now there he was, looking himself over once more, like how he did before he left almost two hours ago. He groaned and looked over to Toby once more. He whispered

 

“I’m sorry for wanting to eat you Toby. You don’t deserve to be around a monster like me. Why do you care? I wouldn’t care if I were you. you’re too good for me. I shouldn’t have ever come to the surface. I just ruin everything I touch. You deserve so much, I don’t deserve anything. I just take and take and eat and kill. I give nothing back. What am I going to even do to the world? I’m just going to lord over people, who are going to just be cattle. I don’t do anything to help anyone or make lives better. I only ruin them. I ate someone tonight Toby. I killed and ate someone. I’m a monster. I don’t want to be like this but...i HAVE to...i feel like I’m being ripped apart by so many things. I just want to drown it all out. I feel like you are the only rock in this shit storm of emotions I have right now. I promise, I’ll never hurt you. I’ll never eat you. I’ll protect you with my life. you’re probably the most important person in my life, well, top 5. I need you so much Toby. I feel like I’m going to die. Okay that sounds really weird. You’re my best friend, you’re pretty much my real human contact in the world, yeah we have all our friends, but still. You were my first friend. That means a lot to me. I’m sorry for being a monster. I wish I could be normal. I want to make sure you have a great life. I don’t know how, but I’m going to make sure we can both be happy and be friends still. Even if we for some reason stop being friends. I won’t hurt you. I wouldn’t want a friend like me……...I’m tired now. Goodnight Toby.”

 

……………………………………………………….

Jim was tired, he hardly was able to sleep. He sat down at the table next to Toby while his Nana hummed and went about her own business  
“-sound cool Jimbo?” Jim snapped out of his half awake state  
“huh? Sorry I wasn’t paying attention”  
“that’s okay, I said do you wana take a walk? I feel like I need to stretch my legs, come back, hangout, play video games, then TV or movies or whatever, then tonight we actually go to the movie theater since you actually can tonight! Gonna be fuuuun!” Jim smiled and felt a warmth of joy wash over him, a small amount at least  
“yeah, that sounds great”  
“you okay? you’ve hardly touched your breakfast”  
“yeah I’m fine, just not really hungry, stomachs kinda upset from last night I guess” Toby smiled, threw a grape into the air and caught it in his mouth, looking back at Jim with an eyebrow wiggle. Jim laughed and felt himself perk up more. Today’s a new day. All that matters is their friendship. Every other part of his life can be left alone. At least, for the time being.

 

“-and then I was being chased by this giant marshmallow, weird right? Then the dam exploded and suddenly I was on a train watching a movie” Toby talked about his dream happily as he jumped from rock to rock. The two walked along a stream in the woods, ignoring life and getting away from everything. Nothing but the peace and quiet of nature. It made Jim feel relaxed.  
“so, you have any weird dreams Jimbo?”  
“nah, not really. I actually can’t remember them if I did have one last night”  
“so, how’d you sleep?”  
“eh….not...that great”  
“yeah, I usually have trouble sleeping anywhere that isn’t my bed. Welp, we’re here!”  
“here where?”  
“here here! This is a place I used to love to play at when I was a kid. I would just splash around, throw rocks, yell at birds, pretend to fight giant robots, you know, kid stuff”  
“well, I never imagined myself fighting giant robots, didn’t exactly have those kinds of things back when I was a kid”  
“oh, yee old year of Ad.1”  
“haha, I’m not that old!”  
“you are an old man, my best friend who’s an old man” Toby sat down on a large rock, he pointed his foot over to one next to him.  
“sit!”  
“alright, there. Happy?”  
“maybe.”  
“so, what are we going to do now?”  
“well, look at our reflections”  
“oookay. Kinda dull”  
“nah, just. Look.”  
“so, what am I looking at?”  
“your reflection. And also mine”  
“ooookay. Yep, that’s us”  
“you wana know what I see?”  
“a fish?”  
“well that too. But I see myself, and my best friend. I do see we’re two different species, buuuut that doesn’t matter to me. No matter what, you’ll always be my best friend! I like you for who you are. Not what you are or what you do. Everyone has problems, some not as big or sever as others, but we all go through stuff.”  
“thanks, same to you I guess, sorry I don’t really know what to say”  
“that’s fine!. Well, like I said, no matter what. we’ll be best friends…..so…...”  
“yeah?”

 

“a lot of stuff is starting to connect. I uh...well…...please stay here okay?”  
“oookay, I promise I won’t run away or leave” Toby took a deep breath and looked at their reflections.  
“i want you to relax alright?”  
“okay, all relaxed”  
“I’m...kinda a light sleeper….” Jim’s eyes started to slowly go wide. His heart pounded faster.  
“it’s...well...i...yeah. I….i don’t think any less of you Jim. But...i...kinda do want to talk about it….you know me, I know how to keep a secret. No matter what. Besides, nothing bonds two people like sharing a dark unspoken thing” Jim started to feel numb again. He fucked up. Like he always does.  
“i eat people Toby…..I’m a monster”  
“I’m not here to judge you Jim. But I want to understand...”  
“i….i come from this kind of troll who….well...we….eat people. I have to Toby. Or else I’ll die. I’m not being over dramatic or anything. I mean it. I will die if I don’t eat. Something in me just...clicked on I guess like a timer….when….if I go without eating now...i….i feel like I’m getting weaker. I feel like I’m getting sick. I feel like my body is screaming at me and won’t leave me alone. I... I know this is going to happen. I know how my body is going to...well...and...i wish I could stop. I don’t want to be a monster anymore.” Toby spoke calmly and….helpful  
“I’ve seen you eat plenty of other things, those...don’t help?” Jim shook his head no.  
“so...it’s...kinda like getting a new battery? Like, you run out of juice and gotta...yeah...to recharge?” Jim nodded yes.  
“so...you’ve….thought….me?”  
“I’m sorry..i….i don’t know what happened...recently things have just...” Jim started to choke up. He noticed he was suddenly being hugged by Toby.  
“i...i really don’t know what to say. Not everyday your friend tells you they eat people….so….all those disappearances ….”  
“yeah...me….well, mostly...some people actually did disappear and I don’t know why, other times...well...it’s….” Jim wasn’t sure if he should even bring up his brother. Well. he’s too far gone anyways.  
“my brother. We….eat people.”  
“and you don’t want to anymore”  
“no….i want to stop but I can’t….I’ve tried every other kind of food, meat, everything, even cats. None of yours don’t worry. But nothing helps. This thing in me is growing and….i don’t even know myself anymore.”  
“have you...always...”  
“for the past 30 years yeah”  
“huh, really? People have only started to go missing like, 5 months now”  
“well, I didn’t always hunt-uh….well...not here….only...recently...”  
“well, people do the same. We do the same with animals….but...i...I’m here for you. I don’t know how to feel about this. No matter what, you’re my best friend. So, hunting grounds huh? Like a lion?”  
“i guess so yeah”  
“a lion prince huh? Sounds familiar” the two chuckled at that.  
“what...do...people taste like? I mean, like, people think about that all the time right? Some people say we taste like pork, that one guy from japan said we taste like fish or something.”  
“it’s...hmm….no?...it’s...hard to describe. it’s the most amazing thing you’ve ever eaten. Its the greatest flavors and tastes and textures and you get this huuuuuge high from it and-uh...i...shouldn’t be….talking like this...”  
“how often do you need to...ya know...”  
“it used to be like, once a month. Now, I don’t know, my body’s started to tell me to eat like, at least once a week.”  
“i noticed a lot of people, well, most of them..were assholes...and...did bad stuff….was….that on purpose?”  
“yeah...i...try to go for people who aren’t good people...”  
“thin the herd I guess? Haha...well...yep this is awkward. But I don’t think any less of you. we’ll be friends to the end. And then you can eat me when I’m dead” Jim suddenly snorted out laughing  
“what?”  
“well I mean, I’m dead! You gotta eat! Why not?”  
“you’re so ridiculous...i love it”  
“well, I mean, I probably taste good right?”  
“maybe! You might! Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!” the two laughed for a good while before things got quiet again. Toby let go of Jim, then put a hand on Jim’s back  
“so...if you ever need to….battery needs to recharge...just...come talk to me first...or...after….well when you clean up I mean...point is. I want to be there for you. If you feel like you’re going to snap. I’ll be there for you. We don’t have to talk or do anything, we can just hangout”  
“that….actually makes me feel a lot better. This whole conversation actually. Wow...like...a bunch of stuff is off of me.”

 

“glad to have helped! So….thanks for, ya know, not eating me”  
“you mean a lot to me. I’ll eat you last”  
“phew! Oh good, I was afraid you would eat Claire last” Jim started to crack up  
“trust me, you’re last. Save the best for last I guess”  
“never thought in my life I’d be joking about my best friend eating me...Jim….you might be a monster. But you’re my monster. That won’t change. If I can help be your ‘human’ side, then I will.”  
“thanks Tobes.”  
“so...the whole thing with your brother saying I’d go missing….”  
“he actually was joking bout that. But yeah I did technically say you and our friends are on my menu, no one else gets to eat you guys”  
“so...be honest...if out of our entire friend group, who’d you eat first?”  
“I’ve….honestly thought about this before…..i wana say Shannon, she seems the softest”  
“rip”  
“I know you said you can keep a secret...”  
“i can, and I will. Even if the po po gets me. Besides, even if I did say it, no one would believe me aaaannd you’d prob eat me for ratting you out”  
“all of that is very true”  
“soo…..nana?”  
“bleh! no. too old”  
“phew! That’s nice to know...so….anyone else you’ve thought about...recharging...”  
“honestly, it’s kinda come and go...like last night….i felt like I was going on empty...head started hurting and brain went...stupid. So, I just took whatever I could find. Some poor guy jogging at like, 1am. Who does that?”  
“yep! Judging for someone jogging at 1am while you ate him”  
“hey he practically asked for it!” the two laughed more.  
“so….after you do it….do you feel...bad?”  
“i...used to not….like at all...i just saw people as potential food. Like….walking steaks or chicken nuggets. But then, well, I started to see people as...well...people. You actually helped me do that. You showed me that everyone has thoughts, and emotions, and crap...now...i don’t know...sometimes I do”  
“wow...helped all of humanity huh?”  
“i guess so!  
“so...all of those times I told you to be careful cause...”  
“yep! I told you I was the most dangerous thing around.”  
“and then you ate everyone”  
“yeah pretty much”  
“is it weird that this is super casual now?”  
“nah, at least I don’t think so”  
“so, you’ve never been like, just prepping me to eat right? Like someone ‘turning me into the perfect meal’” Jim laughed loudly  
“no! If anything I’ve been helping you avoid it!”  
“so...if I have any more questions..is...is it weird if I ask?”  
“uh….i don’t...think so...i mean. it’s all out in the open now. Why not? You know my darkest secret, you saw my brother, you know I’m a prince. you’re LITERALLY the one person who now knows about everything. there’s literally nothing left to hide….well...ooone thing….wana see a cool trick?”  
“sure!”

 

Jim closed his eyes and breathed. He let go….  
“whoooaaa! that’s so cool! Wait, so you DID glow!”  
“yeah...neat huh? it's super weird though, i used to glow blue now...i glow orange. I don't know why”  
“so, is this like, just a glow stick thing or helps you hunt or something”  
“ppffft! No! it’s just….i don’t know how to explain it. My dad can do the same thing, my brother can’t though. But this kinda...makes me stronger? Like, I feel stronger and faster. But it’s really hard to maintain and it makes me suuper tired after”  
“like some final form power up? That’s bad ass!”  
“yeah, I guess it is” Jim ‘powered down’ and smiled at Toby. Weirdly being super supportive. Then again, that’s how Toby was  
“so…..you feel good big guy?”  
“yeah”  
“battery all charged up?”  
“yep! Good to go for the next few days or whatever”  
“so….does it like, help spread it out if you eat other stuff?”  
“sadly, no. that just makes me not be hungry like, well, what food does, then my….well….when I need to recharge, that’s a different...hunger.”  
“good to know….so...those fangs and sharp nails and claws...all...from your dad?” 

 

“eh, more like mom, I actually take after her, pretty much in every way, except for the glowing, that’s like, literally the only aspect of my dad I have”  
“thanks for everything Jim, being my best friend, not eating me, protecting me, and everything. If anything I don’t deserve you! you’re amazing in your own ways, I was just the quiet overweight looser no one wanted to talk to. Then here comes this awesome looking dude who’s right next to me, awkward as all hell, and I thinking ‘oh shit do I have a shot? He doesn’t know me or anyone else, maybe he doesn’t know how much of a looser I am!’ and I asked for a pencil, you ate it-”  
“i thought that was like, some human gesture!”  
“-and we talked and well you know the rest”  
“i kinda...clung onto you like a tick”  
“hey, I didn’t mind! I loved that I finally got a friend! I still love every bit of attention I get from you! Why do you think I’m always pumped when you say you can hangout?”  
“well, if more people knew you, I’m sure you would have a ton of friends”  
“eh, people suck, you eat them, good enough for me”  
“wait you’re glad I eat people?”  
“well, the shitty ones I mean. Okay, like, the whole ‘no one truly deserves to die’ but, people are terrible, you make them go away, and I just...kinda ignore it and we be best friends. I mean, I do find myself weirdly okay with this, I think somewhere in my head I’m freaking out so much I feel calm. I don’t know, it’s kinda like...hmm...well, having the most dangerous thing want to protect you, not zero in on you like a hawk to a mouse”  
“well, you never know! I might get hungry and too lazy to bother with hunting, and hey! you’re right in front of me!”  
“hey no fair! You promised!” the two laughed more together.  
“our friendship is weird. I love it.”  
“i love it too Jimbo. So, at least now we have even more stuff to talk about, so now that I know all three of your ‘big mystery life’ pieces, can I get the rest of the info?”  
“yeah, nothing else to hide. Family, prince, and eating people, the big three!. Well you know how the whole ‘no one knowing if gumm-gumm’s are real or not?’”  
“you’re a gumm-gumm?! Eli was totally right! Shit I owe him money now”  
“THE most hated and ‘kill on sight don’t ask questions’ tribe of trolls. So, dear old dad wants to leave our kingdom. Thing is, he has this magic spell curse thingy on him, if he leave, boom he insta dies, no revives or plus ones. So, he’s waiting for us to find something to break the thingy. Then he comes up top, and we all live together as one big happy people eating family.”  
“so...that’s it?”  
“yeah pretty much….i mean...I’ll be honest….there’s prob going to be a big nasty war…..humanity….well…”  
“oookay now THAT’S freaking me out, let’s just go back to our casual convo of you eating me”  
“one quick thing, I don’t know when he’s getting out. No one does. So hey, it might not be until like, a 1000 years from now, or tomorrow. Anytime really”  
“well that puts my mind at ease. One day wake up ‘oh look the end of the world, anyways Jimbo you wana play this new game?’”  
“HAHA! Basically. Well, you’ll live with me, if that helps ease yourself”  
“and everyone else?”  
“live with me”  
“but..like...EVERYONE...else?”  
“that’s...let’s not go there.”  
“cheerful. Anyways so yeah, eating me” the two laughed yet again. The day was weirdly going well so far. 

 

“Jimbo I do gotta ask..do...you make them suffer?...”  
“no, I try to be as quick and do it as painless as possible. I’ve gotten really good at it, wana see?”  
“i mean, I’d be dead”  
“ahaha! True”  
“so...when you get….running on low...what happens exactly?”  
“oh..uh...well...i...kinda go out...hunt...eat-recharge...then everything goes back to normal”  
“has there ever been a time where you couldn’t recharge? What happens?”  
“well, there’s never been a time when I couldn’t so, I’m not sure. I might take a bite out of you”  
“eh, You’ve bitten me before”  
“yeah by accident! And not to kill!” there was a strange but comfortable silence. Both of them looked at their reflections for a while. Toby looked at Jim and asked  
“so...have you ever eaten a troll?….can you do that?”  
“yeah actually I have, a few times”  
“how? Can you eat rocks?”  
“noooo, see when trolls die, they have flesh and blood, rock and hard, but edible. So I eat up, then I’m done. Thing with trolls, after they die, their bodies quickly become stone, so it’s kinda like a race to the finish”  
“oh, neat. What do trolls taste like?”  
“meh. Like, people, 10/5. trolls, 3/5. they’re, okay. Very tough, but really filling.”  
“huh I just realized. Are you a cannibal? I mean, you’re not a human or a troll. So, you’re technically not eating your own kind and that’s like, the def of a one. Buuuut you are half and half, so are you half of one?”  
“huh…..good question, I dunno. Maybe?”  
“so...this morning when you didn’t really eat, were you still full?”  
“ohhhh yeah, I am stuffed! Usually after a person I get suuuper full. Sometimes I can’t even finish a whole person”  
“oooohhh THAT’S why a lot of them are just really…..messy…..it’s weird that I’m glad I know all this stuff...kinda like...bumping around in a dark room you don’t know, suddenly someone turns on the light, it hurts you eyes for a few moments, but you can see clearly now”  
“sooo, anymore questions about my diet?”  
“so, you have TOTAL control? Like, you won’t just randomly snap and go feral? I love you Jim, you’re my best friend, but I reeaaaalllllyyyy don’t want to die yet, I’ve never even had a girlfriend! Promise you’ll at least let me kiss a girl before chowing down on me”  
“i promise, and yes I have TOTAL control. I’ll be honest, I don’t know what happens if I don’t eat. I can easily prevent it cause...we’re in a city. But still. So juuust in case, let’s make some code word or something to help me snap back into reality”  
“okay! How about ‘oh my god Jim please no don’t eat me I don’t want to die’ sound?”  
“funny. A bit too wordy though, how about….just Jimbo? Try to remind me of my life and how you’re friend not food. At least yet, I still want you to get a big plumper before I dig in” the two chuckled and relaxed. Jim sniffles and scratches his chest  
“this is weirdly therapeutic to me”  
“Well I’m glad to help, any time any place”  
“So, want to keep walking?”  
“actually that was kinda just to get you out here”  
“well it worked!”  
“so, let’s head back and hangout, sound cool?”  
“totally!...just….remember...no one can know...not Claire, not our friends, not the neighbors, not even the mailman”  
“not the mailman?! But I tell him everything! I dunno if I can keep it from him”  
“Well, guess I’ll just have to eat you both” the two laughed and made their way home.

 

…………………………………………………………………………...

In the darklands, Gunmar sat on his throne, angry, hardly holding it back. He demanded Blinky come to his side at once. The moment Blinky had rushed over Gunmar have practically roared out  
“why hasn’t my son come home?! You know about these ‘exstin cris’ EXPLAIN!”  
“believe it or not but there is nothing to worry about, Bular has informed me that Jim is staying in one place. At his friends domicile. He's growing is all. He needs to...how do humans put it....stretch his legs?..hmm....well, no matter what, he just wants to spend time with his friends, he feels too much pressure as of late. He needs to have breaks. We don’t want him to break mentally or emotionally. He can only take so much. let him have this. he has been through so much in such a short time. This is just like his...mating habits….once he’s sown his seeds, he will relax and no longer do these sorts of things.”  
“hm….fine...i shall withhold my anger.”  
“this is all perfectly natural for the growth of the human mind. Like I said, once he’s gotten it all out of his system, he won’t act up like this any longer. Just let him get it alll out”  
“hmmm….you are correct. I forget he still is growing. I will let him have this, you have yet to fail me, so I will put my trust in your words”  
“as I’ve never failed you before, your trust is placed well upon me”

 

……………………………………………………….

 

3 days.

It’s been three days since Jim had stayed at Toby’s house. He’s never been happier, or at least, this sort of happy. The kind of happy only his human life can provide. Jim hasn’t felt more human in a very long time. He started to feel fulfilled, warm, the stress of life melting away. He wished he could live like this everyday. The only things that ‘spring up’ from his ‘usual life’ was Kanjigar or Draal coming to check up on him. He says he’s fine and he’s been here the entire time. Both are relieved to always hear that. The last death was far far away from this home, so there was no possible way for Jim to have been involved. And of course, they would touch and tap him with the gaggletag, Jim didn’t fight it, he liked that he eased their minds. Plus it did also give him more extended time to have fun, which he was willing to do anything to get it. Toby loved that Jim stayed over and just, was around! For a long time he hadn’t seen Jim, or really hear from him. Sometimes Jim would pop up, then leave for a while, then come back for a bit. This truly was the most time he’s probably spent with Jim continuously, uninterrupted. On Jim’s gumm-gumm side, He was surprisingly left alone. No news or visits or anything at all! It was almost too good to be true. He didn’t have to plan or hide his lives. No stress about that whatsoever. Jim did go down to trollmarket to get more of his things, bedding, clothing, soaps and deodorants, classwork, hes almost taken nearly half of his stuff to Toby’s. Draal was actually worried he might have left forever. Jim always told him he was just having a little ‘break’ from life. Draal was happy Jim was happy. It wasn’t Toby Jim got to spend time with, it was all of his friends! Their group actually did, well, normal human things! Go to places and eat, talk, hangout, go to the movies, go to parks, go to the mall and shop. A lot of them asked where Jim got his money from since he didn’t have a job, Trolls don’t use money, and they also lived underground. Jim said he had some connections from traders, trade from trade from trade, eventually brought in actual human money, so he managed to get some since a lot of it they didn’t need. When in actuality he would just stop by the Walt’s office/home, get a bunch of cash, and leave. Although he did have to do a small ‘check in’ and answer questions. Mostly of ‘what have you been doing? How do you feel? Where have you been? Are you still staying at your friends home?’ and the like. Like all things nice, they get replaced by something bad…..

 

Jim and Toby just played video games like usual. Having fun and working together along with fighting each other online. Jim started to get a headache. He suddenly dropped the controller and held his head  
“WOOO! ANOTHER KILL! Aww who’s on top now Jimbo? Your half troll ass just got owned by a human!” Toby turned to his best friend, only to see him groaning and holding his head  
“you okay Jimbo?’  
“yeah, my eyes are just hurting, getting a headache”  
“let’s take a break, my eyes are starting to hurt too. Happens when you stare at screens for too long” so they took a break. Then Jim’s stomach started to growl.  
“wana order some burgers from our fav place? We can head down there, or have them deliver” Jim felt a frog in his throat and butterflies in his stomach. He started to feel anxious but he couldn’t understand why. He nodded yes, eating will help him. So the burgers were delivered and they ate! After a few bites, Jim suddenly felt very ill. Not only that, but he actually vomited.  
“whoa! You okay Jimbo?”  
“b-b-burger….m-might not h-” Jim managed to make it into a trash can this time. After a few dry heaves he finally felt better. His body was hungry and shaking now.  
“you okay now big guy?”  
“yeah, I th-think I’m good now”  
“wow, your burger must have had something real nasty in it. let’s sue them”  
“nah, I don-t-t f-fell like t-that….shit I’m sorry for hu-hurling all over your floor. I-I’ll clean it up” so, Jim cleaned, Toby helped even though Jim said he didn’t have to, it was Jim’s mess, only right if Jim was the one to clean. Toby was persistent in wanting to help, so no use fighting it. Nana learned about this and made him some ginger tea, something to help ease his stomach. He thanked her and did actually feel better. About and hour later, it kicked in. the hunger, the pain in his stomach. The headache. His chest was rising and falling quickly.  
“you need me to get you something Jimbo?”  
“n-no I….” Jim’s eyes went wide. He realized what was happening.  
“i...i...n-need to….recharge..”  
“oh...shit really?”  
“yeah….”  
“uh..um...okay...go...and...yeah….I’ll just be here for you okay?” Jim nodded. His insides felt like fire was burning his intestines. Why was this all happening all of a sudden?!  
“have….fun?” Jim’s expression and demeanor suddenly changed. He was….calm. Had an intense stare. He was in hunt mode.  
“Toby”  
“you’re not eating me...right?”  
“no...I’ll be back….i promise to clean myself up before coming home.”  
“okay….I’ll...see ya” Jim nodded and left through the window….

Jim somehow felt….better...just….out hunting. The pain seemed to ease as his entire body concentrated on hunting. What luck. A man just snatched a woman’s purse. How cliché. No one was chasing him. All except Jim. He followed the man until he was far far away from anyone to see. Jim made a little noise, drawing the mans attention. Then, quickly jumped at him, and dragged him into the forest, making sure to prevent any cries for help. The purse being dropped to the ground.... 

 

Toby was tired of waiting. When Jim first hunted while at Toby’s home, it took Jim two hours to hunt. Toby was afraid something might have happened to Jim, what if he got caught? What if he got hurt? Sure he was big and strong, but still….even if Jim was….recharging, Toby at least wanted to know he was safe. He said goodbye to Nana and left on a new bike Jim bought him as a thank you gift for letting him stay over. The sun was just about to set, giving Toby at least a small amount of time to look. Toby had assumed Jim would have done his business in the forest, however he had to be around actual people, so he rode around Arcadia for a bit. He came upon a police officer talking to a woman. Before he went past them, the office asked to talk to him  
“yes officer?”  
“hey, have you seen a tall man running around? He just mugged this woman and we’re searching for him”  
“oh no I haven’t”  
“if you see any suspicious activity report it please. Oh and stay out of the woods, we think he ran into it. He dropped her purse for some reason. doesn’t make sense if you mug someone, run down a few streets just to vanish” Toby swallowed. He knew what had happened. Toby cleared his throat after looking at the forest.  
“y-yes sir, will do! I uh, gotta go now” Toby turned around and biked back a bit from where he came from, he could start there…

“Jim? You out here? I know I probably shouldn’t be out here but it was getting late and I began to worry, if you can hear me just...sorta...say you’re alright...” Toby now had been searching for at least ten minutes, it had become night so things got a bit difficult. Of course even if he WANTED to turn back, he had gotten a little lost. Oh well, just keep going in one direction and eventually you’ll just get back to the city, or a road. Soon after he heard some noise. If this were a horror movie, he would have been dead. Thankfully the monster wasn’t planning on hurting him.  
“I know this is really stupid, but it was getting late and I kinda got worried you might have gotten caught or something...uh...just kinda...say you’re alright for me..okay?...is that you?” If Toby wasn’t as loyal as he was, he wouldn’t have done this for anyone else. Well, maybe he would have, he was supportive like that. Toby had went through some tress, using his phone as a flashlight. He found Jim alright. Currently, face in a chest cavity, purring as he ate. Around him wasn’t just a single body, but three. Toby listened to the tearing and cracking  
“J-jim” Jim looked up in a daze, he started to recognize Toby. He growled and shouted for him to leave  
“yep yep yep! I’m leaving, you were gone for a while and I was afraid something might have happ-”  
“LEAVE” Toby left as quickly as he could from hearing that command. 

………………………………………………………………

Jim started to climb through Toby’s window to his room  
“well, I’m allll better now! Nice and recharged fully, I feel great! So, want to continue playing?” Jim smiled but noticed Toby just sitting on his bed not really paying attention.  
“Tobes? You okay?”  
“oh uh...hi Jim….”  
“what’s wrong Tobes?”  
“oh...just...kinda...what happened. I can’t get it out of my head”  
“get what out of your head?”  
“your….recharge”  
“what about it?”  
“Jim...you...had...three people. Not one.”  
“oh...uh...i...sorry..i just...got carried away...hey let’s play something else! Why don’t we doo...uh...this one….I’m really sorry Tobes...i promise I didn’t mean to yell at you...i...i just didn’t want you to see me like that.”  
“well uh...um….yeah...probably shouldn’t have gone to you...” Jims voice and expression turned to concern  
“Why did you? If you knew what was going down?”  
“i was worried about you. You took a long time and I was afraid something bad might have happened, well, to you. So, I went around and checked. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t caught or anything.”  
“Tobes...i….” Jim rubbed his face then ran both hands over both his horns.  
“i am so so so sorry. I did NOT mean to take that long..i...i got carried away and….i just...kinda lost myself...well uh...then you came along and I panicked. I didn’t want you to see me like that. I didn’t want you to see the monster I am.”  
“honestly, I didn’t know what I expected. Not like killing and eating people is pretty. I knew it, but I looked for you anyways.”  
“i want to make it up to you. Name it and it’s yours”  
“stay with me longer, I honestly want to just pretend this didn’t happen. Yeah, it’s nightmare fuel but I think drowning it out with friendship might keep the demons at bay for a while” Jim smiled, but it became sad  
“you think of me differently huh? you’ve seen me. What I really am.”  
“I’ll be honest. When I see you, I see what I saw. But I see past that and remember WHO you are. Yeah maybe you...do that...and yeah you’ve def changed when I look at you. But everything else overpowers that. You aren’t the monster you think you are. At least that’s what I see. you’re too focused on that part. Focus on the good you. The kind everyone wants to be around, the kind that everyone loves. there’s a reason people want to be friends with you, you think that just happened for no reason?”  
“thanks Tobes. Well, you’ve officially seen me eat. Well, now that I will haunt your dreams, why don’t we drown out the demons with dumb shit”  
“so...you’ve finished? Like...allll charged up? Don’t need to head back out again tonight?”  
“yep! I’m stuffed! No need to worry. Got my fix, got my charge, got my health back, completely satisfied, none of that stuff is on my mind what so ever”  
“Good to know! Yeah lets put this night behind us”

 

……………………………………………………………….

2 days.

It’s been two days since the ‘recharge’. Toby and Jim were a bit...concerned after hearing the news from their favorite couple. Eli and Steve had planed to go on a camping trip out in the woods for fun. The city was restless as in one single night three people went missing, only one’s remains were found, so badly damaged, they couldn’t even identify the corpse. The police had fully issued a small curfew to prevent anymore incidents until they could find whoever or whatever was doing this. Jim’s eyebrows nit together.  
“tonight. You both want to go out, tonight?” Eli showed Toby and Jim a small map he drew  
“yep! Going to follow this trail, look for fun stuff, and then camp out!”  
“what if you get caught, you don’t exactly want to get arrested”  
“nahhh we’re going to be far enough away! And besides, it’s gonna be fun!”  
“I’m going.” the other two boys looked at the now stern Jim  
“it was kinda supposed to be a date thing...”  
“don’t care. I’m going.”  
“are you afraid of the incidents? I know I know, trust me, Steve is the one who talked me into doing this, but we’ll be fine! We have plenty of things to prevent anyone from getting murdered” Jim and Toby looked at one another, Jim almost made a grin, he turned back to Eli  
“yeah, I know for a fact nothing like what happened two days ago will happen to you”  
“oh? How?”  
“beacaaauuussseeee this big strong half troll will make sure nothing bothers the two of you”  
“well, except for you...” Toby decided to speak up now  
“I’ll go too!”  
“great...”  
“well, if Jim and I hangout, then no third wheel to interrupt you!  
“well...okay...plus it might be good to be in better numbers….”  
“Exactly!”  
“let me run this by Steve” Jim cracked his neck and said  
“why don’t I do it?”

 

………………………………………………….

 

The four drove for a while until they came to a small clearing. It was nice. Cozy and a decent size. They set up two tents, one for the best friends, one for the couple. That night they had set up a small campfire, told ghost stories, went night walking, which Jim of course had to constantly jump out at everyone to scare them for fun. Now they had started to talk while sitting around the now lit campfire.  
“-anyways so suffice to say, I’m no longer banned from the card shop” Jim was eating a very burnt marshmallow Toby had given him. Jim talked through the goop  
“nice” suddenly they all heard a voice behind them, turning they noticed a large troll. Jim was thankful he had already swallowed what was in his mouth, or else he would have choked from surprise

“Jim”  
“oh uh h-hey, what uh...what are you doing all the way out here?”  
“i needed to be more vigilant. So I expanded my area. I noticed a light and smelled smoke, I feared something might have caught fire, so here I am. it’s very pleasant to see you” just then, Jim started to get a headache….  
“y-yeah you too”  
“who are these humans? In your company?” Jim’s stomach suddenly felt empty, starving even.  
“m-my f-friends, That’s T-Toby, Eli, and Steve” the inner burning started to flare up.  
“It’s nice to meet you all”  
“O-oh uh, everyo-one this is Kan-j-jigar”  
“are you alright Jim?”  
“yeah! Totallllyyy fine!, uh yeah so guess what guys, he’s the t-trollhunter” suddenly Eli gasped and suddenly went over and felt the armor and talked quickly, just like he did to Bular.  
“online not many people believe you exist! This is amazing! you’re like, a cryptid!”  
“I’m a what? You seem rather ecstatic”  
“can you fly? Can you turn invisible? Are you fire proof? Whooaaa cool sword! Can it shoot laser beams? Can it cut through anything? Can you-” Jim’s stomach hurt and he rubbed his horn. Oh no…. Toby noticed Jim’s...episode. He walked over to Jim and whispered  
“you..okay?”  
“i...i have...to...r-recharge..”  
“already? I thought you said only like, once a week, and you just had one two days ago”  
“i-i-i k-know but I don’t k-know why I h-have to”  
“-ohhh you’re horns are soo cool! they’re almost as cool as Jim’s brothers!” THAT got Jim’s attention.  
“oops! I wasn’t supposed to….” Kanjigar raised his brow and looked to Jim who was holding back his pain as much as he could.  
“i didn’t know that your brother had met them. I wish to meet him as well”  
“ohhh uh...thing is...he really isn’t around, he only came one time to check on me” Eli giggled out  
“yeah, I only met him once, it’s weird to have known Jim was a prince all-oops!” Eli covered his mouth and looked sorry at Jim, who would have looked daggers at Eli, except he was in too much pain. Kanjigar frowned. Another thing he didn’t know, yet his friends did? Well, they are his friends. But still..  
“a prince?”  
“well shit Eli.” Jim took a deep shaky breath and steadied himself, ignoring the pain as best as he could.  
“yeah….thing is Kanjigar. that’s why I’ve been sooo secretive about my, well, family life. My dad’s kingdom is suuuper tiny and pretty much forgotten. Pretty much anyone could easily invade and take over, dad really doesn’t want to give up the throne. So, he makes us all keep quiet, makes sense. So yeah, that’s why I had to be quiet. ELI wasn’t supposed to say anything. SAME WITH MY BROTHER. NO ONE can know anymore about ANY DETAIL. Sorry, I’m just a bit grumpy that my friend opened his mouth. Well, at least it’s to someone as trust worthy as you are, my trollhunter” Jim made the best smile he could muster up. Kanjigar returned the smile  
“ahhhh that makes sense. All the secrets and going back and forth, you’re just trying to protect your fathers throne. I promise I won’t say anything. Tell me, what is your kingdom?”  
“it’s really unknown, for that exact reason”  
“I’d like a name at least”  
“it’s...the...uh..glorb tribe!”  
“glorb? I’ve never heard of them before, hm, truly must be old and hidden. Well I will not pry any deeper. Thank you for sharing with me, even if it was only because of loose lips. Well, I won’t keep you from having fun.” Jim smiled, Kanjigar said goodbye and headed off. When he left Jim swallowed down his anxiety and pain, only for it to come back up tenfold.  
“HEY OH I JUST GOT AN IDEA, I’M GOING TO RUN OVER TO ARCADIA AND PICK UP MORE SMORE MATERIALS!” Steve looked over to their bags and said  
“we have plenty-” Toby laughed awkwardly and ‘saved Jim’  
“hey well, better to have more than less! Jim, I think it’s a great idea for you to go do that. Just, you know, hurry and come back, and everything else” Jim swallowed down a the feeling of throwing up and ran off into the woods as fast as he could. 

It was only about a minute later when Kanjigar had come back  
“oh jim I wanted to ask you-Jim?” Toby saw him and tried to smile a ‘please don’t ask about Jim, he needs to go eat someone before he dies’  
“ohhh uhh heeeyyy mr...car...guy”  
“Kanjigar. No matter, where did Jim go? I need to ask him something important, and a bit...private. I was hoping to take him aside for a few moments, where did he go?”  
“he uh….went….” Eli was too excited to see the big guy again  
“he went to the city to get more smore materials! Can you stay and talk more?! Oh and take pictures?! Steve grab my phone”  
“oh, well I will find Jim and escort him through the woods. It is dangerous out. Please be careful” as Kanjigar was turning around Toby shot up  
“OHH NONO IT’S TOOOTALLY COOL!”  
“hm?”  
“hes toootally fine! You can go back to your...uh...thingy, Jim’s going to be alright, let’s just let him relax! Like he wants to, he’s fast and will be riiight back.”  
“i must see to his safety. Thank you for-”  
“NOOO! uh...why not just...hangout here! Until he gets back! Then you two can talk and we can all roast marshmallows and have fun!”  
“please do not interrupt me. Yes, that does sound enjoyable, but I must see to his safety. it’s not safe in these woods. Perhaps I shall once We’ve returned”  
“realllyyy shouldn’t gooo..uh...what about us! We might need protection!” Kanjigar sighed. This human was starting to irritate him.  
“yes. But no troubles have happened anywhere near here. I must go guard-”  
“but-”  
“NO. I must leave. I shall return with Jim. Goodbye. Stay safe. Oh and your mellow is on fire”  
“wh-AHH” Toby pulled it back and was blowing on it, by the time he looked up, the large troll was gone.  
‘pleaaassseee Jim don’t get caught! Please get your fix and hurry!’

 

Jim was digging into a fresh kill.  
“soooo goooooood” he moaned through a mouthful. He was savoring every bite. His body seemed to finally become silent, his headache left him, and overall, he felt better, no longer on the verge of breaking down. Jim was in total bliss. He needed more. He just didn’t feel satisfied, even though he was starting to get full again. He thought about drinking more blood…  
“Jim.” Jim’s world came crashing down around him. Time had froze. His heart stopped beating. Life seemed to become completely nonexistent. Standing in front of him was Kanjigar.


	20. My blood is born once more.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sweet little baby Jim.
> 
> "I was born from heartstone and you were born from me. my little whelp, you are mine. my love will keep you warm and safe. our home is dark and cold and lifeless, but you are alive and here with me. remember that i will always love you, your fathers here to guide us all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 101 kudos and 2034 hits! thank you all for enjoying my story so much =D i love your feedback and knowing that my story excites you!

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93\. 

 

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To a troll, a human life is as fleeting as the sun, rising up early, aging progressively, and then setting, all within such a short amount of time. Humans have no grand perception, they can’t have the wisdom of thousands of years, even if they learned, history is slowly broken down, parts made up or forgotten, some of it lost or lied about as well. Trolls, roughly, lived alongside humans. Mostly keeping to themselves as the human world was too fast, too chaotic to handle. One day you wake up and a city is born. You come up to the surface after a few days and suddenly an entirely new empire has risen. it’s said that love, is timeless as it is powerful (cheesy right?). No matter what, it will always make it’s way into others no matter what time, place, or who it is. The world is ripped between chaos and order at all time. Nothing truly stays still for very long. Except love. Love and the creations it makes.

 

No one knows when Half trolls started to come into life, born from two things that shouldn’t have ever thought to come together. Throughout history, Half trolls seemed to just start existing. Love and life, shared together and entwined through physical forms to create something altogether new. Altogether…..unnatural.

Ugly

Deformed

Mutants

Heathens

Mistakes 

A stain on the world.

 

No one ever asks to be born or made. Life forces us into existence to live out our days until they end. Some live simply because they must. Some live because nature pushes them forward, a biological fear of death. Some simply fear death, they wish to prolong their lives to avoid it as much as they can purposely. No matter what the cause or thought may be, everyone lives and dies eventually. Born from the world and die on it. Never truly leaving or moving as the world is always the world, no matter where you go, you’re still on the same surface as everyone else. Life itself is a mystery. No one ever knowing the ‘true’ answer to everything, everyone speculates and have their opinions, but no matter what, we’re all the same. So what about those that aren’t? Those that are debated if they truly are naturally or not. Life forced them into creation, yet they have no true will of their own. Shackled to someone else at all times, for safety, slavery, servitude, or fear of all else. it’s nice, to be around the strong, someone who can protect you, provide for you, keep you safe. Who wouldn’t want that kind of thing? But what do you give up in return for this? How much are you willing to pay to get what you want?. Almost all trollhunters have had a ‘pet’ half troll. A squire to a knight. A butler to a master. A home taker for the home maker. it’s nice, to be next to someone strong enough to keep you safe, keep you alive and protected. At the cost of your own free will? But a lot of times, those who aren’t born to serve chose to do so willingly, the perks are great, the job is difficult at times, but no matter what, Everyone seeks the chance of love. Of a warm tenderness, something and someone to come home to. Someone to share your victory with. Love comes in more types than anyone realizes, sometimes its romantic, sometimes its platonic, sometimes its the love for someone you care for, sometimes its a love for family, sometimes its a love for your neighbors, sometimes its a love for friends. In the end, everyone wants someone, even if just for a short while.

 

Most half trolls are forgotten in history, ignored or banned even. Very few times do others see half trolls as something beautiful, something wonderful, instead of a sickening offense to nature. Half trolls were created through love, or rough balls deep bed breaking orgasm inducing pleasure. What? Did you really think I’d type something without fucking with it? XD

Half trolls are considered a mistake, something that cannot be undone. Some places forbid the existence of their kind, some forbid them from reproducing, some consider them less than trolls or humans so they are raised to simply serve. The most famous of half trolls have been recorded by being owned by a trollhunter.

One of the most famous half trolls, was a male beta named Angus. He belonged to Deya, and together they had won countless fights, battled impossible odds, overcame any obstacle in their way, adventured to places unexplored and unknown. He was praised as a hero for aiding Deya, even if he never had direct credit of being a hero for himself. Then something terrible happened one fateful evening, the final day of Angus’s life. While the two battled scores of gumm-gumm’s Deya was about to be killed by a creeper sun poisoned dagger. He took the blow for her and died. His body limp and lifeless as it fell to the ground, only to shortly turn to stone. Out of pure grief and rage, Deya slaughtered the remaining gumm-gumms. She mourned for his loss for the rest of her life, she truly loved the half troll as the greatest friend and ally she would ever know. He was finally praised as a hero in death, sacrificing himself to save his trollhunter. Some argued though that this was his job, not just from being owned and serving a trollhunter, but by simply BEING a half troll. His life was worth far less than that of his ‘superior’, it should have only been natural for him to willingly sacrifice himself to save the ‘better beings’. Deya would lash out at any who dared speak of him that way. He was a hero plain and simple, she made sure everyone knew. From that story, many eyes had become open, or at least more aware, of what half trolls could be. However this wasn’t for the right reasons. They saw half trolls as how USEFUL they could be….

HELPFUL. When you applied that word to a half troll, it typically was demeaning. A ‘modern’ term to use to make it seem less like servitude, even though it was quite in fact the same. Half trolls are meant to be helpful to those they serve. With no one real place to go, most half trolls just wander aimlessly, trying to find someplace where they could just belong. They don’t have their own culture, history, or traditions. Half trolls were, and still are, just a tag along to another culture, history, and traditions. In today’s world, it’s considered something of a higher status to own a half troll, simply because of their rarity. If a half troll was lucky, they wouldn’t be sold or bought like merchandise, instead you would hopefully be ‘recruited’ by someone else, giving a good home for work. Protection for servitude and the like. Nothings truly changed throughout history, except that fewer and fewer are existing. Many started to think they went extinct. 

One day. Someone will be born to help them. Hopefully. Until then, the half trolls live in the shadows of others, wishing for a better existence.

 

…………………………………………………………….

(Just so you have an understanding. The tune to the music, is based on the winter lantern singing from Bloodborne, Lullaby for Mergo from Bloodborne, Dreaming from coraline, the huntresses humming from dead by daylight)

 

In the darklands. Devoid of anything ‘pure, good, kind’. Nothing is innocent within these horrid caverns, or at the very least, it doesn’t last for long. The weak are killed and punished, the strong survive and live. The simple rule. The only true rule. The caverns, twisted and distorted. Hate and spite crawls through the atmosphere like the energy radiating from the crystals. Death is always lingering in the air. Life can only survive for so long without being torn apart and changed. An endless cold, a harbinger of ill fate to those that it sinks its teeth into like death, except death is merciful in those vile lands. The cruelest gather together, out of command, slavery, fear, or willingness. Everyone, lead by a single despot. He makes himself known that none escape his grasp within his kingdom. None dare speak against him. His word is law. None are stronger than him, thus he is the rightful one to rule. 

Deep within a certain cavern, a small lullaby is hummed. A small music box plays out a bittersweet tune. Deeper within the heart, guards line themselves along the hallways, bowing down as their leader makes his way past them. A large opening with powerful doors are pushed inwards. A tiny figure is laid within a crib in the center of the cave. The hum and the music box came to a slow stop. A hooded figure tended to the infant within his crib. Stopping to turn around and bow to his dark underlord. Gunmar simply walked past him. wordless as well as expressionless. The large powerful figure now loomed over the infant, blocking out whatever small light was shown upon him. The tiny, innocent infant, so small and helpless, so vulnerable, so weak. Typically it would have been torn apart and fed on by now, however this infant was unique. He had the blood of Gunmar coursing within his tiny veins. The second heir. The second son. Gunmars son.

Gunmar spoke softly but strongly  
“Blinkous. What is this metal contraption slowly spinning above my son’s crib?”  
“Its called a mobile my dark underlord. It spins softly above to relax and soothe him into a more peaceful state. Humans had thought of these.”  
“what are these things on it?”  
“various objects, differently sized and shaped to help the whelp have his first comprehension of how things are different.” The dark underlord reached his arm into the crib, gently putting a claw onto the whelps small body. The whelp grabbed the claw, touching and holding onto it. Gunmar smiled and felt a warmth within him grow. The small whelp, so small and innocent, looked up at his father with large round blue eyes. Gunmar slowly moved his claw up and down the whelps body, watching the whelp laugh from the sensation.  
“he is doing wonderful my dark underlord. Only a month old and he’s already starting to understand his different senses. I think he’s starting to develop taste, he’s reacting differently to certain things.”  
“good. This pleases me Blinkous. You are keeping him healthy and alive”  
“just as promised”  
“yes. You did. Where is Bular?”  
“i do not know. I believe he is within the training grounds, although I am unsure for certain.”  
“tell a guard to fetch him.”  
“consider it finished.” Blinky bowed and rushed out the twin doors  
“Jim. My little Jim. If only your mother could be here to look upon you. You won’t let her death go to waste. You will serve me wonderfully. Faithfully and with absolute obedience. I will love you, I will protect you, and you will prove your worth my time and effort. You will be a wonderful son, I can tell. You will follow in my footsteps. You will do as I command. You will have a life of nothing but the best. You will kill, you will thirst for blood. You will sew only death and carnage into the world. You and your brother, my two dark champions. You will be raised properly. You will become the greatest half troll in history. You will show the world, that even a weak and pathetic thing like you, can become the mightiest of warriors with my blood. Jim. My little Jim. Oh Victoria, I would slay half the world for you to just be here to see our son for but a brief moment. I won’t let his life go to waste. The fruit you bore from your death, will become an even greater warrior than you were. He looks so much like you. I can practically see you in his eyes.” Gunmar started to hum softly to the whelp

"I was born from heartstone and you were born from me. my little whelp, you are mine. my love will keep you warm and safe. our home is dark and cold and lifeless, but you are alive and here with me. remember that i will always love you, your fathers here to guide us all.” the large doors opened and the first son stepped into the room.  
“you summoned me father?”  
“come here. Good. Now look inside. Tell me what you see.”  
“i see a whelp, smaller than usual ones.”  
“what else”  
“i see a half troll”  
“what else”  
“an omega”  
“is that all you see?”  
“i see him giggling as you touch him”  
“anymore?”  
“i see him drooling on you now.”  
“disappointing. I had thought you smarter than that”  
“what have I done to-”  
“you cannot even recognize this whelp as your brother. You cannot recognize this whelp as my second son. You cannot see what potential he has. You also don’t see how cute his little horns are.”  
“forgiv-”  
“i will not forgive you. Not until you fully accept this whelp as who he is. He is my second heir, meaning if you fail me, he will inherit my throne.”  
“yes father. I understand. I will accept him as my brother. I will not fail you anymore.”  
“good. Good. I remember when you were a little whelp, only, by now you would have had your first kill.”  
“why hasn’t he?”  
“he is much like a fleshbag, he needs time to grow and mature”  
“how long?”  
“Blinkous says it will take many years”  
“will he survive that long here?”  
“he will. If not, Blinkous will no longer be my adviser, and then tormented for the rest of his life. Death is too swift and merciful. He must suffer as I would.”  
“i will guard my…….brother…... with my life.”  
“as you should. You will grow a fondness for him, as he will you. When the time comes and he becomes useful, I will give him direct orders, until then, Blinkous is in charge. You, along with everyone else, will do as he says if it is needed in raising your brother.”  
“i fully understand father. I will make sure to inform everyone.”  
“no need. I will myself. Would you like to touch him?”  
“i….fear my strength would harm him”  
“mine does not. You will touch him, at least for a moment. I want him to see you, to feel you, to understand you”  
“yes father.

Gunmar pulled his arm away, the little Jim whined a bit from the sudden departure. Bular reluctantly reached in and did as his father did  
“lighter. Good. Cute, he likes you”  
“he’s drooling on me”  
“he will do that.”  
“he is so….tender….this land is too harsh, too rough for him.”  
“do you think I don’t know that?. I will make it so that this land softens, at least here, as much as it can. My whelp, as well as Blinkous, is to be guarded at all times, except during his private times. Then they are to remain nearby.”  
“what will happen when you need to call upon your adviser?”  
“Blinkous will not leave my sons side. He will take my child wherever he goes, departing only for brief moments when need be.”  
“father I must ask….why Blinkous? Why not a goblin? They have far more experience tending to human children”  
“i would not allow such a filthy smaller creature to touch and raise my son. Blinkous knows humanity far more than any gumm-gumm, and I will not let my son be raised by an impure.”  
“what of the other half trolls? Surely they would know how to tend to their own kind”  
“no. they must search the world for any way to release me. The impure control and cover our tracks first and foremost, the rest search, the half trolls are too weak to fight along side my perfect army. They are also the only ones able to walk in daylight and among humans without drawing suspicion, or at least, far less. So they will search, for their entire life. That is all that they are good for.”  
“i understand father”  
“why do you question Blinkous’s capabilities?”  
“i simply fear he may not be able to raise him properly”  
“or is It that you fear he may raise your brother against me? Blinkous is far too loyal, and too smart, to do such a thing. His brother hid things from me and formed his own agenda. Blinkous will not. Thus I chose the smarter of the two. I do not need two Galadrigal in my kingdom.”  
“does he not mourn for his sibling?”  
“he did, however loyalty to me is far more important than anything else. Remember that. If loyalty is questioned, then they are replaced. I have two sons now.”  
“i would rather take my own life than to have my loyalty seem questionable”  
“good. I would rather keep both sons. How cute, Jim’s chewing on your claw”  
“i can barely feel his fangs.”  
“they will become deadly, as he will, in time. That is all I called you for, you may take your leave”  
“thank you father”  
“as a final note, you are above Jim, being the first born, so if he ever acts out of line. Punish him. Not severely, and not until he is grown enough to take one. Human whelps have no concept of loyalty or even basic things, until they are far older. I highly doubt he will be able to do anything for a great while. The worst he can do is soil himself. Or cry. Never forget, I do love you son. I will not harbor anymore love for you than I do Jim. You are equal to me.”  
“equal? I am older and stronger and-”  
“and have served me well. I understand how you feel. But you are both my dark spawn, I will not favor one over the other, except in certain missions. He will be far less able to attack something head on than you can. And he will become far smarter and able to think things far better than you could. At least that’s what Blinkous informs me, I have known firsthand how intelligent they can become, so I believe him”  
“you think me a fool father?”  
“no. you are smart. He will simply have more creativity and a better outlook on the bigger picture, the entire plan, and form his own ways to improve it, much like his mother did. He looks so much like her, Doesn’t he?”  
“forgive me father, but I cannot tell, he has not grown enough for me to be able to notice her features.”  
“understandable, I knew her features far better than you have. Now you may truly depart.”  
“thank you father, I will never forget your words”  
“good.”

Bular took his arm out, having the little hands let go of his claw. He wiped the drool off and left. Gunmar stood there, looking upon his second son and the warm happiness swell inside of him even more. His little Jim. He will love Jim, and guide him, and have him become the greatest half troll in all of history, past, present, and future. Gunmar lowered his arm into the crib once more, letting the half troll gnaw and drool on his claw.

"I was born from heartstone and you were born from me. my little whelp, you are mine. my love will keep you warm and safe. our home is dark and cold and lifeless, but you are alive and here with me. remember that i will always love you, your fathers here to guide us all.”

 

………………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………………..

Bular and Gunmar walked among their armies, checking on their numbers as well as a reports from the higher ups.  
“father, you allowed him chose the hound as his mate? Arrrg is far to powerful to be wasted on Blinkous. He is small and weak and-”  
“and has a higher intelligence than almost all others. His intelligence combined with Arrrg’s ferocity, blood thirst and strength, will create perfect hounds for my armies. Able to think and plan around the enemies strategies, able to overcome obstacles when needed, able to do quick decisions and change plans when needed. Their whelps will be my best.”  
“when do you plan on having them spawn?”  
“the future, while I would enjoy having their whelps join my ranks, which I no doubt will rise quickly and prove themselves, the only whelp Blinkous needs to focus on right now is mine. His full and absolute attention. No distractions, nothing else to worry or think about, except my orders and wrath.”  
“i understand now father. Once again your foresight is far better than mine”  
“which is why I lead and you need to learn. When the time comes and I do retire from the throne, which is nowhere near in the current future, you will need to understand and think like I do. Jim will as well. Study, learn, grow, improve. You have a heavy advantage of being older and more experienced, do not waste it if you wish to inherit my throne.”  
“i will remember that father”

 

……………….………………………………………………………………………...  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Blinkous hums, cradles, and rocks little baby Jim in his lower arms while he uses his top to write things, give commands and write letters. Occasionally Jim will make a little goo or noise Blinky would rock him more or gently pet him. After a while, Blinky was finished with his business and retired to Jim’s room. The room was now polished and cleaned out. Sharp stones and crystals, removed or reduced in size, or buffed until they lost their sharp edges. The crib was still in the dead center, the room now had various toys and soft human food lining the shelves that were against the walls. The human books they could find from the surface world were placed neatly in a pile nearby. Blankets folded neatly near the crib.  
“there we go master Jim. All tucked in for a nap. Sleep now, I will return to check on you later. You rest and dream of your enemies suffering.” Blinky wound up and started the small music box on a table next to the crib. Blinky also spun the mobile gently. Jim’s eyes slowly closed as he fell asleep.

…………………………………………………………………………  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………..

Gunmar grunted in annoyance, Jim wouldn’t stop crying.  
“Why does my whelp cry?! Calm him Blinkous!”  
“I’m trying my dark underlord, please be a bit...erm….quieter. I think he might be hungry or cranky.”  
“then leave and go deal with him. he’s giving me a headache.”  
“i will depart, thank you”

…………………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………………………………….

Gunmar sat on his throne, bored as usual. A small battle had just finished for his amusement. As typical, the two warriors didn’t have much excitement to offer. His strongest were scattered around the world, fighting and conquering, defending and taking lands. Gunmar felt something suddenly hit the side of his head and bounce off of it. He turned to see his son sitting on the ground next to him, looking up at his father.  
“do not mind your son my dark underlord, Jim’s learning to throw things. he’s very good at it, he’s been throwing various things all over the place. He actually hit a guard on the back of the head with a rock. Poor thing fell over the edge of a bridge and died.”  
“hm. A pity.” the ball bounced off of Gunmar’s chest this time. The ball rolled back to Jim as he stared at his father. Gunmar’s face made a slight grin.

…………………………………………………..

Time passes  
……………………………………………………..

Bular was returning from the training grounds. He pushed open his doors to walk into his room when he saw little baby Jim gnawing and slobbering all over the handle of one of Bular’s blades as he sat on Bular’s stone bed, only covered by a few skins of different creatures..  
“what!? how did you get in here?! Stop doing that!” Bular rushed over to his bed and pulled the sword out of his brothers mouth. His brother pouted and whined  
“no. you are NOT to do this! Stop looking at me like whelp. If you weren’t my…...ugh….brother. I would have eaten you by now. Yeah, that’s right. I would have! Stop looking at me like that. Already on my nerves? I feel a strong bitterness to you, knowing you’re going to be doing this to me for the rest of our lives. STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!” Bular picked Jim up by his fur and looked into those tiny eyes with a scowl and a growl. Jim returned the gesture with the tiniest growl.  
“what a weak thing. Trying to intimidate me. How do you carry fathers blood? This must be some mistake. You are a HALF TROLL and an OMEGA. This shouldn’t be a thing! Look at you. I could take one bite and you’d be in my stomach. You would have been torn apart within this kingdom by now. How have you lasted this many months?. Well. You will never inherit fathers throne. You may somehow be some, mistake. But I will own fathers throne when he retires. Maybe if you somehow in some strange way, prove yourself capable of even the smallest thing. I might make you my servant.”

Jim squirmed a bit in Bular’s grasp growling and trying to scratch his brothers face. He kicked with his little legs to get momentum to swing lightly. Bular chuckled and found this amusing.  
“well, You try and kill the biggest threat. Even if you have no chance. I like that.” Jim just growled again and scratched and bit at the air  
“such a tiny whelp that wants to attack me. Why? You are hardly anything. You could never possibly harm me in any way. Yet you strike out and struggle. Hmmm...maybe you are a gumm-gumm. A tiny tiny weak one, but one no less.” the doors behind Bular opened  
“ah master Bular, greetings”  
“Blinkous why is this whelp in here?”  
“i put him here”  
“why?! He was drooling and chewing on my sword”  
“well that’s dangerous, you shouldn’t leave it out in the open”  
“IT’S MY ROOM! WHY DID YOU PUT HIM IN HERE?!”  
“because you’re his brother. No matter what, you share the same blood.”  
“i am nothing like this...tiny….whelp.”  
“no, but you are still related”  
“why. Did, you put this…..ugh….brother….in here?!”  
“you hardly, if not at all, see him. He needs to learn your scent, learn who you are. Aww he’s trying to attack you. he’s been trying to attack everyone as of late. He even clawed and chewed on your fathers arm.”  
“get him out of here! Never bring him back.”  
“then visit him more. Let him know who you are”  
“i want nothing to do with him.”  
“well, that’s awful for you then.”  
“here. Take this pelt and do something with it, wrap it around him I don’t care, it has my scent on it and that will get him away from me.”  
“very well.”

So Blinky took both Jim and the pelt and left. Jim looked back and made a tiny growl and bit the air. Bular made a small grin at the little aggressive whelp as it left.

………………………………………………………………  
Time passes.  
………………………………………………

Blinky laid Jim down in his crib. Turning on the mobile along with the usual lullaby. Behind him he heard a low intense growl. Suddenly his neck was nuzzled.  
“Not now Arrrg.”  
“leave whelp. Visit me.”  
“no.”  
“not visit in long time.”  
“You know I am to take care of him”  
“take care of me” Arrrg nuzzled into him deeper with more force, almost knocking Blinky off his feet  
“would you stop that!”  
“no. whelp get all attention! I want some!”  
“if I do not take care of master Jim, it will be my head, along with yours! Turning to stone and smashed by the dark underlord himself. And that’s IF he’s feeling merciful.”  
“need mate. NOW! Pent up!”  
“we will later!”  
“no! Not later! Always later!”  
“do you mind? Give me a few more minutes and I’ll tend to your sexual needs!. Stop being jealous that I’ve given him my full attention instead of focusing on you”  
“back from arena. Pent up.”  
“you always do get too riled up after killing. Go wait in our room. I’ll be there shortly.”  
“fine. Dumb whelp.”  
“do not insult master Jim!”  
“stupid smelly whelp”  
“do you want to be killed?!”  
“dummy gross half troll”  
“leave! Or else I WON’T return to our cave!”  
“ugh! Fine. I go and wait.”

……………………………………………………………..

Time passes  
……………………………………………………………….

Gunmar sat on his throne, watching Blinky approach while he held baby Jim in his arms.  
“My dark underlord. Can you believe it? Your son is almost officially one whole human year old!”  
“hmm. He’s hardly grown”  
“it takes time”  
“as you always say.”  
“he truly won’t live for very long”  
“what is THAT supposed to mean!? Is that a threat?!”  
“nonono! I merely mean that half trolls have such tiny lifespans!. The oldest has only ever been around 800 years and that’s from old age. While we live for thousands.” Gunmar’s face slowly turned to surprise and…..fear?. It has fully dawned on him, his second son. Won’t last long. The love of his life, died to give him life. Now he will die so quickly. Hardly lasting more than a few good moments to trolls.  
“799 years left.”  
“only if he’s as healthy as possible, and dies from old age”  
“hmm. He will die from old age. I shall see to this, as will you.”  
“of course my dark underlord, I’ve kept him this safe and healthy so far, I will for the rest of his life.”  
“799. hmmm…..i need to make sure he won’t be forgotten. My son. Dying so suddenly.”  
“we still have many years left, of course if the proper requirements are met and fate let’s him, we shall make sure he truly will become the greatest half troll in all of history, past, present, and future”  
“we will celebrate. Every year on the day of his birth, we will celebrate.”  
“ohhh! How exciting! Truly everyone will remember him! And entire day, dedicated to celebrating the day of his birth! He truly will not be forgotten, even from this simple gesture”  
“no. it will not be simple. It will be extravagant!”  
“what shall you plan my dark underlord?”  
“hmm...a feast...the greatest!.”  
“ohhh how enjoyable!”  
“all will attend, all will fight and die and kill and feast in Jim’s honor!”  
“oh that is wonderful! Everyone will truly remember Jim!” 

………………………………………………..  
Time passes  
…………………………………

The gumm-gumms roar and cheer. The fighting, the feasting, the celebration. It was massive and everyone knew know just who Jim was. Truly. Bular, Arrrg, Gunmar, and Blinky sat at the very nearest to the arena. Watching the gumm-gumm warriors fight to the death. Arrrg had just finished a few rounds, tired and hungry, he’s earned it. Blinky held Jim up to the table, about to give him a soft chunk of human. Bular swallowed his bite and said in a somewhat annoyed tone.  
“why are you feeding him that? He cannot consume it. it’ll just go to waste.”  
“master Jim is old enough to not choke. He will just suckle on it for a bit, it’s good for him to finally get his first taste of flesh, and it being human too!. Here you go master Jim” Jim took a little bite and started to gnaw and suckle on it. Drinking the juices. Some of it dripped down his little chin.  
“aww, he enjoys it”  
“he’s just sucking the flavor out of it.” Gunmar swallowed and turned an angry gaze to his firstborn  
“enough!. Your brother has his first taste today on the day of his birth, do not ruin the festivities with a sour attitude. He will have what he wants. Blinkous is correct. He is old enough not to choke and should have his first feeding. Even if it simply is the juices. It still is feeding him. Now do not complain, there’s more than enough fleshbag to go around, even for your gluttonous appetite. Good my little Jim, sate your new growing appetite.” Little baby Jim looks around as well as listens. The carnage, the gore, the fighting, his family feeding on humans. His life is growing. Ever so slowly. The tastes are making him more hungry than he was used to.

…………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
………………………………………

Little baby Jim was rocked and cradled in Blinky’s arms.  
“there, all nice and snug. Warmly bundled up and ready for our little walk. Yes, we are!. Oh master Jim, these darklands are our home, you will grow and learn to love it here.” Blinky was now being escorted by a little more than a dozen guards.  
“see this place? Now you’re out in the open! These are the darklands, our home! This is your first time outside of our inner sanctums. it’s so big isn’t it? Everything you see is ruled by your father. One day when you’ve grown, you might rule it someday too! Oh well, you would have to convince your brother for the throne, something I strongly doubt he is willing to give up. Well, you never know what the future may hold.” they were all suddenly stopped. Blinky irritably spoke  
“what is the meaning of this? We shouldn’t be exposed for too long, his little body still can’t handle the intense cold of this-”  
“forgive us, but we have spotted rebels up ahead.”  
“wonderful. Forgive this master Jim, it happens from time to time. Do not worry, your father will get rid of all of them, he will! Yes he will!”

……………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………..  
Blinky holds Jim in his arms as he stands next to Gunmar’s throne. A soldier walks up the steps to make a report. Jim wiggles free of Blinky’s grasp. Makes a little growl, and runs on all fours to the guard, headbutting him in the gronk-nuks. The soldier toppled over and groaned, then fell down a few steps. Jim did a little growl, ran around in circles, then headbutted his fathers shin.  
“what is this now?”  
“your son has started to headbutt things. he’s been doing it all day, so many soldiers and their poor gronk-nuks. He seems to always go for those for some strange reason.” Gunmar looked down at his small son, headbutting his shin and making little growls. Gunmar smiled at the little aggressive acts.

………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………..

Bular walks into his room. Sets down his swords and starts to break some bones apart. He hears a little growl nearby. He turns his heard, listening, looking, and sniffing. Not noticing anything he goes back to what he was doing. Another little growl. Once again, he searches and finds nothing. Then another growl, the same cycle happens a couple more times before he slams his fist on his bed and gets up  
“WHATEVER IS MAKING THAT NOISE, STOP. NOW.” a sudden little skitter happens at the edge of his vision, he picks up his sword and gets ready to end the noisemakers life.  
“come here, and I will end your life quickly and painlessly.” he suddenly feels something wet and sharp come into contact with the tip of his tail. He swings around, not seeing anything. He feels something small and tingly up his spine. Bular tries to touch and feel, having a hard time doing so. The little growl comes from the top of his head. He quickly snatches and pulls it down in front of his face  
“What, you?! What are you doing in here?! I told you to never return!” Little Jim just looked at him with a bored expression before slowly spitting out a crystal, letting it drop to the ground with a wet clink.  
“did Blinkous put you in here? Well, answer me! Oh, you cannot speak.” another crystal lazily falls out his mouth.  
“why are you eating those? Spit those out. If you die in my room within my grasp father will kill me for thinking I killed you.” Jim suddenly made a strong spit and hit Bular’s eye directly with a crystal.  
“ACH. How dare you! You little-” another spit. Jim started to giggle  
“Stop that you annoying useless hunk of flesh!” Jim started to twist himself so he could face Bular’s hand, then bite and lick his fingers  
“stop that! Those are not for eating.” Bular shakes Jim off, he lands with a plop onto Bular’s bed, Jim shakes his body and runs around in circles growling, before headbutting Bular in his gronk-nuks. Bular gasps sharply and falls to his knees.  
“YOU. I. WOULD. END. YOU. IF. YOU. WEREN’T. MY. BROTHER.”  
“you finally admit you’re his brother.” Gunmar’s voice suddenly sounded  
“f-father!”  
“Your brother had scampered off. Blinkous was elsewhere when this happened. So I followed his little trail of groaning soldiers to your room. To find his groaning brother.  
“h-how l-long wer-”  
“here long enough to see him spit crystals at your face. Amusing.”  
“not for me.”  
“get up, you should have stronger ones than any common gumm-gumm, as I do. Little Jim has been running around all day headbutting everyone as he has been for the past month. Blinkous said his energy is starting to grow. Good.”  
“why did he come here of all places.”  
“he hardly knows you, for a reason I have no idea why.” Gunmar growls a bit in his voice.  
“i-”  
“you have more than enough time to set aside and visit him. Or at least tolerate his presence.”  
“yes father.” the two watched Jim run around on Bular’s bed, growling and making little noises before tiring out and falling asleep shortly after.  
“He’s learning you’re like him. Your scent, your looks, your voice. he’s starting to recognize things, as Blinkous has explained. He can’t figure you out. Fix that.”  
“yes father. I will make sure he understands who I am”  
“good. Look at him, his little horns are growing sharper, along with his other features.”

…………………………………………………………..  
Time passes  
……………………………………………

It was now Jim’s 5th birthday. He suckled on a piece of soft human meat. Looking around and experiencing the same birthday ‘traditions’ his family had made. Everyone was excited when that day finally arrived, at this point everyone knew who Jim was, even if they didn’t care about him. Few gumm-gumms truly care about Jim, while the vast majority simply enjoy he exists because of this fun holiday they get to have!. Gunmar ripped a chunk off of a body, chewing on it, overlooking his kingdom’s feast and holiday treat. He went through a whole lot to plan and set everything up. Everyone was thankful for his efforts, they made sure to openly express it at all times. This day was one of the very few days where Gunmar gave his soldiers a break. They were more than overjoyed when they finally could have a day to relax and not worry about being killed by someones wrath, knowing Gunmar was more or less calm and happy throughout the day.

Little Jim’s eyes looked at the two largest beings. His brother and his father. He felt like he was safe and happy around them. Jim closed his eyes, tuning out the roars of cheers and boos, the wails of agony from death and praise of victories, the crunching and chewing, the tearing and ripping. The grumbling and mumbling, everything was gone now in Jim’s mind. He drank the fluids pouring into his mouth and knew.

 

He wanted more.

 

No one knew what the future of Gunmar’s second son would have in store. They would wait. They would see. They would experience what will come. 

 

Jim, sweet little baby Jim.

The life of the unknown.

He was unique and powerful. He would show the world.

What the second son of Gunmar could do.

He wanted more.


	21. In the lands of Gumm-gumm's and monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim's life continues on. until it finally ends.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> and a new life begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, today is the day tumblr goes to shit. well, worse anyways. 
> 
> enjoy the chapter! i hope you love Jim's backstory!

Once more. Deep within the heart of the darklands. Lives a small life, growing and growing, becoming more vicious and gumm-gumm like every day. Every week. Every month. Every year….

Bular walked down a dark corridor and into his room. He heard little giggles and growls as he did.  
“ugh.” he groaned lightly in disgust. He placed his swords down and heard the noises again.  
“you’re irritating me.” the noises sounded again.  
“come out and leave already. I don’t want to have to throw you out. Again.” Suddenly Jim out from a corner and jumped at Bular’s face. The larger brother just pulled off Jim who was gnawing and scratching him, trying to attack him as much as he could.  
“little whelp. You annoy me. My brother. I can’t wait until you’re old enough to take the hint of stop. Bothering. me.” Jim growled and gnawed Bular’s arm.  
“if you’re going to do this. At least do it upwards, it itches there and your scratching and biting will help.”

…………………………………………………………  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………………

Bular growled in annoyance. Currently he was trying to sharpen his weapons and tend to his armor at a forge. It was hard to focus, due to a small gumm-gumm brother of his doing his usual scratch and gnaw, except now, mixed with headbutting. Bular’s shins and tail took the hits Jim was dishing out. Frequently Bular would have to push Jim away with his foot, just to have Jim run over and attack him once more. Some soldiers giggled a bit from the cute display. Bular pointed his sword at them and snarled  
“feel any kind of humor out of this and your heads will roll from laughter.” they stopped and quickly fled. Jim climbed up Bular’s back and chewed on the tips of his horns. Bular just grabbed him from the fur, extended his arm, and dropped his brother onto the ground. Only to have it happen again.

……………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………….

Jim is now 20 years old and was starting to stand on his own two feet. He was clearly having a hard time doing so, but he kept trying. Each time he failed, he fell onto his butt and pouted.

…………………………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………….

Jim sat in front of Gunmar on his throne. Blinky had rushed the whelp into the room for some ‘exciting news’  
“now Jim, do what you were doing earlier…...come on…...you can do it……...please?…...”  
“what exactly is this supposed to be?”  
“a surprise! Although he isn’t wanting to do it.”  
“yes. Apparently. Now take him away so-”  
“gu-”  
“ohh he’s doing it my dark underlord!”  
“gu-”  
“what exactly is my son doing?”  
“he’s trying to say his first words!”  
“Gu-”  
“his first word is gu?”  
“Gum-”  
“come on master Jim, you can do it”  
“Gumr”  
“he’s saying your name! Well, somewhat. His first word is your name!”  
“Gumr.”  
“My name is not ‘gumr’.”  
“he’s trying his best, and this show’s he’s growing!”  
“Gumr. Gumr. Gumr.”  
“Good job master Jim!  
“Gumr”

……………………………………………………  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………..

Gunmar tapped his fingers on his throne in annoyance. Reading from a list his adviser had just handed him. Everything on the list must be brought from the surface down to the darklands.  
“why is this list so long Blinkous?”  
“He’s growing, his needs are becoming more...complex”  
“why does he need this much of food, and all different?”  
“humans need a large variety of things to be healthy, if they lack one or another, they will become unhealthy”  
“first, he needs to only eat a specific thing. Then he needs to only eat a little. Then he needs to eat a lot. Then he needs to have more food choices. Now he needs even more specific things?!”  
“afraid so.”  
“succumb to illness. Poor diet. Not enough growth. Having to have very specific things. Having to have a certain amount of things at certain times. Surviving the climates. Needing proper sleep amounts. How do humans live with all these requirements?!”  
“they have mastered to gain them, more or less”  
“fine. Give them the list and have them fetch everything from it. Do whatever it takes to keep him from dying.”  
“of course”

………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
………………………………………………….

Jim was standing on his legs, one hand being held by Blinky while the other plays with a crystal. Both stood by Gunmar’s throne. Jim just tuned out the current death screams from someone failing his father. He was too interested in the glowing crystal in his hand.

……………………………………………………  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………..

It is Jim’s 30th birthday. He sat on top of the table, reaching out and chewing on various chunks of meat, only the ones Blinky had given him, the softest ones. He occasionally looked up at the usual sight of fighting and feasting. His eyes wondered over to the large gumm-gumm he’s always seeing around the four armed gumm-gumm who takes care of him. Currently the large one was ripping the head off of another, then smashing the head into another ones chest. Jim just went back to chewing and looking at the food in his hands.

…………………………………………………  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………

Gunmare snorted and then looked at the various objects currently being carried and constructed in Jim’s room  
“why does he need all of this?”  
“he now requires his own personal utilities. Toilet, bath, sink. As well as shelves for his new books and educational games.”  
“what happened to his crib?”  
“we’ve gotten rid of it, we have no need for it any longer. He is growing and now requires a proper nest of his own”  
“what happened to that space over there”  
“we removed a chunk of the floor in order to help construct the utilities”  
“and how exactly does this all work?”  
“a few different changelings have helped us in working out blue prints and other such diagrams to show how to properly craft indoor plumbing”  
“and that little machine that’s making the hum?”  
“it’s called a generator my dark underlord. It produces electricity, it’s something humans have used to help fuel and control things, as well as power them. We will need it from this point forward. it’s specially designed to convert the crystal energies into electricity.”  
“hm. What else is changing about this place...i can’t tell...”  
“oh quite a few things. Those over there are being moved over here. That space is removed to fit those into that spot. Those lining the wall are going to be moved to the other side.  
“hm.”

………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
…………………………………………………

Bular snorted in anger. He stood in front of the throne.  
“why do I have to?” Blinky leads Jim down the stairs and over to Bular  
“because, you hardly spend time with him. He needs your affection and company.”  
“why must he stay with me ALL DAY though”  
“to make up for the fact that you’re hardly ever around”  
“i-” Gunmar snarls and looks directly into Bular’s eyes  
“you will do this. You need to spend more time with him. Something you have been failing to do.”  
“father, he is...annoying….he always-”  
“i do not care what he always does and doesn’t do. You are his brother. You will treat him as so. I will not repeat myself again. If Blinkous says he needs you to visit him, then you will. No fighting, arguing or hesitation.”  
“surely I can’t spend every waking moment with him!”  
“no, I do not expect you to. I DO expect you to put time aside for him. From this point forward, you are to spend quality time with him once a week.”  
“yes father. What am I to do with him though? He hardly can walk on his two legs for very long, he still can’t talk much, he can’t do much.” Blinky put Jim’s hand into Bular’s and said  
“you will do simple things. He enjoys attacking you”  
“yes. I know. He only attacks me.”  
“oh no, he attacks your father just as much. Actually, more, since you’re hardly ever around him. He also attacks me, as well as Arrrg. Although, we find it to be rather cute.”  
“he crawls all over me. he’s doing it now!”  
“then let him crawl on you. See? He just wants to lay on your head.”  
“so I’m to simply wear him like a helmet?”  
“not for long. You can also sing to him, tell him stories, simple ones he can pay attention to, you can sing rhymes to him, he really enjoys the one about the gumm-gumm eating the liver, you can play ball with him, he enjoys tossing it around. You have more to do than you think. Be creative as well.”  
“fine.” Bular huffed, turned and walked out…

The big burly black bull troll now walked along the darklands. Jim occasionally gnawed on his horns, or pulled his fur, dig his small claws and nails into his head.  
“bular”  
“what.”  
“Bularr”  
“that is my name.”  
“Bular...j….Jim….gumr….”  
“oh great. Now you’re speaking. Keep quiet. Take a nap. I don’t care.”  
“Bular….blin….arr...”  
“why don’t you just take a nap like you always do?”  
“Bular...Jim….”  
“those are our names.”  
“Bular…..Blin….Arrr….Gumr...Jim...”  
“shhh. Go to sleep already.’  
“Bular….Bular….Bular...Jim…..”  
“yes. That is us.”  
“Gumr…..”  
“that is our father. it’s Gunmar.”  
“gumr...”  
“770 years left to go. If we’re ‘lucky’. I don’t see what they see in you. You are a small weak thing. You shouldn’t exist. All this time and energy, wasted on you. You are a tiny, fleeting thing, that can’t even live without so many different things. Take one away and you’re one step closer to death.”  
“Bular...Gumr...”  
“yes. I was born before you to ‘our’ father Gunmar. I was made, I was perfect for us. Meanwhile here you are, some mistake of fate. Two of the weakest things combined. How our fathers blood made you I will never know. I blame that witch who seduced our father. When she died, I was glad. Our father wouldn’t have to be distracted anymore. But then you had to survive, didn’t you?”  
“Jim...”  
“yes. Jim. Always remember. I get the throne. I get to rule. I get everything. You, a half troll and an omega, will serve me, IF you’re lucky enough to survive any sort of ‘accident’. If something were to happen to you while I am anywhere NEAR the area, it would be my head. I don’t need to kill you directly. I know you’ll end up dead. Being too weak to survive here.”  
“blin….arrr”  
“those fools. My fathers favorite hound and his adviser. Arrrg should be mated to someone stronger, better. My father gives that omega too much. He thinks himself so clever and wise. So intelligent and tactical. Using fancy words to sway our fathers vision. We shouldn’t be waiting around, wasting out scouts and troops by searching for things that probably don’t even exist. The moment the amulet is destroyed, the moment our father can cross over. I highly doubt it’s powers could reverse whatever curse that afflicts our father, even if it was the thing to create it.”

“troll...hunt...r...” Bular stopped dead in his tracks  
“what did you just say?”  
“Bular….troll...hunt..r..”  
“how do you know that word?”  
“Gumr….blin...arrr...”  
“wait you can understand me?!”  
“Bular...Jim...”  
“wonderful. you’d better not repeat anything I just said! If I am to die for thinking these thoughts, I will take you along with me!”  
“Bular...troll...hunt...r…..am..u….f..x...”  
“great. Now I have to be careful even around you.”  
“Jim….t...al...k...”  
“you’d better not talk!”  
“Jim….bular….tal..k...gumr...”  
“are you threatening me whelp?!”  
“Bular...d.e….”  
“you’re threatening to talk to our father who would kill me?!”  
“Jim….Bular….”  
“are you trying to say you’re going to replace me?!”  
“gumr….blin...arrr….jim….jim….”  
“you ARE saying you’re trying to replace me!”  
“ball…..Jim...bular….ball...”  
“you want to play ball? Wait. Are you black mailing me into spending time with you?!”  
“Ball….jim...bular….gumr….d..e...”  
“are you that smart enough already?!. You won’t get away with this you little-what am I doing? I’m arguing with a whelp who can’t even talk or hardly understand me. No one will understand you. you’ll forget this tomorrow. What am I going mad over?”

………………………………………………………………………………..  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………………………………..

Bular was sharpening his Swords on his arms. A ball taps his foot. He kicks it, only to have it roll back to him. It was another one of his ‘spending time with Jim, your brother needs this as much as you do, disobey my order and you will be punished son’ days. With Jim being old enough now to not be taken care of so much, Bular didn’t have to keep an eye on him every second. Only every other second.  
“Bular...Jim...ball”  
“yes. We are. Whelp.”  
“Bular….d..e..”  
“hmpf. What makes you say that?”  
“gumr….jim...bular...jim...”  
“oh, thinking of replacing me?”  
“Jim..bular...bular..”  
“okay now I don’t understand your meaning”  
“Jim...ball...”  
“maybe you aren’t as smart as I thought. Not yet at least.”

………………………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………

Jim was running around in the throne room. He had been energetic all day and couldn’t sit still. He was aggressive and agitated, he would attack anyone who came too close, including his family. Bular leaned against a wall and sharpened his swords, he didn’t pay much attention to the little growls of anger and annoyance. Blinky was touching a fresh scar on Arrrg’s arm, enjoying the story of how he got it. Gunmar, bored as all hell, watched his child run around and around and around, like some gnome hopped up on grave sand. Then it happened. Jim tripped and fell, hitting his head he shook it off but made a little roar in anger. All the anger, frustration and energy in him finally released. Like the final pressure to a water balloon. His body glowed bright enough to be noticed by everyone, he slammed his little fists down, making little dents and cracks in the very ground he ran around on not just moments ago. He roared louder, thrashed around and attacked any rocks near him. Then, suddenly he stopped glowing and passed out. Falling asleep quickly while the others try to let it set in.

Gunmar heard the little howl and looked over. His full attention was now on his glowing son. Blink gasped out from seeing this,  
“my dark underlord...”  
“hmmm...” Bular was stunned to say or do anything. None of them have ever seen Jim even make a scratch on the ground, let alone to dent and crack it. Gunmar got up, walked over to his son and started to cradle him. Looking him over in his arms, trying to find any reasonable explanation as to what just happened.  
“my dark underlord, I imagine he just gained a small fraction of your strength, for but a brief moment at least...”  
“my son. Just became a lot more...intriguing. From now on, I want a report every time he does this. What caused this, where, and when.”  
“of course my dark underlord”  
“i want you to pay close attention as well Bular”  
“yes father….i...can’t do anything like that myself...”  
“No. no you cannot. Yet this one can….hmmm….”

……………………………………………………  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………

Bular has come home from a typical ‘walk’ around the darklands. The first thing he always does when having to spend time with his brother, is having the whelp on his head as he walks around, until he falls asleep. Then Jim would wake up sooner or later, then want to climb and attack his brother, then play ball. Then Bular would have to figure out something that they could both do together. Difficult as it was, he would find something eventually, even the most minimal thing to do that they both could do.  
“aww, master Jim’s asleep on your head. Hes kicking in his sleep”  
“yes. How amusing.”  
“well don’t disturb him”  
“oh? So now I just wear him like a helmet once more until he awakens?”  
“yes. You know you’re supposed to”  
“ugh. Blinkous, I am curious, why does father not spend enough time with him, as I do?”  
“your father is very busy. He also spends time with him when you aren’t around. What do you think young master Jim does when he isn’t with you?”  
“bother someone else?”  
“he is taught, he is played with, he is watched and given the proper toys to have fun with. We have to replace them frequently, he typically always eats them”  
“I’m tired of this whelp climbing all over me like I’m some entertainment for him.”  
“you are”  
“i am not!”  
“keep your voice down. Yes. You are.”  
“If you weren’t my fathers little pet adviser-”  
“oh? You would have me disposed of? Yes I quite see that being beneficial to you.” Bular growled, then stopped as he felt Jim yawn and start to chew on his horn in his sleep  
“silence Bular, you’re disturbing him. Now, run along. Enjoy your day”  
“smug little-”  
“what was that? I surly hope I am allowed to speak nothing but pleasant things about both of you spending time together”  
“nothing. Go about your day. Blinkous.”

………………………………………………………..  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………

It’s now Jim’s 50th birthday. The celebration as usual is going. Jim has started to walk entirely on both legs, as well as able to form actual sentences. He was smart and old enough to start learning more about being a true gumm-gumm…..

 

…………………………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………

Bular stood in front of his fathers throne.  
“you called me father?”  
“Jim is old enough to start needing to eat more. From now on, he will truly taste human, not just cooked and torn to pieces. He isn’t old enough to hunt, so you will hunt for him. You will go above and bring back kills for him to consume.”  
“why not others father?”  
“because I want a family member to do it. If I could, I would. I cannot, so you WILL. You now have the responsibility of bringing home fresh kills for him to eat, he will grow his hunger, his appetite for humans, his thirst for blood.”  
“he won’t finish an entire human.”  
“then you may eat what’s left over.”  
“what if I hung-”  
“then HUNT. Feed yourself enough, I don’t care. I’m telling you to hunt for him. Bring him home a fresh kill, not a SINGLE bite in it, and let him feed. Then if your gluttonous appetite isn’t satiated, you may eat what he cannot.”  
“i will hunt for him father”  
“good. It is YOUR responsibility to hunt for him. If he hungers, you will feed him. Do I make myself clear?”  
“yes father. Whenever his hunger for humans arises, I shall set out and give him his food.”  
“good. Now you may go.”

………………………………………………………..  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………..

Bular watched Jim dig into his first full corpse. It was...cute. His little mouth and teeth tearing into it, him finding out what he enjoys most out of it all.  
“your very first taste of a fresh kill. Be prepared for more brother. Father has tasked me to hunt for you when your hunger arises. Whenever you feel the need to feed on humans. Tell me, and I shall bring home your food.” Jim nodded, his mouth stuffed  
“you’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” Jim nodded more. a small smile started to form on Bular’s face  
“it tastes good doesn’t it?” through his mouthful, Jim tried to make a smile. Bular realized he was fully smiling himself….  
………………………………………………………..  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………..

Bular snarls in annoyance. Standing in front of his fathers throne, he has just been told to finally introduce Jim to their ‘subjects’.  
“i hate that den of filth.”  
“they need to finally learn of him. Who they will now begin to serve. You will do this.”  
“why can’t Blinkous? Or anyone else!”  
“YOU WILL DO AS I COMMAND. Blinkous is busy elsewhere. YOU are his brother. YOU are the one currently going about the surface world as my dark champion. Unless you have suddenly decided that you no longer wish for this position?”  
“NO! I, no. I will do as you command father”  
“Good. No more hesitation next time.”  
“yes father...”

 

Bular left the darklands little Jim riding on his brothers shoulders. He had to lay down however, being too big to just ride as he usually would. Like a koala or an ant eater, etc. He had a blanket covering him, always folded tightly enough to keep him nice and safe, along with being warm enough to travel the darklands far longer than he could have before. His vision was almost completely blocked, except for a tiny bit between the folds around his head. His tiny little voice spoke in curiosity  
“Bular where are we going?”  
“someplace I hate. A den of filth.”  
“Why?”  
“because it is un natrual.”  
“oh. Why are we going then?”  
“you need to be introduced.”  
“to who?”  
“you will see little brother. Now HUSH.” Jim became still and quiet he saw a flash of green light, he closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt a cold wind, but it was farm warmer than that of his home  
“where are we?”  
“the surface.”  
“really?”  
“yes. Now hush.”  
“can I see?”  
“not yet little whelp. HUSH. Stay still. we’ll be there shortly.” Jim relaxed himself. He breathed in the air. It was so...fresh! It wasn’t stagnant at all!. His brothers scent always calmed him, but he felt better with the air around him. It wasn’t bright, but his eyes could easily adjust to the dark. What he saw through his little fold were lights. He heard the sounds of many things around him, the small chattering of voices, that sounded so much lighter and pleasant, not rough and deep. The occasional bright flash happened and a strange whoosh was heard. Then a small creak, followed by a few thumps.  
“open the elevator impure.” a clink and clunk could be heard. Then Jim felt the strongly disliked feeling of falling, except very slowly. A ding was heard  
“welcome to the Janus order.”. click after click after click was heard. Until it was silent. It suddenly got very bright.  
“bul-”  
“hush. Speak when I tell you to. Right now, be silent.” the sounds of heavy thuds echoed everywhere. The occasional gasp followed by his brothers deep growl. Jim felt them turn, over and over again. Then after a while, he heard a lot of mumbling. Then silence and then a mans voice. In the same soft style as earlier.

“Ladies and gentlemen. We have all gathered here within our base of operations for an extremely important, as well as memorable, event. Everyone as well as all places have been kept in the dark about the news I am about to share with all of you. Us who have gathered here, have the privilege of knowing this terribly important secret, something that shall NOT be shared or spoken of, even to our other brethren. Only those here may know, those that come here, shall have our secret shared with them. Other than that, NO ONE is to speak of this secret.. Now, as you know, our great dark underlord has had his son Bular, his champion, the one who works his will into this world directly. The dark son who has served him as much as we have-” Bular snarled silently  
“they are nowhere as equal as I am. They are beneath my very foot. If they even dare think of us, or any troll, as equals. They are dead wrong. Which will cause them to be dead.”  
“-and to also never forget about that moment within that week. And with that, the very reason we have gathered here tonight. Bular, please step forth.” many gasped and murmured out before Bular roared out for them to silence. Walt casually and calmly continued speaking  
“Bular has come here, not just for any regular mission, not just for any mundane assignment, not just some basic information needed to be share, but for one, if not THE, greatest secret we are now being told. Many years ago, a half troll woman rose through her ranks, doing as commanded so well, she was able to work beside our dark underlord himself! After a while, they fell in love. And with that.

 

A child was born. Yes, I can tell by your shocked expressions that this clearly was not something you had expected. Many years ago she gave birth, sadly due to unforeseen complications, she had passed away. From her life sprang another. One who bore a child of Gunmar, she will now be considered a holy mother now and for all of time. Just as well as Bualr’s mother. Whom we must NOT speak of, never forget. Now, Bular and his younger brother are here with us. He, who will now be shown to us. He who we will serve from here on out, listening to his every word, his every command. Just like we do for Bular. Just like we do for Gunmar. Bular has brought his younger brother with him, taking him from the darklands to the surface we call home. He will be introduced to us here and now. Believe it or not, but he’s in this very room with us. Yes, I know, you all look around and wonder just where he could be. He is right in front of us. No he is not invisible, but he is here. Now, Bular, please show us. Jim.

Jim suddenly felt his brothers grip lift him up and put him on the ground. Jim slowly took the blanket off. The lights above hurt his eyes and he couldn’t see the audience below. He looked around and saw to his left, his brother, large and annoyed as ever. To his right, was a strange looking man. He wasn’t a troll, he wasn’t a gnome, he wasn’t any creature he’s ever seen before. The man spoke once more and gestured towards Jim  
“everyone. This is Jim. The second son of Gunmar. No, this is no joke. This is the truth. As strange and impossible as it seems, it is in fact the truth. And omega half troll. Born from our lords blood. His name is Jim and from here on out, he is our superior. Jim, would you like to say hello?” Jim’s small voice shyly said  
“hello”  
“we will always make him feel welcome, accepted, loved. Yes, he is cute, but we should not speak of such a thing. We wouldn’t want to offend anyone now would we?. We are to show and treat him with just as much respect as we do for Bular. He may be small, he may not look like it, but no matter what. He is and will always be, a son of our dark underlord. Never forget, we work for him. Jim, if you ever need or want something, you can ask anyone of us, okay?”  
“okay”  
“Bular, why don’t you show Jim around a bit”  
“fine.” Bular picked Jim up, wrapped him and put him on his back. As the two walked out the strange man spoke once more  
“now, if anyone has questions, which I’m sure yo-” a door closed and the voice was cut off  
“Bular, who was that?”  
“an impure.”  
“why did he look like that? I’ve never seen a troll like him”  
“he isn’t a full troll. And he takes the disguise of a human.”  
“like what we eat?”  
“yes”  
“why?”  
“because he’s supposed to. it’s his job.”  
“so he always looks like that?”  
“not always. Impures can switch between their troll form and their human one”  
“why can they do that?”  
“we did dark rituals to create them”  
“why did we?”  
“to work for us. They are below us. Even below half trolls. Only slightly, but still. Alright little whelp. Time to come out.” Bular grabbed Jim and undid the blankets, setting him down and letting him walk.  
“keep pace. Or try to. I don’t want to have to stay here any longer than I need to.” Jim was amazed by it all. Even though it was just white corridors and lights, it was still like nothing the young gumm-gumm had ever seen.  
“close your mouth and start walking. Come, we have to go talk to the impure in charge. First we must walk to his office and wait for his arrival. They should be finished with their little speech soon enough”  
“who is that?”  
“the impure stricklander.”  
“who?”  
“the strange man who introduced you to everyone.”  
“why are we going to him?”  
“he needs to meet you. Truly understand the new flesh and blood that is above them.” as the two walked, Bular had to constantly tell Jim to hurry up. Jim couldn’t help it! All the sounds and sights and smells and people! Everything was sooo new!. He would get strange looks, sometimes fearful ones, like he might kill them at any moment. Sometimes curios ones, trying to understand just who and what he is. Sometimes glaces of affection, he was very adorable after all!. The sounds and lights coming from strange looking objects, like desks Blinky uses for Jim education. They made beeps and boops, hums and tings. They flashed and changed color, as well as occasionally moved around. All the strange people wearing strange masks went about their business, writing on paper or pushing buttons, talking about something Jim had no idea of, and everything of that nature. Finally they had come to an office door, Bular nudge, a bit too strongly, Jim inside with his foot.  
“go sit on that chair.” Jim nodded and sat on a chair next to the desk, hardly fitting into it. Bular grumbled in the back of his throat, he hated waiting. One of his MOST HATED things. Jim just sniffed and looked around at the large office. It was filled with various things and statues, carpets and drapes. Swords and masks, and a painting of Gunmar on the back wall. Jim perked up as he heard the door open behind him  
“excuse the wait. I had to finish up-”  
“hurry up and get this ‘meeting’ over with. I don’t want him to be around you impures for any longer than we need to be. you’ll get your foul stench on him, and I don’t feel like carrying him around all day having to endure it.”

Walt held back sarcasm and spite.  
“very well.” Walt went to the shy looking Jim and bent down on his knees, becoming eye level. Then spoke in a kind warm voice  
“hello Jim, like I said earlier, my name is Walter stricklander. You may call me Walt for short if that’s easier”  
“okay”  
“all of this must be a lot for you isn’t it? Being in a totally new place unlike any you’ve ever been in before. Being surrounded by people you don’t know and all the strange sensations you’re currently experiencing” Jim nodded his head a little in reply  
“you don’t ever have to be afraid or feel uncomfortable here okay? we’re all going to be nice and try our best to make you happy, now and forever. I’m always here to talk to if you need anything at all. Even if you just want to sit in here to have a place to relax, get away from everything else if you’re feeling overwhelmed.” Jim did another little nod  
“i know I’m a stranger to you, and that’s always very scary to meet someone you don’t know, but I’d really like to know you more, and you know me. I want to always make sure you feel safe and comfortable, not just here, but all the time. I want you to always know that I’m here to help you with whatever it is that you need. Remember, I want to make sure you don’t have to feel shy or nervous to talk to me okay? I’m going to be in your life a lot, and I really want to be someone you can trust, someone you can rely on, someone to always be there for you no matter what it is.”  
“like Blinky?”  
“Blinky?” Walt turned to Bular who said in an annoyed tone  
“the whelp never could say Blinkous. He just called him Blinky, the name stuck and now he just calls him that, not that we care.” Walt turned back to Jim and made another friendly smile  
“yes, just like Blinky. I want to make sure you also have fun here! If there is any kind of toy or coloring book or anything at all that you’d like, tell me alright? I might be able to get it for you”  
“might impure?. You WILL get whatever my brother demands.”  
“Bular. I’m trying to be calm and gentle with Jim. This is how humans comfort children.”  
“continue then. Hurry up and finish.”  
“as I was saying Jim, whatever you need, whatever you want, whatever help you need. Talk to me, never feel like you can’t alright? And if I can do anything to make you feel better, no matter what it is, you can ask me, okay?”  
“okay”  
“it’s very nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing you more, anytime you want to see me, just ask alright?”  
“alright”  
“here. Before you go, I got you a little gift. it’s a little troll stuffed animal I made just for you. It looks like a troll doesn’t it?”  
“yeah it does! This is for me?”  
“yes, just for you”  
“thank you! I really like it!”  
“I’m glad”  
“it’s so soft”  
“i wanted it to be. Now, we’re all done here” Bular picked Jim up, wrapped him, and put him on his back as fast as he could.  
“finally. We can leave. Great. Now you’re going to stink of impure. you’d better have Blinky was that when we return home.  
“goodbye Walt”  
“goodbye Jim, goodbye Bular”  
“hmpf.”

Bular picked up his pace and stomped out of the Janus order.  
“I like Walt”  
“he is beneath you. Never forget.”  
“he’s nice to me”  
“he’s supposed to be.”  
“i want to see him more”  
“the less you can interact with any of these impures, the better.”  
“he does not seem mean or bad”  
“when you’re older you’ll understand.”  
“he gave me a present”  
“yes. Now the stench of impure is on you. Blinky will bathe that little doll along with you.”  
“it’s really soft. I like it. It looks angry. Like you are”  
“angry? hm.”  
“he smelled strange, they all did”  
“that’s what impures smell like. Foul.”  
“it did not smell bad”  
“something you’ll learn to hate.”

………………………………………………………  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………...

 

Bular was walking around the darklands with Jim. Until….

“Bular. I have to go potty”  
“why didn’t you go at home?”  
“i didn’t have to then”  
“well don’t go on my head. We’ll go to the nearest one. Hold it.” finally after a few minutes they came to one. A gumm-gumm solider latrine  
“alright. Hurry up and go.”  
“i can’t go when others are nearby”  
“are you joking?!” Jim just shook his head.  
“fine.” Bular went inside, after a few moments he came back out  
“there. everyone’s gone. Hurry up and go.” Jim scampered in. afterwords Bular heard his little brothers voice again  
“There’s no where to wash my hands”  
“why do you need to?”  
“I’ll get sick if I don’t!”  
“then spit on them”  
“ew”  
“then pee on them”  
“eewww!”  
“then I’ll spit on them”  
“EEEWWW!” Bular chuckled. He started to enjoy being around his little brother….

…………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………

Gunmar walked into his throne room. His eye focused on someone sitting on his large throne. It was Jim. As he approached, he noticed his son not paying attention, he was playing with some of his toys.  
“clang clang clash..whoosh! Oh no, watch out for the spears! Wilhelm nooo! Swoosh! Ting ting! Quickly soldiers march! You go over there, you go over there. Ba ba boom! Crash! Oh nooo! Throw the spears! Ting ting, cut off their reinforcements. No retreating! Fight to the death! I command you to march! Impale them on your weapons! Oh no we need more…..” Jim stopped and looked up as he noticed his father now standing next to him. Gunmar said lightly  
“what are you doing on my throne?”  
“oh hi dad! I was just playing gumm-gumm leader. I was pretending to be big and strong like you and was telling the soldiers to kill the enemy and I was leading them to victory and collecting the enemies skulls”  
“how...playful. Now, off of your fathers throne. Never be on it again.”  
“yes dad!”  
“run off and do something”  
“yes dad! Bye!”. Jim gathered up his toys in his arms, hopped off and walked away cheerfully. Gunmar sat down and watched his son leave. He smiled, his little child pretending to be a warlord, just like his father was.

……………………………………………………  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………

Jim is older now, too big to ride on Bular anymore. Now, he walked around with his older brother, his longer legs helping him move around faster. Bular was more annoyed than ever. His little brother wouldn’t shut up the entire time they walked around.  
“and why don’t I have a tail?”  
“Because you don’t have one.”  
“why are our horns different?”  
“because they are.”  
“why don’t I look like you if we’re brothers?”  
“because your mother was different than mine was.”  
“how come I’m not big and strong like you are?”  
“because you are a small whelp who won’t be quiet.”  
“why are my legs different?”  
“be quiet already!”  
“why are our fangs different?”  
“BE QUIET. YOU’RE DRIVING ME INSANE”  
“…………...why is my fur different?”  
“i missed when you were a whelp on my head. All you did was chew on my horns. Not talk on and on endlessly with endless questions.”  
“how come I did ride on your head?”  
“because you were too small to get around.”  
“why-”  
“ENOUGH!”  
“……...why isn’t my skin black?”  
“shut up.”  
“why isn’t it as hard as yours?”  
“shut up.”  
“why are my nails different?”  
“shut up.”  
“why are you so tall?”  
“SHUT UP!”  
“why don’t my eyes glow like yours? I mean, they do when light reflects on them but-”  
“I AM TRULY WILLING TO THROW YOU OVER THE EDGE OF THIS BRIDGE. AT LEAST IF FATHER KILLS ME, I WILL FINALLY KNOW PEACE AND QUIET!” Jim was silent for a few minutes. The only sound was the steps of them walking, echoed throughout the darklands. After another few minutes  
“hey Bular why-” Bular sighed and just tried to tune it out. Mentally he said  
‘well. It was a few nice minutes. Once I inherit the throne. My first command for him is to be silent for the rest of his life.’

……………………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
………………………………………………………………..

Jim was playing in his room, not a care in the world. His ears twitched as he heard tiny steps.  
“hello?” he called out, looking around his room. No reply came so he went back to playing. More tiny steps.  
“hello?”. No reply. More tiny steps  
“hello? You can come out, I promise I won’t eat you” Jim’s eyes widened as he saw a tiny little figure come out slowly behind his toy chest.  
“are you...a gnome?” the little creature chattered  
“ohh wow. I’ve heard about gnomes! you’re the very first one I’ve seen!” the gnome chattered a bit in reply.  
“do you want to come over and play? I won’t hurt you. I’d LOVE to have my first friend! My brother’s always busy, and when we do spend time together, he’s always grumpy and doesn’t want to play. dad’s too busy all the time. Blinky plays with me but it would be nice to have a friend play with!” the little gnome came over. Jim giggled  
“You’re so small! you’re small like me! everyone’s always so big around here. Oh! Are you hungry? Here, I have some food if you want. I already ate the rest of my human, but I have some celery. I don’t really like it, it smells weird.” Jim got up and returned with the food, he gave it to the gnome who accepted it and ate it quickly  
“what’s your name? My name’s Jim!” the gnome just cooed and made little noises  
“hmmm, I don’t understand you, but that’s okay! How about...um...hmm...hmmm...little hat? Cause you have a little hat” the gnome didn’t argue  
“so, what do you want to do! You can stay in my room if you want to, I don’t mind, it’s really big and it would be nice to have a friend in here! I don’t have any, I pretend I do though! But it gets boring being all alone. I mean, I have my guards escort me anywhere I want, sort of. But they don’t talk really.” Jim picked up a little toy and put it next to little hat. Then he held up his own. The two played together and had fun….

…………………………………………………………………………….  
Time passes  
……………………………………………………………………………

Jim was crying in his nest. The gnome he’d know and loved, his little friend, little hat, was just killed. The friendship lasted for a month. Then Blinky found Jim playing with the gnome and promptly had it killed.  
“master Jim, it’s vermin! It could have gotten you sick. Also, you are far too important to give anything like that your time and affection. Now, it will be all right.  
“h-h-he w-was m-my fri-friend”  
“nothing like that will ever be your friend. Only things that actually matter will be your friend. Now, why don’t we do something to take your mind off of this disgusting little thing.”

……………………………………………  
Time passes  
…………………………………………

Jim walked around a bit. He was supposed to be near his guards, but he liked to sneak off. It was more fun to explore without anyone telling him no! Although it was strange. Every time he returned, he always had new guards...the others seemed to have vanished...oh well, it’s probably nothing! it’s not like they’re failing to do their job by watching over Jim and then be punished with death, right?. Running and jumping and tumbling, until Jim slipped and fell, landing onto his chest. He wasn’t injured thankfully. He coughed up some dust and moved his cloths out of his face. When he looked up and around, he was surrounded by goblins.  
“oh uh sorry, I was running around and-ohh are you goblins? you’re the first one’s I’ve ever met! My name is Jim! My dad is Gunmar, who are you?” the goblins mumbled and spoke to one another, looking to each other for answers.  
“ohhh what are you saying? Are you speaking goblin? Ohh can I know! Can you teach me?” one of the goblins smiled and nodded…

…………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………………………..

 

Jim had to sit and wait. He, Walt, and Bular, as well as a few trolls Jim’s never seen before, all stood in a cave. Jim was taken here, being told he needed to meet someone important, although they didn’t tell him much after that. Jim didn’t even know where they were! He was taken to some cave deep deep down, outside the darklands. He was bored. He was getting tired of playing with the toy he brought. He wanted to go home. Finally something was happening! The trolls stood up straight as they hard some movement coming from a corridor on the other end of the cave. A few trolls Jim’s never met before along with a shiny troll lady came to them. Walt spoke up with his usual cheerful style  
“ah, queen Usurna, a pleasure to see you once more”  
“yes. Hello to you Bular”  
“Usurna. let’s get this over with. I’m supposed to be spending time with my brother and I don’t want to have to take longer than needed.”  
“understandable. So, where is this brother of yours?” Bular Nudged Jim forward with his foot.  
“hello, I’m Jim”  
“him?! THIS is your brother? The second son of Gunmar?”  
“do I hear disgust in your voice? Father deals directly to those who mock our blood.”  
“No! No not at all! I was just...caught off guard...the second son is...a half troll omega….truly a surprise. I had imagined he’d be more like....you and your father”  
“well. He isn’t. Everyone’s had the same reaction. And to be perfectly honest, I’m getting tired of it. you’ve seen him, so I expect you won’t have any similar reaction ever again.”  
“no, I will not. Yes..hello, Jim was it?”  
“yes I’m Jim”  
“it’s..nice to meet you. I am Usurna, queen of the kubera tribe”  
“whats that?” Bular snorts and nudges Jim with his foot  
“the whelp doesn’t know about anything outside of our home. Hence why you’re meeting him. he’s old enough to start learning who he’s going to rule over.” Usurna gripped her staff tighter

“yes...rule...over….well, It’s nice to meet you Jim.”  
“you’re very shiny and pretty”  
“Well, thank you for the compliment, you are small and...erm...cute” Bular looked at her with an intimidating glare  
“i would advise you not to call him ‘cute’ from this moment forward. Many have. Many shouldn’t.”  
“thank you, Bular, for you advice, I shall not repeat that term.”  
“that feeling, and that look, shouldn’t exist any longer after this meeting. Like I’ve said before. Everyone has the same reaction. I don’t blame them. I had it as well. Except I learned to get over it, something I make sure to tell everyone. Something both father and I expect of everyone. Do I make yourself clear?”  
“yes. Crystal clear”  
“good. Jim, she is one of the many subjects who our father rules over. she’s the ruler of her tribe. The glowing trolls you see, those are called kuberas. They live deep deep down in the world.”  
“like in the darklands?”  
“deeper than that.”  
“oh, that’s really deep”  
“yes. Alright, We’re leaving.”  
“but we just met her”  
“exactly. You and I have to go, we’ve spent too long away from our home anyways. You know father doesn’t like you away this long. Usurna, you’ve met him, you’ve seen him, you understand who you’ll be ruled by, we’re done here.”  
“yes. I suppose so. Goodbye to you all”  
“goodbye Usurna!”  
“goodbye Jim” Walt, Bular, and Jim left the cave and walked a bit before Jim said  
“i have to go potty”  
“now? can’t you wait until we get home?”  
“No”  
“fine. Go find some corner and hurry up!” Jim ran off! Then got lost. Well, at least he found somewhere quiet. After he was done he was figuring out a new way back. Until he saw the glow of the kuberas through a small crack in the tunnel he was in. he was about to call out until he heard his name  
“-Jim. I can’t believe I have to be beneath something so pathetic! Something so weak and small! When I heard Gunmar had another child, I wasn’t exactly jumping up in down in joy. Bad enough one of them is running around, but two?! I strongly doubt he’ll even be any use to his father, maybe only good for bearing whelps, other than that I see no benefit to keeping him around, other than being a potential servant, which I doubt his father would allow him to become. At least this whelp can’t possibly cause me any potential harm. Surprised he’s even lived this long without being torn apart. If he wasn’t Gunmars son I’m more than sure he would have been sent to some brutal training camp. If he’s lucky, he would have instead been sold to the highest bidder at some auction. One of the last of his kind, he would most likely be worth a fortune. Although I do wonder who Gunmar will wed him to. No doubt only the most brutal and gore crazy warrior in his army-”

Jim stopped listening and moved away. He started to cry. He always did hear this. He wasn’t dumb. He heard stuff like this all the time. He knew that he was small. He knew he was weak. Everyone always talked like this about him. Usually he would tell someone and they’d take care of the ‘bad mouther’. no. not this time. He promised himself, from this moment forward. He wouldn’t just report them. He would let them be around. He would WANT them to be around. He will grow up, he will show everyone. Just how strong he is. Just how mighty and terrifying he can, no, WILL become. Then, no one will say anything, other than praise. He will show just how wrong everyone is. One day. Soon. He will train, he will bleed and break, he will become the strongest and fear inspiring thing, even more than his brother was. Then he would TRULY show everyone just how ‘weak and small’ he is. He would stride into a room and everyone will pee themselves. Everyone would bow to him and beg that he not kill them. He will show just how much of a true gumm-gumm he really is. He has gunmar’s blood. And he won’t let it go to waste. Jim cleared the tears from his eyes and bore a brave face. He would take to heart those words she spoke, that they all speak, and he will remember them everyday of his life. Not to have self pity, but to remember why he grows strong. To prove them wrong!. 

Bular was angry, his little brother was taking far longer than usual. He was about to walk off to go find him, only to see his little brother return, with...confidence?  
“there you are! Why did you take so long?”  
“doesn’t matter. let’s go home.” Bular was taken back a little by the sudden strength in his brothers voice, he was always so shy and little. This was different………..did peeing really make him feel this better?

……………………………………………….  
Time passes  
……………………………………………….

Jim is 60 years old now. He is bigger and stronger and more brave than anyone would have imagined. Way back when he was younger, he demanded he begin training to become a proper warrior. Everyone was shocked by this sudden need to grow stronger. Gunmar was proud, his little son’s gumm-gumm spark was igniting. Blinky was right, he truly did just need time to develop. Once again, his adviser has proved himself in disposable. Jim was still always the type to have fun and go crazy at times, but he was dedicated to growing and becoming better overall. Blinky had taught him everyday. From math to science to history and all kinds of different educational courses. Blinky had created a perfect time table on what to be taught and how to be taught it. Starting off small, then getting more advanced over time. Then, he was big and strong enough to start his training to become a warrior. However, he couldn’t be taught the usual gumm-gumm way, that was too rough on him. He needed his own personalized training. Something Blinky came up with. Gunmar didn’t understand it, but his adviser had yet to fail him, so he allowed Blinky the tools to do whatever he needed to teach his son. It started off as simple sword swings and foot placements. Then to learn different fighting styles, and then his actual training. It was hard. Painful. Difficult. He loved it. The memories and voices of mockery, it fueled him, drove him forward. The desire to prove everyone wrong always managed to force himself to take more and more. Eventually he was strong enough to train with Arrrg himself. They would play fight and have fun. Then make sure his training overall was enjoyable. Always rewarding and praising Jim whenever he did a good job. Something Gunmar didn’t understand

“he isn’t being punished for his weakness. Why is that?”  
"humans need constant affection and praise, in order for them to grow emotionally healthy. when a human is upset, it could cause serious problems"  
"how so?"  
"it's all very difficult to explain. in summery, emotions strongly affect a humans overall health. a healthy mind and emotional state, means physically healthy as well, to a degree at least. Hence our training. We do not punish him, we aid him, we give him ‘positive reinforcement’. Meaning that when he does a good job, we give him praise and make him happy. If we were to punish him every time he did something wrong, he would be too focused and afraid of doing the wrong thing, that he cannot focus on doing it correctly. When he has fun and enjoys himself, it makes him WANT to do it better, keep going, push forward. I’ve done this all his life, and so far, look were he’s come. Truly the fruit of my labors. And he’s still growing, he will keep growing for many years, hundreds even. So as usual, I advise you to wait my dark underlord. Wait and watch, it might not look like much right now, but he will grow faster than you could imagine. He is still a child, never forget. He may look and act like an adult, but he still is growing. He will keep changing physically, emotionally, mentally, we must not punish him for acting out during certain times. We need to let him grow and move. If we cage him, he will become mentally and emotionally unbalanced. As long as we keep it balanced and healthy, he will always do the right thing. Give or take. He still makes the wrong choices, but he learns. He remembers.”  
“hm.”

the two watch Jim as he ran into Arrrg and tackled him, the two laughing and having fun.  
“Arrrg truly has grown a strong fondness for him, as have I. He knows it, and he wants to keep it, so he makes sure he keeps up in our training. Which comes back to the praise and affection. it’s all one big cycle really.”  
“hm. Good. Good. Continue what you’re doing.”  
“of course my dark underlord.”

later that day, Blinky was walking around looking for Bular. Finally finding him and telling him, Gunmar requests him.  
“oh and while you’re heading that way, could you deliver this spear, Jim needs it”  
“why does my brother need a spear?”  
“for his training of course”  
“training?”  
“yes, he’s quite the fast learner”  
“what training specifically?”  
“physical of course! Learning to fight! To kill! To gain blood lust! Like any true gumm-gumm!” Bular was stunned. A sad grip started to form on his heart  
“i wanted to be there to watch his first lesson. When did he start?”  
“oh about 3 weeks ago”  
“3 week?!. I really have been lacking in his life.”  
“yes. I did tell you back when he was just a new born that you truly should be involved more. He won’t be alive for that long. Hardly a millennium, if that”  
“he really won’t live for that long….”

 

Later that evening he and Jim were called before the throne, talking and sharing information. Then entire time, Bular looked Jim over. Memorizing each part of him. He truly had grown. Bular never even realized it….his life was so fleeting….only now is it setting in….no more climbing on his head...no more carrying him around...no more constant questions...he hasn’t even walked the darkland with his brother for a few years now. he’s hardly even truly LOOKED at his brother for years now...Bular was told he no longer needed to be forced to spend time with his brother at least once a week long ago. Bular though he could finally have a break from the annoying whelp….

That night when Bular walked the darklands, he felt a small emptiness inside..  
Nothing on his head, or climbing on his back. No one walking next to him, or talking to him.  
He truly was alone.  
It finally dawned on him.  
He was truly alone….

……………………………………….  
Time passes  
……………………………………….

That night. Their father had told Bular that Jim was old and strong enough to finally hunt for himself. Bular told Jim who was as excited as can be. Now, the two were out on their hunt. Bular was going to kill a human first, showing his younger brother ‘the ropes’. Then he was to kill someone himself.  
“focus on what I do brother.”  
“alright” the two hid in some bushes, Jim had no idea what anything was! He heard about it and read about it at times, but experiencing it was different! Although he wasn’t allowed to look or pay attention. He watched his brother slowly crawl towards a man. Then he lunged at him, bit his throat and dragged him deeper in the woods, near Jim. Bular killed the man quickly by tearing out his throat and decapitating him.  
“there. Like that. Another is coming.” Jim swallowed, he was nervous! he’d never done anything like this before! Jim watched Bular hunt in the darklands all the time, but it was nothing like this!  
“ahh, help! Please! I’m hurt bad!” Jim cried out. The man stopped and looked  
“please! Someone! Help! It hurts!” The man came into the forest. Then, Jim jumped him from behind and grabbed the mans throat, biting into it. Jim could feel the euphoria of the hunt hit him. The man dropped to the ground and writhed. Jim thought he would feel eve better! Except...he didn’t….when he fought, he fought bigger things, stronger things in the darklands. Now….this creature was so small, weak, defenseless. It wasn’t enjoyable. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t have a fighting chance. Jim decided to just put him out of his misery, not let him suffer anymore…

Bular chuckled and grinned, looking over his brothers work.  
“Trickery. Then an ambush. You did well. Hmm...a bit on the small side. But that was whats available. Good job, father would be so proud if he could see. Now, dig in. nice and slow. Really enjoy your first kill. Love it. Remember it forever. Savor every bite. You may kill over and over, but this, this will always be your first kill” Jim did. He enjoyed and memorized every chunk of meat. He couldn’t finish it all though, he was still young in troll years, so Bular finished the rest after he ate the his own kill. Jim just wanted to lay down and enjoy his buzz. Bular wanted him to, however the trollhunter always lurked around every corner, and Jim was far too young, too weak, too unprepared to fight an enemy like that. They had to leave….

Gunmar smiled and chuckled even. His son’s had come home, back from Jim’s first hunt. His son looked like he was in bliss, still coated in gore.  
“You really are my son. Go enjoy the rest of the night. you’ve earned it child. As for you Bular, you did good work teaching him.”  
“thank you father” the two sons spoke at once….

………………………………………  
Time passes  
………………………………………

Gunmar looked a bit….annoyed. He spoke to Blinky on his throne  
“and why do you think that?”  
“he needs it. he’s been needing to...how do humans say it...’stretch his legs’. He needs to finally experience the HUMAN side of him. Remember how I said he needs to have balance? Well, it’s time to start focusing on that side of his life.”  
“he truly needs this?”  
“yes, without any doubt, I can say he does”  
“you have yet to be wrong. I trust your word. Very well. Hmmm...i wish to speak to the changeling in charge there, stricklander. As for you, you go and tell my son the good news, as well as prepare him.”  
“i shall, thank you my dark underlord. This will make him very happy. Ecstatic even!”


	22. I want to be the one to walk in the sun!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a new adventure! a new life! a new education! a terrible evil has just been unleashed upon the surface world! so many wonderful new things to experience! sooo many wonderful things to kill and slaughter!
> 
> You might be thinking  
> "b-but Austin what about the big cliffhanger!? the getting caught!? what will happen to Toby!? what will happen to the smores?! is anyone going to die in that terrible accident?!" well don't worry. Eli won't die, that's a fact. as for Toby, his life is about to get a lot more...stressful. as for the smores, they have perished in the flames of passion. what will happen next is something to see and wait. now, to understand the future. one must look to the past! (i feel dumb just writing that line XD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit, I'm having a LOT more fun writing these chapters than i thought i would =D. i hope you all do too! a new world to discover! a terrible darkness unleashed and unrestrained! fun! ahhhh the spicy!
> 
> ALSO as a little gift, everyday this week there will be a new chapter! (mon-fri) happy holidays! =D

Jim sat in Walt’s principles office, eager and happy, a constantly large smile. If he had a tail, it would be wagging furiously. 

“Now Jim, we need to establish some ground rules. That means rules you follow to the letter. First, your father has placed me in charge of you. Meaning I will watch over you, provide you with what you need, and keep tabs on you. You are to report to me when I call you, or if you need something. Obviously you have been allowed to come and enjoy the surface among humans for as long as you’d like, with the condition of going home every night. Your amulet you’ve just received will let you travel back and forth. Simply turn it clockwise until the big troll face glows, then you will re appear in your bedroom. Do NOT show or talk about it in anyway to anyone. NO ONE is allowed to know about it as well as us. The Janus order, your father, your mother, your brother, Blinky and Arrrg. NO ONE. If anyone asks, just say you live deep underground with your family and a few close friends. You cannot talk about it for personal reasons. Usually people will back off from asking about it further, however some will try and ask for more detail. Just be strong in your words, calmly and rationally. Just tell them it’s very private and personal. Now, humans are VERY different from the ones you’ve, well, eaten. They interact far differently than trolls do, especially gumm-gumms. Humans are strange in their own way, not everyone acts the exact same, but there is a common way people typically talk. you’ll pick up on it quickly, you’re very smart. Do NOT mention you eat humans. If anyone does for some reason ask about your diet, simply say you enjoy vegetables, like you do, and the only meats you DO eat range from chicken to pork to steak to fish and the like. 

 

Oh and don’t mention horse. No one enjoys talking about it and typically frown and feel disgust for it. Everyone will notice you act different and strangely, don’t worry about how they feel, you’ll soon adapt to modern human life soon enough. Do NOT mention how you’re a prince or who your father is. Just say he’s a very private troll who doesn’t like information shared. Do NOT mention how you’re a gumm-gumm. I highly doubt anyone will ask about your troll linage, if anyone does ask for some strange reason, simply tell them you are unsure. You take after your mother almost completely, because she died giving birth to you, you don’t know. I know for a fact many will ask why you behave strangely, say this is your first encounter with humans, you’ve lived only with trolls underground your whole life, so this is your first time to ever visit the surface. Oh and don’t look directly into the sun, it’ll hurt your eyes. Hmm let’s see. I think that about does it, if anything new comes up, I’ll tell you. Oh wait one more thing! Call people by their name of course, but just in case call them humans, NOT fleshbags. One last thing, do NOT mention anything magical unless it comes up, even so, keep it to the very basics. I can’t believe I almost forgot. Your powers, do NOT show them, do NOT talk about them, try your best to avoid it from coming out or doing anything. Now, you ready?”

“yes!”

“are you nervous?”

“a little, but I’m more excited than nervous! Ohhh what if I make a human friend! Do I eat them?”

“nooooo!. Treat them as a friend would. You will learn about that soon enough. Just talk, be kind, listen to them, and you’ll pick up on traits of how to interact with others. Well, let’s have you start you’re new surface life! Class is starting and I’ll introduce you to your first and main class”

…………………………………………………………………………..

“Class, may I have your attention please? Steve stop throwing things. Now then, You will all have a new student joining you. His name Is Jim and he’s very excited to be here. He is new to all of this, it’s the very first time he’s ever gone to a public school. He’s been educated within his home for his entire life up to this point in time. He is in fact very different from me and you, please treat him like you would anyone else, this is his first time interacting with others outside of his own family. He’s lived a very secluded life. He might act strangely, but that is perfectly normal for someone who’s had no contact with others. Now then, Jim, why don’t you come in and kindly say hello” Jim swallows, steadies his breathing, and enters through the doorway. Everyone gasps and mumbles. Meanwhile Jim has the biggest smile on his face, he’s also bouncing a bit on his toes.

“HELLO HUMANS! I AM JIM!”  
“yes, he’s very excited. As you can clearly see, he isn’t human. He is something called a half troll. Now does anyone know what that is? No? Well I’m not very surprised. A half troll is just that. Half human half troll. It dates back centuries of human and troll interactions. When two people love one another very much, one troll and one human, well, half trolls were born. Their numbers are very few and extremely rare for biological reasons, so please treat Jim as if he were a regular human. Jim why don’t you have a seat here in the front. Well I’ll leave you now, goodbye and I hope everyone enjoys their day.” Walt walked out of the classroom, murmurs and whispers about Jim started up Jim turned around  
“oh, if you’re talking about me you may just talk to me directly! Or is this a human custom?”  
“how did you hear us...”  
“deduction, you began whispered as I entered the room as well as examining me with your oculus dexter and oculus sinister, or it could also be said oculus uterque”  
“our...what?”  
“your eyes. do...humans no longer use Latin? Or pig Latin?”  
“no...”  
“oh, well if you had questions about my nails or my horns you could ask me directly”  
“how did you know I was talking about that? I was ultra quiet”  
“oh I could hear it easily. What do humans say as an example...um...i can hear a leaf drop from across the room? Oh and you don’t need to be afraid! you’re starting to produce a stimulus in expectation that I could possibly bring you physical harm to your soft flesh body. You’re currently seeing me as a potential threat and your flight or fight response are activating causing you to be having a hard time mentally debating on what to do in the present situation while interacting with me as I’m currently In your company. you’re observing my natural weapons of my sharp nails, claws, horns, and fangs and afraid I might use them to bring bodily harm against you.” everyone in the class went slack jawed and staring, unsure what to make of the current situation at hand. Jim just smiled wider, thinking he did a good job explaining himself.

The door opened up and Coach walked through it  
“okay class settle down I don’t want to hear how any-HOLY MOTHER OF-”  
“HELLO HUMAN INSTRUCTOR! I AM JIM!”  
“w-when Walt said I was getting a new student I….I didn’t think...uh...okay well...class please pull out the algebra books from under your chairs. Turn to page 47 and do it. I’ll be writing some of the questions on the board to help explain and understand how to do the problems, if anyone has any questions don’t be afraid to ask them, this stuff is hard I totally get it, believe it or not but I wasn’t exactly good at math myself. Totally shocking right? well-”  
“Human instructor, I’m finished”  
“y-you’re. Finished? With the entire page?”  
“yes, would you like to observe my work?” Coach nervously went over and took the book, he looked it over and checked the correct answer sheet.  
“how did you...do..this?”  
“i did it like anyone else would have, I viewed the problem and solved it, then wrote it down as instructed.”  
“wow you almost got every answer correct, you missed like, three!...you are...a smart one”  
“my previous instructor was very keen on teaching me about mathematics as well as, historical accuracy from the time periods of both humans and trolls dating back to around when the first Ziggurat was constructed by humans during the Mesopotamian period around the third millennium before common era and on wards to the present day and current events. I was also taught the fields of each science Acoustics, Aeronautics, Agronomy, Anatomy, Anthropology, Archaeology, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Bacteriology, Biochemistry, Biology, Bontany, Cardiology, Cartography, Chemistry, Crystallography, Ecology, Embryology, Entomology, Enzymology, Forestry, Gelotology, Genetics, Geochemistry, Geodesy, Geography, Geology, Geophysics, Hematology, Histology, Horology, Hydrology, Ichthyology, Immunology, Linguistics, Mechanics, Medicine, Meteorology, Metrology, Microbiology, Mineralogy, Neurology, Nucleonics, Nutrition, Oceangraphy, Optics, Paleontology, Pathology, Petrology, Pharmacology, physics, Physiology, Psychology, Radiology, Robtics, Seismology, Spectroscopy, Systematics, Thermodynamics, Toxicology, Virology, Volcanology, Zoology,

(HOLY FUCK THAT TOOK FOREVER TO RESEARCH)

And lastly I was taught philosophy, I enjoy learning but I get headaches when I do too much after a while, I’m not the best at it, but I try my hardest and make sure to study and understand what I can. I’ve been taught it’s okay to fail, as long as you keep practicing. At least when applying this to educational activities. Sadly I have yet to learn about art and cultural studies of the surface world, which is the main reason I came here, along with experiencing human interaction for the first time!. I am very excited to learn about humans along with my own humanity!”

EVERYONE went slack jawed once again and silent once more. Coach was baffled and had to blink a few times, he didn’t even manage to register everything. Jim just kept his cheery demeanor.  
“i….uh….i…..uh…..”  
“is something the matter? Should I give the same response in return?”  
“no….wow kid, you should be the one to teach the class”  
“i should? I’ve never taught or led anyone before”  
“that was...kinda just a saying”  
“yes it was a saying because you said it”  
“no not like….okay uh, class, let’s just….continue working. Jim you can just...uh….draw or read a book”  
“should I read and finish this one?”  
“no just….wait till later”  
“as you instruct”

………………………………………………………….

It was later on in the day, it was time for PE! 

(fuck I hated it. Did anyone else?)

Jim didn’t really have anything that would fit him, so he just wore basic shorts and a T shirt. Coach had everyone line up for a mile run

(absolute HORRID THING. My high school class of 9th and 10th, thankfully 11 and 12 didn't’ have to do it, anyways we had to run one every Thursday! Maybe other schools did it, maybe not. Point is I HATED it.)

“Alright class listen up. you’re going to do three laps around the field. Stay within the lanes and do the best you can. Now on my-” Jim had taken off, in less than two minutes, he had run three times without even being hard of breath or sweating.  
“i...didn’t even blow the whistle...”  
“oh, was I to await your final word? I had assumed that was my signal to run”  
“wow you are fast.”  
“yes! My physical education was also taught, except by a different mentor who is the mate of my previous instructor.”  
“okay...uh...class...just….do your best….Jim, why don’t you just...run as much as you like for ten minutes”  
“as you instruct.”

after a few minutes, Walt had come to the field to check on things, he went to Coach’s side and started a conversation  
“so, how goes things with Jim?”  
“that kids a monster. I-i mean not like, a monster monster, I meant like, he...well...look! he’s doing laps within seconds practically! And today in class, he had explained things that I couldn’t even understand! He talked about math stuff and science and, you should have been there.”  
“yes, I know his family personally, he has been home schooled by an excellent teacher”  
“yeah he said he was mates or whatever”  
“yes, Trolls call their significant other their mate”  
“huh. Well I have to do the next activity now, you going to stay and watch?”  
“for a few brief moments yes”

 

………………………………………………….

“alright everyone listen up, today you’re all going to be lifting these weights, now I want you all to work your way up until you find your limit, everyone has one, eventually you’ll manage to work past it and keep going. Little by little, now don’t forget to stretch and drink plenty of water-” the sound of metal clanging happened nearby, the class looks over to see Jim lift the entire shelf of weights  
“like this instructor?”  
“kid that’s over 400 lbs and you just lifted the thing like it was nothing. How strong are you?!”  
“well it depends on the activities, I can flip a troll who’s over 700lbs by shifting my weight around. My current record for a dead lift is about around 400lbs, I can bench press around 550lbs, and um... that’s all I can think of right now”  
“Kid you’re almost as strong as the worlds strongest people.”  
“oh my dad and physical training mentor are a LOT stronger than I am. I think my dad can lift a house”  
“WHAT!?”  
“Well, not a modern home, I think, I’m not sure. He hasn’t been here on the surface for…...hhhmmm before the Bubonic plague….i remember him complaining about it when that happened...spoiled meat and all that.….hmm...i think he hasn’t been to the surface since a little bit before the thirteenth century.”  
“how old is your dad?!”  
“hmm...let’s see...well when he was born during the wa-certain events took place that I cannot speak of for personal reasons. Hmm….i think possibly almost over 2000 years old, give or take” Once again the class was silent and slack jawed. Always something new to surprise them.  
“okay uh...i...if your dad is that old, how old are you?!”  
“ohhh, well I’m only 87”  
“WHAT?!”  
“oh I know it is surprising how young I am to be able to come up here without supervision. I was allowed to after my mentor convinced my father I needed to spend time among humans to satisfy my human needs.” Walt walked over and cleared his throat

“Jim, put those weights down gently, thank you. Yes, it is….alien to all of you to learn all this, but troll culture and human culture are two very different things. Jim is really quite young, it’s very hard to do measurements compared to humans due to their capabilities of living well over 600 years, troll lives can reach lifespans of thousands of years. Roughly Jim is around all of your ages. Half trolls take both sides of human and troll. He can walk in daylight for example, something no troll can do. However the human side of him needs human interaction, hence his ‘human needs’. Hes reached the age where he is allowed to interact with others now without worry that something may happen to him.”  
“yes! And one day I will be strong and big enough to serve my father properly!”  
“Jim. Remember the talk we had earlier about speaking like that?”  
“oh...uh...sorry...”  
“anyways, don’t think much of what he just said, it’s just a troll way of saying he’s wanting to do good for his father to be proud of him. Half trolls also inherit troll strength, as you’ve just witnessed, trolls keen senses and many other things. The human in Jim is, well, just that. Human ambition and intelligence and psychological patterns and emotions, and well, you get the picture. Half troll emotions are very...extreme at times, so if he gets very sad, it might not be over much. Still please interact with him just like any other human.”

someone spoke up and asked  
“why are you here telling us this?”  
“Writers block and needing to explain the current situation. Anyways, I’m here to check up on Jim from time to time. I know his family personally and from that we’ve set up an arrangement of sorts, I won’t go into the personal details but in short, he’s here to stay and enjoy the companionship of other humans”  
“Why?”  
“Jim’s lived underground his entire life among only full blooded trolls, he needs to start embracing his humanity so his mental and emotional growth can develop properly. He has both human and troll needs, he’s had plenty on his troll side, but none on his human. it’s somewhat like a balancing act, too much on one side can be...damaging. If anyone else wants to know more about biology, go to the library. Well I’ll leave you now that I’ve checked for the time being-Jim spit that out”

everyone turns to Jim who started to chew on a weight, he spat it out and let it drop to the ground with a heavy clang.

“one more thing to mention. Trolls typically eat many things, their stomachs can break down literally any material. Jim’s can as well, to an extent. What we consider objects, some trolls might consider food-Jim don’t lick that” they turn to Jim who was licking a punching bag  
“my point is, Trolls can eat anything, Jim might get hungry, if you see that he’s eating something he shouldn’t, Don’t chew on the baseball bat Jim, Tell him not to. He needs to study human living and common culture, He’ll pick up on it soon, he’s very smart.” Walt finishes as they all turn to Jim who’s currently trying to shove a football into his mouth  
“spit it out. Only eat food. Human food.” Jim takes the football out of his mouth, a long strand of drool connects as he just smiles and nods at Walt. 

 

………………………………………………………………..

 

Jim sat in his next class reading a book. Next to him a plump kid took a breath and whispered to Jim  
“hey, could I borrow a pencil?” Jim smiled! Someone was talking to him! A regular human conversation! Jim took out a pencil, and then ate it slowly while smiling. The human just looked in shock. Jim swallowed and felt bad, did he fail?!  
“did you not want me to eat it?”  
“no I uh, kinda wanted to write with it”  
“oh...sorry….i thought it was some human custom. Here let me get you one” The kid noticed Jim open his backpack STUFFED with pencils  
“why do you have so many?!”  
“to eat! They are good, and sometimes I eat them by accident. So I thought it was best to have plenty”  
“well, good enough reason I suppose” Jim smiled as he handed the pencil over  
“I’m Jim”  
“I know, trust me the whole school knows about you pretty much. you’re not really….”  
“normal?”  
“yeah...but that’s okay! But yeah word about you spread around like a virus, you’re going to get a lot of attention, maybe good, maybe bad. Point is, you’re pretty easy to notice”  
“oh good! I want to learn all about humans and my humanity!”  
“well, you’re going to learn for sure here”  
“oh yes!...wow...this is my first human conversation! A real one! With a human I don’t know!”  
“Really happy to do something like this huh? Well life has a lot of things to try”  
“oh! I want to try them all!...oh...wait….I didn’t ask for your name”  
“it’s fine, my name is Toby”  
“Toby. Wow, my first male human name I’ve been told!”

Toby giggled at this, such a simple thing, but so wonderful to Jim.  
“did you want to do more human conversation?”  
“later, after class”  
“ohh! I’m so excited! This is my first full human interaction! I can’t wait to tell my family!”  
Toby gave a warm smile, hoping this would be the one to be his first friend.

………………………………………………………………………

The class had ended and Jim couldn’t wait to talk to the new human Toby. The two met in the hallway, Jim was getting a LOT of looks, but he didn’t even pay attention to any of them.  
“Hello human Toby!”  
“Hey Jim”  
“ohhhh hey! Whats that?”  
“It’s another way to say hello”  
“ohhh! Hey, hey hey hey!”  
“hey” Jim couldn’t sit still from all the fun and excitement he’s experiencing  
“so what human conversation should we have?!”  
“well, we can just talk about whatever you want”  
“my first human choice! Okay, uh, um, erm...hmmm….so many choices! Ohh! don’t you love the sun?! it’s so warm and bright! Although it hurts when I look at it, Walt told me not to, I couldn’t help myself, it’s just so bright and big!”  
“you’ve never seen the sun before?”  
“No! today’s my first time!”  
“how have you never seen it?!”  
“I live under the surface of the earth. Deep down in the dar-undergound.”  
“so, like, in caves and stuff?”  
“yes! And crystals and, uh, yeah!”  
“is it boring?”  
“not really, well sometimes yeah”  
“well uh, welcome to the surface”  
“thank you! Wow my first human welcome!”  
“my class is about to start so I gotta leave, I think yours is down the hall”  
“oh...” Jim started to feel sad. His look clearly visible  
“hey it’s okay buddy! We can talk again later”  
“W-we can?!”  
“yeah, I like talking to you”  
“ohh I share the same emotion!”  
“well I’ll see you later”  
“goodbye!”

 

It’s Jim’s next class now, He’s sitting in his desk, happy for so many things. The sounds of little clicks on peoples phones could be heard. Before he knew it, it the class had ended, a part of him was sad and disappointed it had ended, but then he perked up when he remembered he still had a lot of school left! He made his way around until he bumped into a girl talking to some others.  
“oh! I should have paid more attention to my environment”  
“no it’s fine”  
“wow, my first conversation with a human female! I had my first male human conversation a little bit ago! This is wonderful!”  
“uh, thanks?” Jim just smiled at her  
“so, your name is Jim, whats your last name”  
“last name? I never previously had a name before this one”  
“no I meant your full name”  
“my full name? it’s just Jim”  
“you don’t have your parents name?”  
“why would I own my fathers name? And I don’t know my mother, she died giving birth to me”  
“oh I’m so sorry to hear that”  
“why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything that would have involved yourself”  
“it’s just a polite thing to say is all”  
“oh!, well I’m sorry I ever met you!” one girl behind them snorted. The girl talking tried to figure out what to say properly  
“uh, well, you shouldn’t say that to others, it could offend them. Saying I’m sorry is just something to be said after something bad happens”  
“ooohhhh, I think I understand. Ohhh wait I need to know your human female name!”  
“it’s Claire, Claire Nunez”  
“hello Claire Claire Nunez!”  
“no, it’s just one Claire”  
“wait your name is one Claire?” both girls behind them started to snicker  
“no. my name is. Claire Nunez.”  
“ohhh a single Claire, okay! I’m sorry for mistaking your name. I shall punish myself severely with a cats o’nine tail when I return home” Claire looked mortified at that  
“please don’t do that! it’s okay! Really!”  
“don’t worry! I was joking!”  
“oh, uh... so, you’re….different, which isn’t a bad thing! The way you talk and act is a bit...strange, but you’re going to fit in soon”  
“what am I fitting into?”  
“it’s just an expression, saying you will soon belong here like the rest of us”  
“yes! I am happy to hear that! I can’t wait until I know every human in the world like I plan!”

 

“everyone, like, each individual?”  
“yes! First I will start with this school, then the city, then the state, then the country, then the continent. Then the other ones, and eventually I’ll have known everyone!”  
“well that’s, a big dream to have”  
“Yes!” Jim just stared silently at her for a few awkward moments before speaking up  
“i like your fur! it’s colorful!”  
“oh uh, it’s hair and thank you for the compliment”  
“hair? Ohhh, trolls have fur, I have fur! See!”  
“yes, I see”  
“do you want to touch it?”  
“uh...sure?”

 

Jim bent down a little, Claire reached out an awkward hand to feel how coarse and thick and long it was. Jim started to purr from being touched.  
“did...are you...purring?”  
“yes. I like the physical contact! I purr when I’m happy!”  
“like a cat?”  
“i think so, I don’t really know many cats, maybe after I know all humans I’ll know all cats”  
“oh, uh well I hope your dream comes true”  
“Me too! So how did you change your furs color? Hairs color I mean”  
“dye”  
“you died!? And came back?! How?!”  
“no no, it’s called hair dye, it helps change the color of your hair, there’s a lot of different colors too”  
“ohhh I want to try! Will you help me?”  
“oh uh...maybe?”  
“ohhh my first human maybe!”

 

Claire couldn’t help but giggle a little bit. Jim leaned into her personal bubble and started to sniff her. Claire pushed his head away gently  
“please, don’t do that”  
“oh sorry, I thought humans knew each others scents, you smell so good! Oh! did you want mine?”  
“no thank you, we don’t really do that anymore, well, much, uh and It’s shampoo, and conditioner. It cleans and makes your hair smell nice”  
“ohhh! could I use it on my fur?!”  
“i don’t see why it wouldn’t work”  
“ohh okay! Ohhh I like your claws! they’re so small and round!”  
“they’re called nails, and thank you”  
“They’re purple! How did they turn that color?”  
“nail polish”  
“ohhh you polish your nails and they change color?”  
“no, it’s this thing you apply onto them that changes them, kind of like painting them.”  
“ohhh! Will you paint my claws?”  
“uh...maybe”  
“my second human maybe in one day! This is amazing! Oh! What are those small metal plates in your hair? Are they tiny armor for your head?”

Claire laughed out loud, then covered her mouth and cleared her throat  
“no, they’re hair clips, they help hold your hair together”  
“wow! Hair clips! I’m learning so much during this human conversation! My second real human conversation! I didn’t expect I would learn this much in a single day!”  
“wow you’ve really never been here huh”  
“no!”  
“where do you live?”  
“ohhh under the surface of the earths crust”  
“oh...wow...you..sure did travel a long way...huh?”  
“yes! I came here to learn about my humanity!”  
“humanity?”

The bell rang signaling the next class  
“I gotta go, it was nice meeting you”  
“wow! I share the same affection!” Jim watched Claire walk away until he walked away himself.

…………………………………………………………..

The bell rang once more, it was now lunchtime!. Jim walked around and followed his nose until he found Claire once more  
“hello human female Claire!”  
“oh uh, hi again”  
“i found you!”  
“yes, you did. I didn’t think you’d know where I’d be, not that it’s a bad thing! Just surprising”  
“oh, well I followed your scent!”  
“my scent?”  
“yes! My sense of smell is as good as a trolls!”  
“so you smelled me, from halfway across the school?”  
“yes!”  
“do you smell...everyone?”  
“yes! I just find what I want and follow it! Ohhh I need to see the human male I met! I need to leave for the time, I will find you once more female human Claire! So we may speak again! Goodbye!” and as fast as Jim came, he left. One of the girls in the group spoke  
“wow, he’s such a weirdo”  
“be nice! he’s just...different”  
“He’s super weird! it’s cringy and he smells weird”  
“well, he’s never been around humans his whole life. If I suddenly met trolls, I wouldn’t know what to say or do. we’re totally alien to him. Well he just smells like….basic soap and..troll fur I guess”  
“what? We aren’t little gray things”  
“no, Alien just means something not living here, something or someone who comes from a different place”

…………………………………………………………

Toby sat down by himself at a table outside. He was taking out his lunch when he looked up to see Jim right in front of him suddenly  
“AH!”  
“hello Human male Toby!. Oh wait, hey!”  
“hey...where did you...come from?”  
“in what meaning? From my birth? From my home? From the school?”  
“i meant like, I looked down for a few seconds and suddenly you’re in front of me without making any noise”  
“ohhh! I’ve been training to be quick, silent, and efficient!”  
“oh..uh...neat...just...next time maaaybe not give me a heart attack”  
“YOU’RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK?! I SHALL FETCH MEDICAL ASSI-”  
“nonono! it’s just an expression people use, I mean yeah they do exist and people do say it. But most of the time it’s just exaggeration”  
“ohhhh! I am very relieved that my human male speech ‘buddy’ is healthy”  
“more or less, yeah” Jim just smiled and starred silently  
“oooh uh, so yeah, how are you?”  
“I’m wonderful! Wow, my first human question of my emotional status!”  
“I’m glad you like talking to me”  
“i share the same emotions!”  
“not many people talk to me”  
“oh? But you’re amazing to talk to! You know so much!”  
“well not really, you just never talked much before to humans”  
“ohhh that is correct! Still you’re being an excellent source of experience!”  
“thanks, I like hearing that”  
“shall we speak more?”  
“yeah, if you want”  
“ohhh! The sky is sooo blue! The clouds are so white, I know a few different types of them from my studies! But to see them in real life is amazing! Ohh! Am I going to see rain?! Am I going to feel it?!”  
“i don’t think it’s going to rain right now, maybe some other day”  
“wow! What is that!”

 

Jim suddenly and quickly walks towards the street to a speeding car  
“NONONONO JIM!”  
Toby had to run as fast as he could to stop Jim from getting hit by a car  
“whoa! it’s almost as fast as I am!”  
“don’t walk into the street!”  
“but those humans are”  
“that’s because they can cross the street”  
“i have the physical abilities to do the same”  
“no I mean, when that light turns green, it tells you when you can cross WITHIN THE LINES! And when its red, you have to wait”  
“wow!”  
“wow, you’re really tall, Just looking at you up close for the first time really”  
“and you are plump and short!” Jim leaned down and started to sniff him, Toby giggled  
“what are you doing?”  
“learning your scent!”  
“why?”  
“to know it! Do you want to know my scent?”  
“uh, no thanks, not now.” Jim stopped and smiled at Toby  
“what should we do now?! I’m excited for anything human!”  
“well, let’s eat lunch and then if we have tiIMM-” Jim had suddenly picked up Toby and ran back over to their table, within seconds  
“we can converse while you eat! Oh! I should eat too!”  
“wow...you...are...fast”  
“yes!” Toby pulled out his food, suddenly Jim leaned in and started to sniff it  
“what is this!?”  
“okay, please leave it alone, HEY DON’T LICK! it’s mine! it’s called a burrito”  
“wow! My first time seeing human food!”  
“yep. So, what do you typically eat?”  
“oh I eat huma-uh….steak! And chicken! And pork! And fish! And the like!”  
“oh, neat. So what’s your favorite food?”  
“oh! it’s huma-uh...steak! it’s very good, especially fresh! I like it when it’s bloody and tender and tasty!” Jim licked his lips and remembered all the yummy times he ate humans.  
“bloody? Oh, uh, cool. I can’t eat it like that or I’ll get sick. So, what are you having for lunch?”  
“oh uh….my pencils and...hmm...I’m not sure, I was told to try human food when I was here!”  
“oh, well, if you have money we can go get you something to eat”  
“money? Oh like this” Jim pulled out a huge wad of 100 bills.  
“HOLY SH-where did you get this much?!”  
“oh I was given this by Wa-...no I mean..my...uh….i don’t know what to call him. He advi-helps my father, he mostly raised me, and he’s a part of my family, but not blood related”  
“so like, an adopted uncle?”  
“oh...yes! he’s my adopted uncle. He helped let me come to the surface! he’s also the one to educate me.”  
“he sounds very important”  
“yes!”  
“so uh, you should put that money away. People might try to steal it, or threaten you for it, or try to take advantage of you for it. People sometimes pretend to like others if they have money. Those are fake friends, not real ones. They won’t like who YOU are, only for your money”  
“ohhhh, I shall kill and consume the false friends”  
“uh….”  
“i..uh...am...joking! Haha! Human humor! Or troll humor!”  
“oh, okay yeah. Just remember that.”  
“can we fetch myself food?”  
“yeah let’s get going”

……………………………………………………………………

“so Jim, whatcha gonna get?”  
“oh I have no idea!”  
“want me to help?”  
“yes! read me the words!”  
“you….you can’t read English?”  
“No! I know latin, but my previous instructor told me it was best if I learned to read English here! So It helps me understand my humanity better! he told me to learn ‘modern common’ English. Apparently it changes frequently so it was best I learn it while I was here!”  
“oh...how...are you doing your schoolwork?”  
“oh! I’ve been writing latin!”  
“you really are...unique”  
“So are you!”  
“okay, uh well, you’ve never had human food right?”  
“none at all!”  
“you said you had chicken and..well I guess that technically doesn’t mean...uh okay, do you like spicy stuff?”  
“ohhh! I don’t know! what’s spicy?”  
“oookay, let’s get you some basic stuff...”

……………………………………………………………….

 

Jim was digging into food after food after food after food. Eventually he spent an entire crisp 100 bill. Toby just watched the feeding frenzy, Jim just stuffed himself within such a short time, he could have won any eating contest.  
“That was amazing! AHHHH THE SPICY HURTS!” Toby snorted and laughed a lot  
“yeah spicy i-”  
“IT HURTS! QUICK I NEED TO CUT MY TONGUE OFF! WHERE IS THE NEAREST BLADE?!”  
“nooo! don’t cut your tongue off! Just drink milk, it-” Jim had bolted into the main school building. He skidded to a halt when he smelt Claire. He quickly followed the scent to see her and the other two girls, along with another one, all sitting and talking. Jim ran over  
“FEMALE HUMAN CLAIRE HELP! I’M IN PAIN!”  
“oh, uh, okay, what’s wrong?”  
“THE SPICY!”  
“uh..what?”  
“I ATE THE SPICY AND MY TONGUE FEELS LIKE IT’S ON FIRE!”  
“ohhh! you’ve never had spicy food?”  
“NOOOO! THE MALE HUMAN TOLD ME TO DRINK MILK! WHERE IS IT!?”  
“oh, uh you can find some in the lunch room, th-” Jim bolted off. 

Everyone in the lunch room went about their business, until the door suddenly burst open and the sound of nails scraping on tile and the sight of a half troll running and suddenly leaping over the counter, grabbing milk cartons and started to chug them. One after another. The sight was strange and difficult to understand. All noise stopped, the only sound was now the swallowing of milk and deep breaths in between drinking. After who knows how long, Jim finished and turned around.  
“i had eaten the spicy. I was told milk helps. It did!. Thank you humans for your help” Everyone watched silently as Jim calmly jumped back over the counter and casually walked out of the room.

 

Jim went back to Claire and her friends  
“Greetings female humans! The spicy is gone now! My life is saved, thank you for informing me”  
“uh...okay...you’re….welcome?”  
“i was prepared to amputate my tongue, I’m happy I didn’t have to!”  
“y-you….were going….to cut off...your tongue?!”  
“yes! Weakness must be purged so we are far stronger!”  
“...oh….uh….okay..” Jim looked at her, his eyes started to relax a bit as he looked her over  
“ohhh I just realized, you have female breasts!” the girls suddenly choked on their food and just stared at Jim.  
“uh….yes?”  
“interesting! Is it as squishy as I’ve heard? may I feel?”  
“WHAT? NOO! You...don’t know what boobs are?”  
“human female breasts, no. I’ve been completely raised and grown around male full trolls. The human male and female sex is unknown to me. I want to learn it! Do you also have a vagina?”  
“ooooooooh okay, I think I understand. You really shouldn’t be talking like this to anyone, it’s….rude.”  
“oh, I’m sorry I ever spoke to you!”  
“still...not like that...you’re...getting there though”  
“oh, I’m sorry I ever interacted with you?”  
“no. not that either.”  
“hmmm….i think I need to learn more through human interaction. So, DO you have a female vagina?”  
“yes. I do. No you cannot see it.”  
“how did you know I was about to ask such a thing? Can you read my mind? Can humans read minds?!”  
“no...it’s….i just assumed you would ask that”  
“oooohhh, your assumptions are correct!. OH NO, I LEFT THE HUMAN MALE TOBY! I MUST RETURN! GOODBYE HUMAN FEMALE CLAIRE AND OTHER HUMAN FEMALES WITH BREASTS AND VAGINAS!” Jim darted off his usual speed. Oh of the girls just started to laugh so hard she fell over.

“Mary, that isn’t funny. He just...doesn’t know...”  
“HOW IS THAT NOT FUNNY?! WELL CLAIRE, DOOO YOU HAVE A FEMALE BREASTS AND A VAGINA?!”  
“not funny. He really just needs help understanding...well...everything.”  
“he did say he’s only ever been raised around dude trolls. Have any of you ever seen a troll?” the girls shook their heads no. Claire looked at the door Jim ran through.

………………………………………………………

Toby was packing some stuff up that he pulled out, once again he looked up and suddenly Jim was there  
“GAH”  
“GAH! HEY! GAH!”  
“you need a bell of something”  
“why? To make noise?”  
“yeah”  
“how will I be able to be silent if I can be heard?”  
“it’s….never mind, uh so, hows the ‘spicy’?”  
“ohhh it’s gone! I found the human female Claire and she told me where to find milk!”  
“YOU TALKED TO CLAIRE?!”  
“YES! she’s very interesting! She even told me about her female genitalia!”  
“whoa whoa whoa hooooold on. She told you about her...stuff?”  
“yes! She admitted she had one! Although I didn’t ask any further questions. I asked if I could feel her female breasts, she said no to that though”  
“ooooooookay, whhyyyyy did you ask those things?!”  
“to learn! I’ve never seen human genitalia, both female and male. I was curious!”  
“you’ve never seen….don’t troll ladies have...them?”  
“yes, I assume. I’ve been completely raised by full male trolls.”  
“so their...ding dongs, aren’t the same as humans?”  
“ding dongs?”  
“you know...the third leg”  
“humans have a third leg?”  
“no! The….penis”  
“ohhh. Yes they are similar except troll penises have a knot at the base. I often imagine them!”  
“why?”  
“I’m sexually attracted to them. When I go into my heat, I like to have fantasies of having sexual intercourse with one! I pleasure myself to them! I am eager to do so for the first time! dad said when I became just a little bit older, I can take a mate! Or at least, breed one!”  
“that’s...okay...uh….huh….”  
“speaking of male penis’s, may I see yours?”  
“noooooooo”  
“alright” Jim sat there smiling his usual full happy smile.

 

“sooo...want to talk about anything else?”  
“hmmmm….i do want to know what sexual intercourse with a human male is like! Would you-”  
“nooooooooooooo”  
“alright”  
“so….aaannnnyyyytthhhhiiiinnnnggggg else?”  
“hmm….does male genitalia-”  
“anything else other than...that stuff”  
“ohh, another subject, alright! Hmm...how about-ooohhh! You have metal in your mouth! I just noticed this!” Jim suddenly came close and looked into Toby’s mouth  
“you have armored teeth? Does it help eating? Or attacking?”  
“attacking, no. eating, it kinda prevents me from eating a lot of things. These are called braces. Lots of people get them, it helps fix teeth”  
“woooooow! I wonder if-” the bell rang and Jim was mixed, he didn’t get to talk more like he wanted to! But more school to be had!  
“ohhhh! Goodbye human male Toby!”

……………………………………………………………….

It was after school now. Jim was sitting in Walt’s office, well, bouncing in his chair really.  
“i had so much fun today! I learned so much! When can I start eating them?!”  
“NO. you may NOT eat them. No one can start suddenly vanishing, or else too much suspicion will be placed on you. No one at this school is to be eaten. Do you understand?”  
“yes Walt I do”  
“well, I’m very glad you had a lot of fun today”  
“i can’t wait for more!”  
“and you will have it, as long as you keep behaving well. This is now your future”  
“i love it! I can’t wait to see what happens!”  
“well, you’ll simply have to live in it and wait. Great things are going to happen to you. Enjoy every moment you get, I’m sure you won’t regret coming up to the surface”

………………………………………………………….

Jim was home in the darklands now, happy as can be he rushed to the throne room as fast as he could.

A high ranking gumm-gumm bowed at the throne giving a report to Gunmar when Jim came in.  
“-the changelings have yet to find the stone. However we are coming closer to it. They have found the area it potentially is within, yet do not know it’s exact location. They shall start searching the moment more of them arrive and gain more foothold within the nearby human settlements. As for-”  
“DAD DAD GUESS WHAT!”  
“we shall finish this report soon. Go back to your post.”  
“yes my dark underlord” with that, the gumm-gumm bowed once more and left as Jim ran past him.  
“DAD DAD! I HAD SOOOO MUCH FUN TODAY! I LEARNED SO MUCH! I LEARNED ABOUT HAIR AND DYE AND BRACES AND THE SPICY AND I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT CERTAIN THINGS AND LEARNED THE WORD, HEY, IT’S ANOTHER TYPE OF HUMAN GREETING! I ALSO SPOKE TO MY FIRST HUMAN MALE AND FEMALE AND THEY TOLD ME A LOT!” Gunmar looked amused, his son was clearly happy with what they had agreed on, which made him happy.  
“I’m happy you’re happy. You may still attend and do whatever you wish, as long as you do as we agreed, along with the impure stricklander.”  
“yes! I won’t fail!”  
“so, how many did you eat?”  
“none! Walt told me I couldn’t, if they started to vanish when I arrived, they would suspect me of being connected”  
“hm...well at least the impure knows how to prevent you from being discovered. You may take your leave now.”  
“thanks dad! Oh and thanks Blinky!”  
“you are quite welcome master Jim, I as well am filled with joy that attending a more human life is helping to nurture you”


	23. Claire the kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the second day! fun to be had! a fight (?) to be won! food to be eaten! a true friend to be made! a sun to stare into! (owowow) a house to visit! a blender to be eaten! a scare to be had! and an (explosive) dinner to eat!
> 
> all in a good second day of life!
> 
> what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fun fun! you ready for more?! getting even closer now!

The second day of Jim’s school life. Once again he sat, bounced really, in a chair in Walt’s office.  
“Soooo excited to start again!”  
“good to hear, now today I want you to try something new, it can be anything. I also want you to make a friend, it can be anyone, you don’t have to rush, but I do want you to interact with someone, get to know them more”  
“ohh I did that yesterday! I talked to the human male Toby! And the human female Claire!”  
“oh? Well then this should be a bit easier for you. Keep talking and getting to know them, tell them about yourself, minus the parts we discussed that you are not to mention.”  
“ohhh! Like what should I talk about?”  
“your favorite color, maybe what you enjoy most about the surface world so far, maybe something new you learned today, simple conversation really. Whatever feels natural in that moment”  
“i understand and shall do my best!”  
“good to hear. Class is about to start, want me to walk you there?”  
“no! I can do it!”  
“such a big smile on your face. Blinky and your father must be happy that you’re happy”  
“they are! Okay, I have to leave, goodbye Walt!”  
“goodbye Jim, enjoy yourself”

…………………………………………………………

Coach blew his whistle. The class was now in the gym lined up.  
“i want all of you to climb these ropes! I want you all to be made of iron!”  
“human instructor, I’m not made of iron, I’m partially made of flesh and stone”  
“stone? Alright well, It’s just an expression...uh...what’s your last name”  
“i had no previous name before my current name”  
“trolls don’t use family names?”  
“not that I am aware of. We usually go by titles. Gunm-uh, such as skull crusher, the deadly, the deranged (get it?), stone slayer, the drinker, the proved, hide Skinner, carcass feaster, marrow chewer, horrors bane, living weapon, death bringer, the corrupt, murder frenzy, beast tamer, will breaker, organ harvester, bone collector, flesh wounder, blood glutton, limb ripper, the war crier, tooth gnashes, scar maker, the living gore, the dark blight, life’s end, mortals scream, meat agony, the black, blood mist, the one who ends all hope, nightmare manifested, the horrific, the brutal, blood painter, the one who bathes in blood, the carver, meat cleaver, the one who suffocates light, deaths messenger, the dead one, rises from the depths, born of agony, darkness follower, the suffering, the punished one, the horrific memory, the brutal hunter, the executioner, the spiteful blade, hateful avenger, slaughter lover, the one drenched in gore, and so on.”  
“i...think I’m gonna hurl...”  
“hurl what?”  
“nothing, ugh I didn’t think trolls had such….dark names...”  
“ohhh no no! that’s just SOME of them, many different trolls have many different names. Those are just some of them”  
“okay….uh...do you have a title?”  
“no! I have yet to make one for myself, you must preform a feat in order to get one. I WILL make one, one of these days!”  
“anyways let’s all get back on track. I want everyone to...focus on those ropes. All of you will climb them and ring the bell at the top. Got it?”

Jim walked forward, looked at the rope, jumped, pulled on the rope once to gain momentum, rung the bell, then flipped himself onto the beam.  
“like this?”  
“why am I still surprised….uh...kid...where did you learn that?!”  
“oh, well my physical training included learning how to scale rocks and rough stone sides. Thankfully my claws and nails provide me a natural advantage to it”  
“of course they do. Okay uh, Jim just...do...whatever exercise you want. Everyone else, climb the rope and ring the bell.”

the class did as instructed, a lot of them didn’t focus too much on it, putting their attention onto Jim, who was gripping and climbing around the support beams, then when he was done, landed gracefully onto the floor that was strangely quiet.  
“kid how did you not just make a sound?”  
“oh, my training also consisted of me being stealthy and efficient. I put the pressure upwards into my legs and forelegs, it was painful at first but I started to endure the pain to the point where it no longer effects me. The same with broken bones and wounds.”  
“that’s…..alright uh, go, drink water or something. Just, don’t bother the other students, they need to focus”  
“as you instruct”

…………………………………………………………. 

Jim walked outside going to his next class, from the side of his eye, he noticed 4 people interacting, until the sound of a locker slamming drew his attention.  
“-that’s why!” three people stood in front of it laughing. Jim stopped and watched, curiosity getting the best of him. One of them looked to see just watching from the other side.  
“stop staring weirdo and keep moving.”  
“i was curious”  
“yeah well beat it”  
“beat what?”  
“GET LOST”  
“why?”  
“because I said so!”  
“you can’t command me”  
“yeah I can! you’re just some freak who should go back underground. Anyways what were we talking about...ooohhh yeah” the person speaking turned back to the locker  
“what the hell were you saying again?”  
“I’m telling you! gumm-gumm’s still exist! there’s proof!” Jim’s full attention was now focused on this ‘event’.  
“what the hell are those things?”  
“certain trolls who eat people and want to invade the world!”  
“ohhh spooookkyyyyy. And where the hell did you hear that?”  
“speculation! And evidence online!”  
“ooohhh some weirdo online thinks-hey I told you to get lost freak!”  
“why is that locker speaking? And why about this specific subject”  
“doesn’t matter, want me to kick your ass?!”  
“i don’t want this”  
“then leave!”  
“i wish to stay. You are starting to become very aggressive and hostile to me” from the locker the small voice started up again  
“wait, weirdo? Is that the new half troll guy?”  
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH NERD.” Jim walked over a bit more  
“ohhh there’s someone IN the locker. Why?”  
“because I put him in there”  
“why?”  
“because I wanted to!”  
“huh…..hm….i smell...sexual arousal...”  
“w-what?!”  
“is it from the human inside? no...it’s from you...every time the human inside speaks, you produce more”  
“SHUT UP I DO NOT”  
“yes you do”  
“you want to fight?!”  
“not really” the human punched the locker then walked over to Jim, who was still calm and curious.  
“I won’t say it again, leave, this doesn’t involve you”  
“it does now, you’ve initiated me into this conversation quite some time ago, thus I am now a part of this….event? What should I call it. Encounter?” 

 

By now a lot of people have gathered around them  
“I’m going to count to 3, then I’m going to beat you until you beg for mercy. that’ll teach you not to interrupt me”  
“i strongly advise not to engage me into a fight”  
“1”  
“this truly is a warning to you”  
“2”  
“i strongly think you should reconsider your choice, it is wise to prevent physical altercations”  
“3 time t-” the human swung a fist, only to have it be easily caught in one of Jim’s hands.  
“what the-” Jim then pulled him lightly in the opposite direction and the human CRASHED into the lockers on the opposite side of the human in the locker, as easy as flicking an insect off of you. The lockers dented as easy as tinfoil would from the intense impact. The human gasped and fell to the floor. The entire crowed gasped in fear  
“i did warn you. I was raised to never show mercy and to kill my opponent at the end of the fight. You are my opponent. And this is a fight. Thus I must end your life now”  
“w-w-w-hat?” the human coughed out, dazed  
“however, now that I consider it, this wouldn’t truly work as I am on the surface, unless this is ALSO a human custom. Is it?”  
“y-yes?”  
“so I WILL end your life?”  
“n-no! I m-meant n-no!”  
“oh, then is this the end of the fight? I didn’t really do anything over than move you to the other side”  
“m-move m-me?!”  
“do you want me to use my actual fighting capabilities?”

“n-no!” Jim looked towards the locker with the human inside. He casually walked over to it, the other two humans next to it ran away from him. Jim ripped the locker door off with a simple tug and tossed it to the side  
“hello human”  
“h-hi! y-you’re n-not going to hurt me r-right?”  
“no, why would I?”  
“oh...wow...poor Steve...”  
“Steve? The male human over there that was aggressive to me?”  
“yeah...him….can...you help me out? GENTLY!”  
“of course!” Jim pulled Eli out as gently as someone would handle a kitten  
“t-thanks Jim for helping”  
“it wasn’t difficult to take you out”  
“i meant with the fighting...”  
“why?”  
“well cause...he stopped bullying me”  
“ohhh you’re an omega! No wonder he was becoming sexually aroused. I read that others interact aggressively towards someone else if they do not fully understand their own feelings, or try to mask their intent”  
“oh...uh...huh...” Jim remembered what the small human said, his expression became serious  
“where did you read about the gumm-gumms being real?”  
“oh uh, online. People have been wondering about them, people talk and share evidence of them trying to take over the world!”  
“how would they acquire such knowledge?”  
“speculation. Some people think trolls are secretly plotting against humans, that’s why they hardly interact with us, some people think they still eat people and gumm-gumms never existed, that’s just an excuse they made so they wouldn’t be blamed”  
“ah. I see. Hmm...you will have to show me this later. I am...curious….OH I NEVER ASKED! What is your name human?”  
“it’s Eli”  
“hello Eli! it’s nice to meet you!”  
“it’s nice to meet you too” suddenly the doors slammed open and coach yelled

“WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE?!” Jim smiled and turned to him  
“oh hello human instructor!”  
“whats with this group? Why are you standing over Eli? Why-HOLY-PALCHUCK” he ran over to help check on Steve  
“What happened?!” Jim said casually  
“oh, the human male alpha named Steve was placing this human into that locker. He was then harassing him. I was curious and stopped to watch, he initiated me into the conversation. I noticed he was producing sexual attraction pheromones to this omega. I mentioned it and he became aggressive to me, he initiated a fight with me and I put him over there. I was going to end his life like I was taught, never allow your opponent to live after a fight, but it isn’t human custom to do so, he even agreed to it so I believed him. I helped take the human Eli out of the locker and started to initiate a conversation with him, then you came”  
“come on Palchuck let’s get you to the nurses office. I hope you didn’t break anything”  
“oh I didn’t, it wasn’t enough force and pressure on his body to do any kind of harm other than..uh...what’s the term...knock the wind out of him?. I know because I’ve broken many bones, including my own”  
“you’ve broken bones?! With how strong you are?! How?!”  
“oh simple, by my training and self infliction”  
“y-you broke you’re own bones?!”  
“yes! I was curious to know the sensations. I’ve broken my right foot, my left forearm, and two ribs. As well as given myself a concussion. I’ve also Burned myself, made myself bleed, although I really hate that one, I’ve poisoned myself, and exposed myself to freezing temperatures. it’s really interesting! I was thinking of trying to increase my abilities to hold in my breath longer by staying underwater, and potentially drown. However this would have killed me, thus I chose not to do such a thing. I was also wondering about electrocution, however this would also cause me to die. it’s also very useful. If you experience something, you build up a tolerance for it, eventually nothing harms you and you’ve successfully purged the weakness out of your body. it’s what I was taught. Weakness is a sin and only the strong may survive by law of natural selection. The more you endure, the stronger you become. The stronger you become, the more you have proven yourself as the superior being on the food chain, thus your right to rule over others weaker than you”

Everyone stared at him in horror. Jim kept his calm casual happy demeanor. Reacting as if someone had told a good food recipe to try at home. Someone mumbled out  
“holy shit….that guy’s hardcore...”  
“is that a good thing or a bad thing? I can’t tell by the context”

………………………………………………………………

Jim sat in Walt’s office. Not really sure what to feel. Across from him sat Walt. Deep in thought and clicking his pen as usual, in an almost hypnotic fashion. it’s been like this for a couple minutes now. Right after the ‘event’ happened, Walt was informed and then Jim was sent to his office. Now Walt tried to think of all of this, trying to think of how to handle this situation.  
“Jim” Walt finally spoke after a being silent for so long. Said half troll looked up innocently into Walt’s eyes  
“yes?”

“I’m honestly not sure what to make of this. Or how to handle this. You were only trying to do what was natural. You didn’t know any better. You did speak a bit too much about our...lives. Things of that nature also shouldn’t be brought up. Along with ‘titles’ as you’ve already spoken of. I know how eager and excited you are, however things of your gumm-gumm nature must be held back. You must be punished for what you’ve done, although this isn’t typically something that should be punished for. You truly didn’t know any better and you gave Steve plenty of warnings not to engage you. He also has a history of being...aggressive….to others. You didn’t harm him in any way, which I am very proud of you for holding back as you did, however you did damage school property, something I will clear up easily so no need to worry about it. Situations like this must be punished in human society, I will not though. Instead, you will learn about this, do not make the same mistake again, and move on. you’re trying your hardest to fit in, and I understand how difficult it is to do so. This entire place is all very new and alien to you. I highly doubt anyone will be bothering you now with a more ‘aggressive’ attitude from that….display. I know for certain it will now be even harder for you to fit in. do not give up however. So, I will ‘give you a punishment’, you will say you’ve had it done to you, and we move on.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”  
“do not be too hard on yourself, like I said, you didn’t know any better. But from now on, you do. From now on wards, if for whatever reason, someone tries to attack you. I want you to just block it or prevent it, WITHOUT causing something like this to happen again, and after it happens, walk away and ignore them, even if they threaten you or get in your face. Do you...understand Jim?”  
“yes”  
“I’m not mad at you, I just want you to know for future reference. Now, you should embrace that you will find it even more...difficult...to fit in, however like I said, don’t give up. So, you still have half a day left, go enjoy it, and if anyone talks with ill intent to you, I want you to ignore it. Humans will say very hurtful things and do hurtful actions. Some will try to get under your skin metaphorically. They will mock and ridicule you. However, I want you to ignore it like I’ve stated. Think of this as a human kind of training. you’ve done so with physical pain, now it’s time for mental and emotional pain. Build up a tolerance and show that you are unaffected by their words and actions”  
“I’ve done the same thing with others calling me weak and pathetic for being a half troll. I can learn to endure and ignore it. I promise, I will do better from here on out”  
“good to hear, now, I will think of a fitting punishment, whatever I do come up with you have to believe you truly had it inflicted upon you”  
“lie? Well that’s easy enough”  
“exactly. So, off you go, oh wait. Here, a hall pass. Show this to your teacher or a hall monitor to prove you talked to me instead of roaming around when you weren’t supposed to”

……………………………………………………………..

It was lunchtime now! Claire and her friends were hanging out eating food, then she noticed Jim walking around and sniffing. She assumed he was about to come over. When suddenly, he reached into the garbage can and started eating out of it. Mary gasped  
“ewww why is he doing that?!”  
“well trolls do eat trash right?”  
“so gross! he’s going to have nasty garbage breathe”  
“i...should do something...” Claire took a deep breath and walked over  
“hi Jim”  
“oh! Hello human Claire!”  
“it’s nice to see you again”  
“i share the same feeling!”  
“uh….you shouldn’t be eating out the garbage can”  
“why?”  
“because people think it’s...unsanitary and could get us sick.”  
“ohh okay! I was taught all about sanitation, to prevent my own illness.”  
“thank you. If you want food, you should just go get some elsewhere, do you have money?”  
“oh...ohhhh….ooohhhhh okay! I was wondering why all you humans kept placing your things within these. I thought maybe you left them for others to eat”  
“no no...we..throw things away when we’re done with them”  
“ohhh okay!”  
“so...would you like me to help you buy food?”  
“ohh yes! I would love if you would help me! I can’t read english”  
“you...can’t?”  
“no, but I can speak it!”  
“oh uh, are you having a hard time with school?”  
“no! I’m having a fun time!”  
“i meant with classwork”  
“ohhh, yes, I don’t understand any of it, except math. Math is universal and will always be as such. So that’s easy for me! Well, I still don’t understand some of it and have a hard time doing others, but I am good with the rest!”  
“what have you been writing on your other assignments?”  
“latin, I was told you don’t use that anymore, but you still say words and write it at times, I am confused about it. So far I’ve not gotten any complaints, so I assume that I’m doing it correctly” Claire pursed her lips and knit her eyebrows. He was so innocent It was hard to blame him for what he was doing…  
“so Jim, why don’t we go get you some food. Is there anything you want in particular?”  
“ohh anything! I want to try everything! I don’t like the spicy, so I don’t want that right now”  
“how about something sweet”  
“sweet?”  
“yeah, do you not know what that is?”  
“no, I’ve never had human food before I came here, I don’t know what sweet is, I know what spicy is though!”

Claire grabbed her things and said goodbye to her friends, who wanted to know why she was going to help him, to which she replied it was a kind thing to do, help him get settled into the new world. So now, the two are going from food truck to food truck, Jim buying lots of different types of food, trying all of them at once. Claire was bewildered on how Jim ate so much in such a short time. She assumed it was a troll thing. Afterwards the two made their way back to school. Claire had to reign Jim in from wandering off, and also helped explain to him whatever he asked about, and how things worked, from cars, why people drive them, how roads work, what concrete was, and things of that nature. She didn’t know if she should have been shocked or not when Jim asked about grass and trees. Jim KNEW about them when he came up top to watch his brother hunt, and then himself, but it was night and he never paid much attention to the foliage. Now that he was actually out and about in daytime, not focusing on hunting, he can actually just look at them and learn. Plants were a mystery. Except vegetables since he ate those all the time, but not how they were grown or where they came from.  
“wow! The world really does have so much! I didn’t even think it would have this many things! I mean I’ve read and researched everything of course from my history lessons, as well as science, but to actually experience everything, to take my time and focus on everything, it’s amazing!” Claire was glad she could be helping Jim understand their world, at least these parts. Jim watched as something flew through the air  
“WHAT’S THAT?!”  
“that’s a bird”  
“it’s growling at me. Does it want to fight?”  
“nooo! that’s just chirping. Birds do that a lot.”  
“ohhh. What are those beasts humans are with?”  
“those are called dogs. they’re pets”  
“pets? I like to be pet!”  
“no, it’s a different kind of pet. it’s an animal that a human has domesticated and keeps nearby. A creature that the human loves and takes care of. Like cat’s are another one for example”  
“oHHHH I know about cats! They don’t taste very good though”  
“taste?”  
“yeah I don’t like it, also it gives me hairballs and get’s stuck in my-uh..”  
“like...you’ve...licked them?”  
“yes! Exactly! Licked...yeah...”  
“why did you lick a cat?”  
“curiosity!”  
“where...did you lick a cat if you live underground?”  
“ohh uh...it’s a long story...point is, I licked a cat!” Claire almost burst out laughing from how Jim said it with such excitement. Claire held back, while Jim just smiled at her. 

After their little adventure, they went back to school. Jim thanked her for everything she’s done, she replied that she was happy to help. They departed and continued their classes. After a few classes, Jim was walking around enjoying the warm sunshine and preparing for his next one. Then he heard a familiar voice and followed the sound to it’s owner.  
“-What’s wrong chubby? can’t fight back?”  
“please just leave me alone” Steve had Toby up against the lockers, threatening him. Jim didn’t like this.  
“awww why what are YOU going to do about it hm?”  
“i...”  
“you what?” Toby stopped and looked behind Steve, to see Jim walking over to them  
“what are you staring at-”  
“human Steve. I don’ like how you are being so aggressive to him” Steve practically dropped Toby and backed up into the lockers within a second. The others around them started to notice, wondering if another fight was about to happen.  
“i don’t like you doing this. I’m asking you politely to stop”  
“y-y-yes J-jim I will”  
“good, he is my...what did you call me...buddy?….he is my buddy and I will protect him. Friends do that right?” Toby nodded furiously  
“y-yeah okay Jim, I’ll back off.”  
“thank you” Jim did his usual smile, glad he resolved the issue without need of violence, just as Walt had said. The bell rung and everyone headed off quickly. Jim went over to Toby and smiled his friendly smile. Toby grabbed his backpack off the ground and gave an equally warm smile  
“buddy? So we’re friends?!”  
“yes! I thought we were”  
“well, I guess not officially. Now...now we really are!”  
“yay! My first ever friend!”  
“mine too!”  
“yay!”  
“yay!”  
“yay!”  
“oh, gotta get to class! we’ll talk later!”  
“yay!”  
“see ya”  
“goodbye!”

Toby was so giddy as he made his way and thought  
‘my first friend! And he’s a total bad ass! Ahhhhhh! All these years of waiting are totally worth it!’

…………………………………………………..

Claire was getting ready to walk home from school. The sun was bright and shiny and everything was going great. Then she saw Jim. Looking directly into the sun.  
“Jim?”  
“owowowowowowowo OH HI HUMAN CLAIRE!”  
“are you...looking at the sun?”  
“yes! it’s soooo bright! And warm! But it huuuuurrts! But I can’t help it! I’ve never seen anything like it! I know what fires are, but this is amazing! Owowowowow” Claire giggled at the goofy innocence  
“you are going to hurt your eyes doing that”  
“ohhh sooo brightt! Owowow! Yes I know! But if I am to overcome pain, I need to endure it! Owowow”  
“well, this isn’t something like….breaking...bones...this is something no one can ‘train’ for”  
“ohhh okay! Sooo bright...sooooo briiight! Owowowo” Jim finally moved his head, whined in pain and rubbed his eyes  
“waaah! My eyes don’t want to look anymore!”  
“well it will do permanent damage if you keep looking”  
“like a scar?”  
“not exactly. So, what do you have planed for today?”  
“planed? Hmm...i don’t know. My dad said I was allowed up on the surface until night, then I have to go home. But then the next day, I get to come here again! isn’t it strange how our planet revolves around the sun? But we don’t always see it at all times even though it’s right there! I know our planet turns, but still”  
“oh, well that’s always nice to have something to look forward to. So what’s your home like?”  
“cave”  
“cave?”  
“yeah, lots of caves and caverns and dark abyss’s that if you fell into you would die. Also lots of crystals and rocks. OH AND-actually I can’t say that….I was told to say that anytime my family or life is brought up, I’m only allowed to say basic things. I understand, my family is..private about our lives. So, I shall not speak about any detail. Except for the basics of things”  
“oh uh, well okay, good to know” Jim smiled silently in reply.  
“uh, Jim, would you...like to come over?”  
“to where?”  
“my house, just for a little bit. I would really like to get to know you more. You seem nice”  
“like, like a friend?!”  
“sure”  
“YAY MY FIRST HUMAN FEMALE FRIEND! OHH WHAT SHOULD WE DO FIRST?! We can’t watch the sun, but! uh...um...what do humans do?”  
“lot’s of fun stuff, I’d like to show you”  
“I’d LOVE to be shown! Ohhh this is the second day of the rest of my life to experience everything on the surface! I’m soo happy!”  
“I can tell. Well, uh, let’s go to my house”  
“ohhh yes yes! Where is it? Oh! Should we walk there? Or run there?”  
“run?”  
“is that a yes? Well, if we DO run, you can be on my back while I do! These cars are almost as fast as I am!”  
“wait...you’re...faster than a car?”  
“yes! Climb on my back and I’ll show you!”  
“well...always good to try new things...”

…………………………………………………………..

“so this is what a human house looks like?! Wow! Its sooo different than a cave!” the two had arrived to Claire’s home. She was blinking and trying to adjust her hair. They really did travel faster than a car, well, one going at a decent speed.  
“wow...we got here in like...4 minutes!”  
“we did?’  
“yeah….it’s even faster than when I get picked up”  
“put I did pick you up”  
“no its a saying, never mind. Well, let’s go inside.”. Jim looked all around, sniffing and moving and trying to memorize every detail  
“wow! This is what a human house looks like!”  
“um, this might sound a little mean but...you won’t..pee on anything right? Like, to mark territory like a lot of animals do”  
“huh? Noo! don’t worry we don’t!”  
“sorry, I just wanted to make sure”  
“it’s fine! We actually poop! I think first I’ll do it here”  
“what?!”  
“I’m kidding! We use the bathroom like anyone else! Although we don’t have indoor plumbing and it’s more of a large public thing. You find a vacant hole and go!”  
“oh...that’s...better than in a corner!”  
“oh don’t worry, I have my own personal indoor plumbing! I have a bathtub and sink and toilet! My dad let me have one”  
“oh well that’s great to hear! Speaking of, I should show you where ours is if you ever need to go. You know what, let me give you a little tour...of a ‘human’ house”

So the tour they went! Jim was impressed and commenting on every little thing! Even the staircase  
“it’s just a staircase, they don’t have those where you live?”  
“Well, it’s more like carved out stone, but not this accurate! Or made of wood! Ohhh what are these? They look like frozen reflections!”  
“those are called pictures. Its this thing where...huh I honestly don’t know how it works”  
“but you do it? How do you not know-well I guess I deal with the same things. I don’t know how my amu-a certain personal object, works. Ohh what’s this? It looks like a big picture! Did you color this? When I was younger I used to color pictures”  
“no, it’s a painting it’s-please don’t lick our walls’  
“oh sorry, they taste strange! Ohh what’s this!”  
“that’s our second story.”  
“Story? You haven’t told me a story”  
“no, it’s just what the next floor of a building”  
“ohh a corridor!”  
“these are our bedrooms, do you know what those are?”  
“yeah! Sorta. With caves, it’s everything in the same..well..cave! Yeah, sometime we carve out and make certain rooms, but that’s about it. Most trolls don’t use doors either, I have one for my cave, I like it!”  
“oh please don’t go in there, that’s my parents room”  
“ohh it’s neat! it’s so small in here. Ohh what’s this one?”  
“that’s a spare bedroom, my parents have been talking about having another child, but so far nothings planned. “  
“ohhh what’s this room?”  
“this is my bedroom”  
“what are these little markings here?”  
“oh, those are height differences. We started them when I was a little kid, every time I grew we’d mark it, to see how much I’ve grown through the years”  
“only 16? wow! My cave wall would have a LOT!”  
“why? aren’t you 16?”  
“nooooooooooooo. Trolls, mature verryyyy slowly. They can live for THOUSANDS of years!”  
“that’s so long!”  
“i know right?! Humans live such small tiny lives, most trolls don’t bother, after all. What is that saying? why be friends with a gnat?. Hmm, or something like that.”  
“what about half trolls?”  
“well, we live for a few hundred years, but that’s about it. We usually only live to be around 600, typically. Our oldest recorded is slightly over 800. we mature much faster than trolls, but far slower than humans. I’m actually 87 years old”  
“wow! You ARE old! You look really young”  
“I’m roughly 16 in human years. But because we develop and age so long, it’s always really hard to make comparisons.”  
“that would make sense. So, 87 years underground”

 

“yes!. 16 years for you above ground!”  
“this must be hard on you. Being somewhere so different, so...opposite with what you’re used to”  
“honestly. I do have a tiny bit of worry. I know I won’t ‘fit in’ like you said. I know everyone will look at me and treat me differently. I’ll never be ‘normal’. But that’s okay. I love myself, I don’t want anyone to change that. I grew up around a lot of people whispering things. My kind are…..frowned upon...we aren’t...typically treated well. Most trolls consider us mistakes, abominations, heathens, mutants, ugly, deformed, a stain on the world. That sort of thing”  
“wow...that….must be really hard for you”  
“it was...well...still is...but I always let that drive me. I like hearing it. I dedicated my life to changing their views. I’m GOING to prove that we aren’t those things. That we ARE good enough to exist. I’m going to prove myself to everyone how wrong they were for calling me weak and pathetic.”  
“I’m so sorry to hear that others have called you those things. I’ve had a really good life, so I couldn’t know what that would be like”  
“I’m so sorry for hearing your voice”  
“uh...not...exactly like that. you’re trying, and you’ll improve”  
“ohhh! what’s this? Ohh it’s soft!”  
“oh, that’s my bed, do trolls not use beds?”  
“not exactly. Mostly just sleep on rocks, sometimes they might use skins and hides or something. They really don’t need them. Trolls only require 3 hours of sleep every 24 hour period”  
“WOW! I wish I only needed 3 hours. I could do a LOT more”  
“how long do humans need?”  
“well, what we should be doing is getting 8 hours”  
“that’s so long! That almost takes half a day!”  
“yeah, I know. So how long do half trolls sleep for?”  
“5 hours. Although I don’t sleep in a bed”  
“oh? Well do you sleep on rocks?”  
“no, I have a nest”  
“a nest? Oh that’s cool. Like a bird or something”  
“omega trolls builds nest to sleep in”  
“you’re an omega?”  
“yes!”  
“oh, I didn’t know, you’re the first person, troll, half troll, uh, anyways. you’re my very first experience with that life.”  
“and you are mine! To humans I mean! Well second, my first is the human male Toby!”  
“hm, don’t know who that is, he must be nice though”  
“yes! He called me his ‘buddy’ he said that meant friends! My first friend!”  
“well, I’m your second now. So, what do alpha and beta trolls, half trolls, look like?”  
“Well, there’s a LOT of different troll tribes. Each tribe lives a specific lifestyle along with certain areas they claim and each look different. Half trolls inherit their species through their troll parent, or half troll parent. Although the mostly inherit their looks from the half troll. Our species is very very rare, we can ONLY breed with full trolls. So others of my kind and humans can’t conceive. The only other way our kind are born is when a human breeds with a troll. that’s heavily frowned upon. Not only that, but human and troll conception is VERY DIFFICULT. The eggs and sperm just have a hard time connecting, along with being able to fully develop.  
‘two worlds that should NEVER mix. At least in that sense’. that’s the main reason very few beings like us. We are LITERALLY the creation of the most hated thing.”

 

“that all sounds complicated and difficult for your kind”  
“it is, I’ve actually never seen another one of my kind”  
“oh? Do you ever get lonely? I know that if I never saw another human in my life, I’d feel lonely”  
“hmm, not really. I guess I’m so used to me being me, I never really think about it. OH ANOTHER THING about us, is we’re usually slaves. Or servants. Either way, very very few of us are free and without some owner or master. Since we’re considered weaker and smaller and overall worse than a regular troll, many use us as servants or helpers. They say we are created to serve our betters”  
“wow...that...sounds terrible...do you...have to do anything like that?”  
“no. my father doesn’t allow it. Although, sometime in my life I am to wed to another, but thankfully, he’s going to let me choose who I want, as long as I have a child, that’s all he truly cares about”  
“does he...love you?”  
“..uh….yes...he...does….in his own way….”  
“and you said your mother died giving birth to you, do you have any other family members?”  
“only my brother, he’s older, I think over 1200 years now...i can’t really remember, my dad, my adopted uncles, and that’s it.”  
“wow. 1200? well you did say you were raised around male trolls”  
“yes! I am the only half troll in my family! Ohhh what’s this! It smells soo good!”  
“that’s my lipstick-no don’t eat it!”  
“it tastes good too! It tastes...strange….i like it! Ohh what are these?”  
“that’s the rest of my make up, please don’t eat it!” 

“will you help me learn English?”  
“what?”  
“like, speaking how you do, also how to read and write it!”  
“oh..uh..sure!  
“whooaaa what’s this thing?! I can see outside? Ohhh it’s smooth!” Claire watched as he walked to the window, sniffed it, and then started to lick it  
“please don’t lick the window”  
“twa wah?”  
“it’s called a window, it’s made of glass and it let’s you look outside. You can even open it. See?”  
“whoaaa I can stick my head out of it! Ohhh it’s like I’m outside! Ohh I never really paid attention to these glass portals! I saw them around but I never really LOOKED at them!”  
“glass portals? that’s funny”  
“whats funny about it?”  
“that you find such simple common things like this amazing. I guess I really do take for granted the things I have in life”  
“ohh what’s this? THERE’S TWO OF ME?! AND YOU?!”  
“no no, it’s called a mirror, please don’t lick the mirror, it’s a glass object that you can use to see your reflection”  
“ohhh wow! So THIS is what I look like! Ohhh you collect human skulls too?”  
“oh uh, no not really, I just bought this cause it looked neat”  
“you can buy skulls?”  
“well, not REAL ones”  
“oh uh, yes! that’s what I meant! I collect fake ones as well….ohhh what are these colorful images on your wall?”  
“posters. Imagines of things you like that you can decorate on your wall”  
“they look strange. Are they preparing for battle? They have decorated their faces like that. Also their armor isn’t going to be very effective, it’s so revealing. The spikes won’t be of much use either. What weapons are they holding? I’ve never seen those kind before” Claire started to laugh at just how funny these things were. She would have NEVER seen anything like he does, so in comparison, it’s funny.  
“now, that’s a band, and those are just outfits they wear when they preform”  
“band? They don’t hold something together”  
“no, a band is a modern term, it means a group of people who sing together”  
“ohhh like a gathering of bards?”  
“yeah sorta”. Jim’s ears started to twitch and move, he sniffed at the air and moved his head around  
“who’s that talking?”  
“huh? I don’t hear anyone”  
“outside, front of the house, two people, one male one female, older, they are mates, they’re entering the door” right after he said that, the sound of the door closing was made.  
“how did you...know all that?”  
“my senses”  
“just from hearing and smelling?!”  
“yes! I told you, I have the senses of a troll”  
“wow. Trolls have amazingly strong senses. you’re kind of like a blood hound”  
“I’m NOT ONE OF THOSE. NEVER SPEAK OF THAT AGAIN TO ME. And they are called blood HUNTERS.”  
“no no, I...i think we’re thinking of two different things”  
“we are?”  
“blood hounds are a dog breed that have a very strong sense of smell”  
“ohhhhhhhhhhh okay. I thought you were talking about a species of beetles that siphons the blood out of you by melting your flesh with their acidic saliva, then turning your blood into a mist like form where they then breathe it in to feed themselves. They are VERY annoying pests. Like your mosquitoes are. I thought you were calling me one, it is a VERY insulting thing. It means that you are a small weak and annoying creature”  
“yeah...no I really wasn’t calling you that...wow...they sound dangerous...mosquitoes don’t do anything like that”  
“no but they spread illness that kills millions over a short period of time”  
“huh..i..guess you’re right...oh shoot my parents! I have to go talk to them. You stay here”

 

Jim watched Claire run out of her room and down the hall. Jim sniffed around, something AMAZING was downstairs. He couldn’t help himself. He HAD to taste it!.

“-it’s in the back seat, just grab it and AHHH” an adult woman screamed as she saw Jim come down the steps, he just walked past her and into the kitchen. He started to follow the smell until he came upon a blender.  
“CALL THE POLICE, CALL ANIMAL CONTROL, CALL ANYONE!” Claire ran back into the house after hearing all the noise  
“nonono mom it’s okay! that’s Jim!” the three family members watched Jim as he stuck it into his mouth and started to chew on it.  
“No Jim! you’re going to cut yourself! don’t-” He took bite after bite.  
“That things eating it like….chips!”  
“no no! I just bought that!” Claire went over to ‘the monster’ and took the partially eaten blender.  
“stop eating this please. Okay uh, introductions! Mom, dad, this is Jim...he’s the new transfer student I told you about yesterday” through a crunchy mouthful Jim said hello. 

………………………………………………………….

The four sat down in the living room. Claire’s parents across from Jim, as far away as they could go. Jim just happily munched on a broken piece of an old computer they were going to through out, focusing only on that really.  
“so, that’s the story of...well...Jim...he’s harmless...even though the horns and nails and claws and fangs say otherwise….he’s very sweet once you get to know him”  
“he’s eating our garbage. He ate the blender! he’s paying for a replacement.”  
“trolls pretty much can digest anything. Half trolls can too...well, somewhat. To us, it’s garbage. To him, it’s like a cheeseburger or something.”  
“is he...purring?”  
“he does that when he’s happy. He also says he likes to be pet and groomed. He really doesn’t know anything about, well, here. Just the surface in general. He asked me what trees and grass were.”  
“he’s so…..eh...wild looking..”  
“his fur is long, thick and..coarse...but..he said he’d really like to try things, like shampoo and conditioners, hair dye and haircuts and that sort of thing. He really is part human, he needs this in his life. He is half way...well..us.”  
“he’s eating the wires like noodles”  
“yeah, he likes it...better than having him dig around in the trash can...he did that today...I’ve sorta been helping him with things”  
“why?”  
“well, he needs help and he seems nice, I don’t mind being his friend. Besides It would be cool to know about troll things. An entire race living underground for THOUSANDS of years! All over the globe! don’t you think that’s cool? Like an entirely different world!”  
“Claire...you aren’t...getting...close to him are you?”  
“What? NO! I’m just his friend”  
“well...i...suppose...if he’s going to be your friend...then he must be good...you’ve never brought home any kind of….trouble makers before...”  
“he’s great once you get to know him, even I’m still learning and it’s fun!”.  
“well uh, it’s nice to meet you Jim...so...what uh….are your favorite things to eat?”  
“..hmm?..oh...it’s humans...tastes good...”  
“humans?” Jim snapped full attention and looked up  
“No! I meant..uh...humus! Yeah, It tastes good!” Claire looked over at him with a smile  
“i didn’t know you liked humus, I didn’t think you tried it before”  
“uh yeah! I uh, did! At least, I think I did?. When I was eating all that human food, one human was talking about humus in the food, I don’t know which one though, so I think I like it!” Jim started to itch and scratch his fur.  
“uh you don’t have...fleas...right?”  
“what? Noo! I don’t have them, or any parasites. The only parasite that needs to be fed is my desire to eat all of you! Haha!” the three just looked a little...unnerved  
“oh sorry, troll humor. I didn’t know it would make you uncomfortable”  
“trolls don’t really eat humans though...right?”  
“noooo not for...Huh, I’m not sure how long. History says it’s been roughly a thousand years, give or take. We mostly just eat whatever we can find, or cook, or just stuff in our mouths. I really like a well cooked nyarlagroth. Although raw is good too”

“I’m sorry...i...don’t know what that is”  
“really? There kinda common. OH WAIT never mind! You don’t live in the dar-underground. Uh okay hmm...they are these….imagine if a worm and an angler fish had a child. And that child was as big as a...hmm...bigger than those long gray cars that a lot of people get in and out of.”  
“bigger than a bus?”  
“is that what they’re called? Ohhh. Why do humans go into them just to come out somewhere else? And why do they all do it? Do they take turns?”  
“a giant worm thing bigger than a bus sounds...terrifying!”  
“oh no, you get used to them. They are sort of like...hmm...umm….they are like the rat. they’re everywhere and are annoying, and kill us frequently, but we deal with them, mostly by either farming them for their young, meat, and eggs, or creating armor and weapons, along with building supplies out of their organs, skin, and chitin. All you need to do really is slice their bodies open, although, if you impale it’s brain, it kills them a lot quicker. Usually the brains are highly valued. Personally I don’t like the taste. it’s too chewy and slimy and then goes to waay too gooey and liquid like. I prefer consistency when eating. A few of my tribe members have learned to tame them, making them sort of like how dogs and cats are to you! Once you get to know one, they can be pretty friendly. They also travel quickly, eat and dig tunnels, so they’re helpful as well. Also when their bodies start to decompose, they produce and melt into this sticky slime, it’s really fun to play with! It doesn’t taste too good, and has a strong adhesive effect, so it’s more fun to make things with them.” Jim smiled widely and warmly, like telling about a nice fun childhood memory of watching sunsets in the summer. Meanwhile Claire and her parents look mortified.

“what’s wrong? Did I say something bad? I try not to say bad things to humans, I want you all to like me! So I always am on my best behavior! My dad said that as long as I’m good and doing what I’m supposed to and getting good grades, I’m allowed to stay up here for as long as I want! Well, he has this rule that I need to come home every night, but other than that, I can do whatever I want!”  
“oh….that’s….very….uh Claire, can we talk in private for a moment”  
“uh….sure….Jim, don’t listen alright?”  
“okay!”  
“why would you ask him that? we’d be in the other room.”  
“he could hear us. He literally can hear a pin drop from across the room. He actually heard you both outside, before you even came into the house.”  
“huh….”  
“don’t worry Claire’s parents. I promise I won’t listen!”  
“actually...Jim...do you know Spanish?”  
“uh, not really. I didn’t really focus on the history of Spain. It didn’t interest me. Although the renaissance does! A lot of interesting things! Also a lot of human nudity! Although I didn’t get to see or even understand much of it. Human male genitalia doesn’t make me sexually aroused, only male troll genitalia does, I wonder why. Then again, I’ve never seen a human male’s genitalia in person”

“no, Jim, I meant the language Spanish, so you like boys? Well that’s..a load off my mind, I’m sure Claire-”  
“mom, that’s not nice.”  
“ohhhh uh no Claire’s parent, I don’t know that language. Do you know trollish?” Jim started to speak it in for a little bit, smiling, then slowly understanding they couldn’t, so he switched back to English.  
“No we, don’t. Claire, let’s go talk in the other room. Jim..uh...hm..just...please don’t break anything”  
“i won’t Claire’s parent!” so the family left Jim all alone. He was happily looking around and sniffing more, taking in the details and enjoying his day in a human house doing human things. In another room was the sounds of them talking in a language he didn’t understand, but by their tones he could figure out that it was stressful and anxious. Jim thought he shouldn’t bring it up next time he sees them. 

When the family came back, they saw Jim licking the wall. Jim stopped mid lick and looked  
“owha hwo yahu”  
“Uh, Jim, please don’t lick our walls”  
“okay Claire’s parent!”  
“you can call us Mr. and Mrs. Nunez”  
“okay Mr. and Mrs. Nunez!” Claire had to ‘step in’  
“Jim, she means my father is Mr. Nunez, and my mother is Mrs. Nunez”  
“ohhhhhh you’re both different. Okay! Sorry, I still don’t understand how last names work”  
“you don’t have a last name?”  
“no trolls don’t do that sort of thing”  
“Well then how do you know who your family is?”  
“oh oh that’s easy Mrs. Nunez! We can just tell. Scent, looks, attitude, features, it’s all really easy actually!. Although I’m having a hard time with humans. You all look the same, thankfully most of you don’t smell the same. So I can find out who’s who. Sort of. it’s still difficult”  
“Well, you’re...trying...I’m sure our daughter will help you understand everything, along with others.”  
“huh? Shes not our daughter. she’s yours and your mates daughter”  
“mates?”  
“yes mates! Your significant other! The one to bear whelps with you! ohhhh you didn’t mean...you actually meant...okay never mind! Human is still difficult to me..uh English I mean, troll is easiest since it’s what I learned first! I only started to learn English about...hmm...20 years ago”  
“20 years?! How old are you?’  
“87”  
“YOU’RE THAT OLD!?”  
“yes. I am very young I know”  
“that’s not very young”  
“to a human. Trolls can live for thousands of years, while half trolls can live around 700 years.”  
“i...suppose that is young to your...kind….” Claire tired to make things a little less awkward  
“Jim, let’s go up to my room, you said you wanted to paint your claws and your nails, why don’t we”  
“OH YES!”  
“Jim’s curious about human ‘colors’. Like my hair stripe and nails. Just to clarify”

……………………………………………………..

“Now we let it dry. You have to hold still okay?”  
“okay!” Claire had just finished, Jim had picked out a nice color of purple.  
“ohh can we change my fur’s color today?”  
“not today, It takes a long time.”  
“okay! Wow! This is amazing! What are we going to do next human Claire?”  
“you can just say Claire, same with others if you want. that’s your first lesson I suppose on how to talk ‘modern english’”  
“ohh okay! so...just...Claire?”  
“yes just Claire!”  
“so...not human Toby, just Toby?”  
“exactly, you’re already getting the hang of it!”  
“Thanks hum-Claire. Will you teach me more right now?”  
“sure, we have time!”

……………………………………………………………..

 

the sun was setting and Jim was looking at his newly painted claws and nails, he wasn’t as impressed as he thought he would be. Oh well, he tried it! He might not have liked it too much, but it’s always good to try new things! Especially human things!. For the past few hours Claire was teaching Jim how to read and write ‘modern English’. He was picking up on it at a reasonable pace, which was good. They stopped as they heard Claire’s mother call her daughter, telling her dinner was done. The two went downstairs, Jim focused on the smells while Claire was talking to her mother in spanish. After a minute or two, Claire kindly asked Jim  
“Jim, would you like to stay for dinner?”  
“hmm...dinner? what’s that?”  
“its when you have food around this time.”  
“ohhhh okay! In the dar-at my home, we just eat whenever we’re hungry. We don’t have any truly planned meal. Hmm...it’s getting late….dad did say to come home at night...but….i am going to try more human food! And he did say I should embrace my humanity more! It won’t last that long, it’s only eating. I’m sure he’ll understand. Sure!” Jim sniffed everything as the family sat down at the table setting out the food. Jim would touch and lick everything, they had to tell him to stop.  
“whoooaaa a chair!”  
“you don’t have chairs in your home?”  
“no, we do, it’s all just rocks. Or carved stone. Oohhh it can move! Oohhhhh it makes noises!” Mr. Nunez spoke in a small irritated tone  
“yes it does. it’s also scraping the floor. Something I really don’t want to have scratch marks on it. I’m also worried about those very sharp nails on your...feet?...you haven’t been putting too much weight on them, have you?”  
“oh yes! Well, no. I learned how to put more weight on the back so my nails don’t dig into anything. I usually only use my nails when I need to climb or kill something”  
“kill? Like, end somethings life?”  
“yes! In the dar-at my home, there’s a lot of fighting and arguing. You need to learn how to defend yourself or others will take advantage of you. It truly is survival of the fittest!” Mrs. Nunez spoke in a worried tone  
“oh..uh...huh...you don’t plan on attacking anyone here?...right?”  
“nooo! don’t worry, I don’t plan on ending any of your lives”  
“that’s a relief. Although I meant in Arcadia”  
“ohhh no! I was going to end the human Steve’s life, but I was told you don’t end each other’s lives after a fight. I was taught to never show mercy and to always kill your opponent at the end of the fight. BUT I was told not to be aggressive to anyone or attack anyone even IF THEY are aggressive to ME. I was told to simply defend myself verbally, and if I need to prevent physical assault I am to be doing non lethal moves that simply block or prevent any actual pain to either myself or my attacker”  
“That’s...good to hear...Jim do you know about the city’s laws?”  
“not really. I was told to not do many things, so I won’t do them, other than that, I’m confused by human customs, I wasn’t supposed to...hmm….how do you humans say it? ‘add more to my palate?’. So I’m learning only a small amount at a time”  
“It’s more to your plate. I’m the city council woman. It’s my job to make sure everyone follows and obeys the laws. That includes you”  
“ohhh it’s nice to meet the warlord!”  
“I-I’m sorry, warlord?”  
“oh, are you the queen? Ruler? Despot? Taskmaster?”  
“None of those….how do troll politics work exactly?”  
“well, there are many different tribes of trolls, each have their own customs and laws. Most of the time it’s whoever is strongest gets to rule. Although many will follow a leader if they are wise and able to tend to others”  
“that’s….well, here we vote for who we want to lead us. I was voted and so I lead the city. Do you know what voting is?”  
“it’s when you chose to do something when asked a choice that affects many”  
“oh good so you do”  
“yes! So as the...what did you say..city counkel woman? So how do you order others? By force? Or by having something others want”  
“city council woman. No, I help-” Claire made a big clap  
“you know what, let’s not talk about politics. He means no offense, he truly doesn’t know. Like he said, shouldn’t put too much on his plate. Speaking of, here’s yours Jim”  
“ohhh! Human food! What is it?”  
“it’s chicken enchiladas”  
“this doesn’t look like any kind of chicken I’ve ever seen. Is it supposed to ooze?”  
“no no, there’s chicken inside of it”  
“ohhh. How did you put an entire chicken in this?”  
“no, it’s just pieces of cooked chicken, just taste it” Jim nodded and grabbed a handful and stuffed it in his mouth sloppily  
“no no Jim, we use silverware...not...make a big mess”  
“oh sorry...ohhh it’s soo good! It has so many things I’ve never tasted!”  
“It’s authentic mexican food”  
“ohhhh….i thought you said it was enkilates” Claire snorted and giggled, Jim looked so happy, as a big strange of cheese was running down his face  
“when you eat human food you use silverware. Like this.”  
“ohh okay!”  
“no no! We don’t eat the actual forks!”  
“but you were putting it in your mouths and chewing”  
“i was chewing on the food on the fork”  
“ohhhh. This is really good!”

Mrs. Nunez clearly had annoyance in her voice, although Jim didn’t pay attention to it.  
“so. Jim. Do all trolls have these kind of….table manners?”  
“what’s table manners?”  
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Jim continued to munch happily, as well as sloppy, way.  
“so, Jim. What are your parents like?”  
“oh my mother died giving birth, my father is big”  
“I’m sorry to hear about your mother, your father is...big?”  
“ohh that’s right! I’m sorry to ever have met you, and eaten your food, and especially been in your house!”  
“excuse me?!”  
“nonono mom, dad, it’s, he doesn’t mean. Okay, yesterday I told him that saying I’m sorry is a polite thing to say to someone. he’s trying to be polite. Although, he’s still learning. Jim, it’s AFTER something bad happens to someone”  
“ohhh okay!, oh but yes, my father is big”  
“not much of a description”  
“...uh….sorry I….I’m not supposed to really talk about him, or my brother, or my adopted uncles, or my dads friends...I’m supposed to keep everything secretive. For personal reasons”  
“So, what can you tell us of your family members”  
“my brother’s bigger and older than me, he’s full troll and comes from a different mother. He takes after our dad. uh, I’m saying too much again. Sorry, I’m just really happy someone actually wants to get to know me. You both, Claire, and the human-uh, I mean, Toby, are the only humans I’ve ever talked to. Well, directly like this. Oh well Walt does, but he’s not a-he doesn’t really count I guess”  
“you know your principle at least. That’s good”  
“yeah, I’ve known him for a long time”  
“yes he’s-he wor-hmmm how do I say it...he’s a friend of my family. he’s known my dad for a really long time”  
“huh. Has he?. I’d like to talk to him about this”  
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind!”  
“yes. I would think not.”  
“I’m done! Is there anymore?”  
“no. there isn’t.” Jim really paid attention to her, along with her husbands expressions. Jim grabbed his horns then growled out  
“UGH! I FAILED! UGH. Why couldn’t I have done things differently?! I could have! Ugh. Bad Jim! Bad Jim!. I COULD HAVE DONE THINGS RIGHT BUT I MESSED UP. IT WAS JUST EATING. WHY DIDN’T I DO BETTER?! WHY DIDN’T I REALIZE IT BEFORE!? I MADE A FOOL OUT OF MYSELF! NOW THEY SEE ME BADLY! MY DAD WAS RIGHT, I CAN’T BE A HUMAN! I’M NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO BE A TROLL, I’M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A HUMAN EITHER! I SHOULDN’T HAVE COME HERE, DAD WAS RIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED HOME, IT’S THE ONLY PLACE I BELONG!” he stopped speaking and started whispering, holding his head close to himself and closing his eyes. Claire put a hand on his shoulder and spoke in a kind and quiet tone  
“it’s alright. Things didn’t go...as they usually would have, but this was your first time doing this kind of thing. You might not be a human, but that doesn’t mean you’re not good enough to understand your own..human in you. You didn’t make a fool out of yourself. You shouldn’t feel like your home is the only place you belong. This is all so new and different for you, this is only your second day here. You just have to keep trying. I don’t know about what your dad said but you could belong up here, if you just learn things. Everyone needs time to adjust when they do something different.”  
“s-so. I’m okay? Being here?”  
“yes”  
“oh...I’m….sorry….for all this….”  
“it’s okay. See? You just used I’m sorry correctly”  
“huh...i...think I understand it now”

……………………………………………………………….

After helping to clean up, not just himself but the mess he had. He said he was sorry again for what he did and how he acted. He promised to control his emotions more. He just gets extreme at times. It was a half troll thing. He told them that his father didn’t want him coming here because he didn’t think he should, Jim said his father was just worried about him and his well being which is WHY he should have stayed home, his father truly loved him and just wanted to make sure he would feel safe and good while on the surface. It was late and he needed to go home, he thanked them for everything they’ve done, shown, and given him. They asked how he gets home, if he lives underground. He said it was personal and private, but it was safe and quick. They didn’t pry. He said his final goodbyes before heading home….

He felt a lot better now. After he told his father about his day, minus the ‘explosive’ part, he took a bath and soon went to sleep. Hoping that the rest of his life here would run a bit more….smooth.

He had his doubts. But he was sure that somewhere in the back of his mind, his future would only be good, no matter what.


	24. Sprout of humanity, from the seed of evil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim learns to embrace his humanity a bit more. Fear lurks from the unknown, the heart fears of loosing itself to something else. who wouldn't be afraid of accidentally replacing yourself, and become a stranger. to everyone. 
> 
> But mostly 
> 
> to yourself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so CLOSE! i hope you're ready! more awaits for Jim's humanity! growth and interest await! 
> 
>  
> 
> Also Mary's being mean
> 
> Jim don't ask about those. those are lady things.

The third day of Jim’s school life. He truly at this point bounced in his chair more than he actually sat still.  
“I really hope today is going to be even better than yesterday!”  
“I hope so too. I do need to speak to you about a few things before class starts.” Walt clicked his pen closed and turned to a more serious expression. Jim’s cheerful attitude slowly dropped  
“is...did...what’s wrong Walt?”  
“i spoke to Mrs. Nunez this morning. She told me about your...hmm...how shall I put this...visit to her home yesterday.” Jim started to worry, his excitement had all but ended  
“oh...am...i in trouble?”  
“no, I just wanted to talk to you with a more serious attitude so you’d understand this. I’m very glad you gave minimal information yesterday regarding your family. That was very good of you. Now, I know you were are on your best behavior yesterday during your visit to their home, but to them, it wasn’t very...hmm….acceptable. Humans typically are a bit...erm...hmm...how do I put it in terms you would understand….sensitive to certain reactions. Licking and chewing things for example, it’s not tolerated by most people. I know you were excited and you meant no harm at all, you truly only had the best intentions, I am very proud of you for that. But please re-frame from licking everything from now on, as well as chew, alright? That includes eating things that aren’t human food, even if it smells very good. If you truly wish to consume something, ask first, alright?”  
“okay Walt, I promise!”  
“the next thing I wanted to speak to you about was your….well….hmm...when you felt overwhelmed and stressed.”  
“oh?...I...I...forgive me....”  
“It’s alright. Believe it or not but Mrs. Nunez actually wanted to make sure you felt better”  
“s-she did? She wasn’t mad I ruined her dinner?”  
“she was a bit...peeved...however she was mostly concerned for your well being. Having breakdowns like that is something to worry about. She just wanted to make sure you felt better”  
“oh, well I do! I have to thank her for that!”  
“that would be the kind thing to do. I want you to learn from what you’ve experienced, and make sure not to do it again. Just like your other training, it’s okay to fail, keep persevering and eventually you’ll learn how to do it properly. I had explained to her that I know your father, I’ve been interacting with him for many years now. I cannot share any information for personal reasons. I wanted to make sure you knew what I said, alright? So if anyone asks about my connection to you, that’s what I’m telling them. It isn’t lying, it is the truth. However you know we can’t reveal who we are or the ‘full truth’ to anyone at anytime.”  
“don’t worry, I understand. Someone called it half lying once”  
“i like to call it, vague answers. Something you’ll learn to do a lot here, at least about your personal life. Now, for the more important thing I wanted to discuss with you was when you felt overwhelmed. there’s nothing wrong with it. I’m not mad or upset with you, just so you know. I just want to make sure that when you do feel like you’re getting stressed and overwhelmed, I want you to excuse yourself and go somewhere to have privacy. That way you can calm down and give yourself a nice little breathing break”  
“okay Walt, I will.  
“good to hear. Class is starting soon”  
“oh! Before I go, I’m eating somewhere else, no where close to here”  
“good to hear! As long as no one in Arcadia goes missing, no one will suspect it’s you.”  
“why would they anyways?”  
“because, you know as well as I do that half trolls are looked down upon. One shows up and suddenly people start to vanish? everyone’s going to be looking at you and blaming you.”  
“ohh okay! thanks for telling me”  
………………………………………………………………

It was gym class. To no one’s surprise, Jim was doing things perfectly, and as easy as walking itself. In his math class, he did everything almost perfectly, still had a hard time with certain things, especially the parts where you had to read English to explain it, but he did his best. His next class was the class with his new friend human Toby! Jim wanted to talk, but the teacher had to tell him to focus on the work. After the class, Jim talked to Toby for a little bit before their next class started. Eventually it became lunch!

……………………………………………………………………….

Claire was packing up her things from her locker. She closed the door to see Jim standing right next to her. She almost jumped out of her skin  
“GAH. Jim, You scared me!”  
"I found you and wanted to talk before I find the huma-Toby! he’s my male friend! My first friend! And you’re my second!”  
“oh uh, sure. First I need to go find my other friends and talk to them for a little bit”  
“ohh okay!” Claire started to walk away, only to notice Jim walking behind her.  
“uh, Jim?”  
“yes hu-Claire?”  
“are you, following me? Not that that’s a problem, I was just curious”  
“yes!”  
“oh, uh, okay, I guess that’s okay”  
“ohhhh I almost forgot! Yesterday...umm….hmm..”  
“oh yeah. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to”  
“it’s okay. I just wanted to tell you that sometimes….that...happens to me...i get overwhelmed and...well that happens...”  
“it’s okay, everyone has a stress limit, you reached yours when things got too intense for you. Like I said, that was your first try, it’s going to be better, and okay!”  
“speaking of, Walt told me that your mother contacted him about me”  
“she did? Oh I’m sorry! I didn’t think she would. I didn’t mean for her to embarrass you!”  
“I’m not embarrassed, I just thought that was kind. Walt told me that she asked if I was alright”  
“oh, well that’s sweet of her. I’m glad you’re feeling better”  
“me too. I didn’t think eating would be so stressful. Is it always like this?”  
“no not at all, like I said, that was your first time, you can only ever improve from here on out.”  
“you sound like a few others that tell me that. They support me a lot and they mean a lot to me  
“I’m really happy to hear that you have people like that in your life”  
“me too” Jim silently smiled at her with his classic warm friendly smile  
“so...uh...let’s go”

……………………………………………………..

Claire was talking to her group of friends as Jim was behind them looking at Claire’s backpack. He felt it all over, trying to understand the material it was made out of. His instincts told him to lick it, but he remembered what Walt told him. He felt over the little metal ‘handles’ and tugged on them, he heard a strange noise and continued to tug. Eventually her backpack opened up, his curiosity got the best of him and he looked inside. Shortly after, he stuck his hand in and felt around at the various items…

“-I’m just saying C bomb, you know what and who is following you around”  
“not nice, he’s my friend”  
“him?!”  
“yes, he’s really nice-”  
“uh, C bomb, he just opened your backpack, now he’s sticking his hand in it”  
“no! No no Jim, don’t do that”  
“oh, I was touching this and I felt the little metal handles. It started to make noise and then I was curious and looked inside, I’ve never seen of heard this before, I like it!”  
“You’ve never seen a zipper before?”  
“is that what they’re called? No, I only know about buttons. they’re on the pack I use to put on my back, also it’s a different material than yours, which also made me even more curious! I wanted to lick it but I remember Walt told me not to lick things that aren’t food. Oh! And I know about strings! My clothing around my waist has them, did you want to see?”  
“No, Jim I don’t”  
What are those little long purple wrapped things?” the girls behind them started to laugh hard  
“yeah C bomb! What are they?”  
“quiet Mary!. Jim, don’t focus on them, doesn’t matter right now. Please don’t go through my stuff again, okay?”  
“okay! At my home, no one hides anything, everything is out in the open. I thought humans did the same”  
“not all the time. Next time you want to go through something, you have to ask for permission first, form the person who owns it”  
“ohhh okay! May I have permission?”  
“no, not, now. Speaking of. I need to go do something, I’ll be right back. Just, stay here and wait, okay?”  
“okay!” Jim watched Claire leave, his ear twitched as he heard someone’s voice. He turned to see the group of girls looking at him. One of them spoke  
“soo, Jim. You like Claire a lot”  
“yes!”  
“you follow her around a lot?”  
“yes, sometimes”  
so, do you like like her?”  
“i just agreed to the question of me liking her”  
“but do you LIKE like her?”  
“I’m confused”  
“do you find her attractive?”  
“I’m not sure, all humans look the same to me”  
“do you want her to be more than a friend?”  
“there’s more?”  
“yes, do you want to go out with Claire?”  
“What would we be going out of?”  
“i meant do you want to date Claire?”  
“what’s a date?”  
“you know, be in a relationship with her, her being your girlfriend”  
“i am in a relationship with her, yes she is my girlfriend”  
“sooo you think you’re dating her?”  
“i suppose, I’m confused though”  
“do you want to kiss her?”  
“what’s kissing?”  
“when you like a person and you put your lips together”  
“ohh, I guess I would like to try that!” Claire came back and walked over to them, she had a bad feeling suddenly, looking at her snickering friends and poor innocent Jim.  
“Hey Jim, do what we told you”  
“oh okay!” Jim leaned into Claire’s face and tried to kiss her, she quickly leaned out of it and pushed his head away  
“what are you trying to do!?”  
“kiss you”  
“why?!”  
“because I want to try it”  
“why though?!”  
“because I was curious about kissing you”  
“where did you learn about kissing?”  
“oh, she told me”  
“MARY not funny!”  
“what it’s suuper funny!”

“Oh! Claire, I want to be more than friends with you! I should date you, I think, and you’re my girlfriend. At least that’s what I understand”  
“MARY!”  
“whhaaat?! C bomb you HAVE to admit it’s funny!”  
“Jim.”  
“yes Claire?”  
“what do you consider me?”  
“my girlfriend”  
“as in, I am a female, who is your friend”  
“yes, that’s what I just said”  
“and you only tried to kiss me because you were curious, not for a romantic gesture?”  
“i was curious, should I have done it to someone else? No I didn’t mean anything courting wise”  
“no. courting?”  
“yes, doing various things to see if another wises to become your mate”  
“Jim. we’re only going to be friends. Okay?”  
“i thought we were already friends. They said there was more, and I wanted to be more than just a friend”  
“not in a romantic way?”  
“no, I don’t find you attractive at all. I’m sorry if I think you don’t look pretty. Am I saying that right?”  
“no you’re not. MARY quit laughing!”  
“I-I CAN’T BREATHE!” Jim looked worried at her  
“should I fetch medical assistance?” Claire was very annoyed. If it were ANYONE else, she would have punched them for acting like this to her. Because it was Jim who had NO idea about any of this, she wasn’t going to be mad at him. Besides, he just got bad information. Something he does NOT need.  
“Jim, when someone means more than friends here, it means you’re mates with them”  
“ohhhh okay! Claire I don’t want to be your mate”  
“good. I don’t want to be yours either. I only want to be friends”  
“i thought we were friends? Did I do something bad?”  
“no, I was just making sure you knew. Mary. Apologize. Right now.”  
“Jim, I’m sorry you’re so gullible!”  
“what’s that?”

“MARY!”  
“fiiinee C bomb. Jim, I’m sorry for laughing at you”  
“you were?”  
“maayybeee. So, is there any girls you DO like at this school?”  
“No, I haven’t spoken to anyone about friendship”  
“but do you like like someone here?”  
“no. I don’t find humans attractive”  
“But if you had to pick a girl, who would it be?”  
“for being my mate?”  
“yes”  
“uh...Claire? Shes the only girl I’m friends with, I only know here so if I were to chose who I would want to be mates with that had to be a female, it would be here. she’s nice and I trust her” Claire gave Mary a nasty glare  
“knock it off. Besides, he likes boys”  
“ohhh does he? you’re gay?”  
“I’m not gay, I’m Jim” Claire took a deep breath, she knew she needed to clear things up, she didn’t want Jim to be anymore confused, or mocked, or anything bad to happen to him really.  
“Jim, here, when someone likes Boys, they’re gay”  
“ohhh, so you’re gay? You like boys”  
“no, when a male likes a male in romantic and sexual ways, he’s gay”  
“ohh, so I’m gay Jim?” Mary burst out laughing again.  
“Claire, I’m even more confused now”  
“it’s okay, Don’t think about any of this right now, okay? We can talk about it later. This is more...tricky and complicated. We still need to work on the basics, alright?”  
“okay! I’m sorry I don’t find you good enough to be mates with”  
“no, Jim, still not in the right way. you’re getting better...a little...Mary!” at this point Mary literally was on the floor  
“is that female Mary okay?”  
“she’s fine.”  
“she said she can’t breathe, and she appears unable to function properly, is she broken? Is she suffering? If she is suffering, I find it best to quickly end it’s life so it no longer has to endure the pain. I can be quick about it. Hold still human Mary, this will only take a moment”  
“JIM NO! she’s alright! she’s laughing”  
“what’s that?”  
“you...don’t….know what laughing is”  
“not that I’m aware of, that’s never happened to me before”  
“rolling on the ground?”  
“yes”  
“have you ever found something funny and laughed?”  
“funny?”  
“yeah, like a good joke or watching something do something that the watcher finds humorous”  
“hmm, I don’t think so”  
“wow, okay, uh, I have to show you something funny sometime, so you can laugh”  
“okay! OH speaking of letting me experience something new, today will you trim my fur?”  
“sure, I’m sure my parents won’t mind, at least, I don’t think so. Just, no licking or anything, okay?”  
“i promise”

………………………………………………......………

The bell rang, signaling the end of school. Jim found Claire as soon as he could, he was excited and thrilled to try another new thing! As the two walked out, Claire explained that her parents were picking her up, Jim asked why her parents would pick her up, to which she explained that it was a more modern term and how it’s used. As her parents pulled up, the two walked to the car.  
“Hello huma-Mr and Mrs Nunze!”  
“Hello to you too Jim. it’s Nunez”  
“Nuenz?”  
“you just need...practice”  
“oh! I wanted to thank you for asking about my well being! I am very grateful you cared so much for me! I thought you might have resented me for failing to...uh...hmm….make a dinner right?” Mrs. Nunez gave a tender smile  
“you’re quite welcome” Claire took a deep breathe and started to speak in spanish. Jim looked at the clouds overhead while he waited to be involved with the conversation again. The sound of tension was heard in the voices, along with worry. After a minute of talking back and forth Claire ‘pulled’ Jim’s attention back to her  
“So, my mom and dad said you can come over, if you make sure to be...careful...and if you get upset, have a break. Oh and no messes”  
“ohh okay! Walt told me that same things! Except he said them a bit differently”  
“Well I’m glad”  
“so when should I start running?”  
“oh, uh actually, did you want to try and ride in the car?”  
“i don’t understand”  
“in the car, did you want to ride in it?”  
“ohhhhh okay! How do I do that?” Claire tried not to laugh, she opened the back door  
“just, sit inside”  
“ohhh okay!….okay now what?”  
“now we drive”  
“ohh we’re moving!. How? It doesn’t have legs? Does it?” Jim moved his head and the sudden sounds of scraping was heard  
“ohh! My horns are touching the top!” Mr. Nunez tapped his fingers on the wheel and looked peeved  
“yes. They are.” Jim moved his arm and the window started to lower  
“AH! OH NO! CLAIRE I MADE THE GLASS PORTAL GO AWAY?!” Mrs. Nunez looked in the mirror  
“glass portal?”  
“like I said mom, he really doesn’t know anything. Here Jim, see? It goes up and down”  
“ohhhhhhh!” Jim kept pressing the button, watching it rise and fall Mr Nunez tapped his fingers more  
“Please stop doing that. you’re going to brake it”  
“okay. what’s that? Why is there a moving giant pair of flat fangs? And why are they so high up? Is it some war trophy from an opponent? And who was so large to have them?” now Mrs. Nunez tried not to laugh  
“those aren’t fangs. Thse are teeth. that’s what humans have. they’re fake. it’s just to help show that it’s where a dentist works”  
“ohhhh. what’s a dentist?”  
“it’s someone who takes care of your teeth”  
“how can they take care of your teeth if they’re inside of your mouth? Do you swallow them? Or can you remove your teeth?”  
“no. you go there for a checkup. Clean, and check your teeth to make sure you don’t have any problems or damage to them.”  
“ohhh, like post battle damage?”  
“are all trolls so...um….rough and tumble?”  
“If you’re asking about us being violent, now, well, most of us are. It really depends. Like for example, if two trolls get into an argument, they bash heads together and who ever isn’t knocked unconscious is the one who’s right. Do humans do the same?”  
“no they do not. That sounds very...dangerous”  
“it is. don’t worry, I don’t usually get into arguments, and even if I did here, I wouldn’t bash my head against yours. It would be an unfair advantage due to my horns and harder skull. Also since you said humans don’t do that, I won’t. I’m trying to follow human customs, not trolls”  
“well I’m very glad to hear that”  
“ohhh this car is almost moving as fast as I can?”  
“as fast-are you faster than a car?”  
“he is mom, trust me”  
“i do trust you." "You aren’t digging your nails into anything, right?” Mr. Nunez them mumbled  
“bad enough you’re already damaging the roof.”  
“oh, I didn’t mean to damage it”  
“how did you hear that?”  
“remember dad, I told you Jim can hear a pin drop from across the room. He can hear pretty much everything”  
“ohh look a flying dog!”  
“no Jim, that’s a bird remember?” as they drove along, Jim had a constant stream of questions about every little thing and every detail. It truly was getting on everyone’s nerves. Claire tried to keep calm and remember how Jim is. They arrived at the Nunez home and got out of the car, right before Jim made a huge scrape with his horns  
“uh oh”  
“yes. Uh oh. Claire will you open the door please while I look at this..uh oh.”  
“oh oh I can do it!”  
“wait Jim no!”

Jim grabbed the handle and pulled. The entire door broke off it’s hinges and fell flat  
“ooops. These doors are a lot lighter than at my home. Then again, my home is made of rock and crystals”  
“crystals? I hope those are worth a fortune to pay for all these damages. Do trolls even use money?”  
“no”  
“wonderful.”  
“is it? Or are you being sarcastic? I can’t tell by the context” the four went inside, after Jim picked up the door and put it back into place. He even bent the hinges to go the correct way, completely fixing the door  
“ohh I fixed it!”  
“well, that’s one less problem”  
“ohhh you said I had to repay you for the blender. here’s my money, I hope it’s enough.” rifling through his bag, he pulled out the massive wad of hundreds. All three Nunez just stared at it in absolute shock  
“where….did you get that?”  
“oh! I was given this to help me when I’m here. I was told these pieces of paper were traded for goods and services, I’ve only spent this on food. I think I can spend it on other things”  
“yes….yes….you can….you just...carry that around with you?”  
“yes, I need it”  
“all that? At once?!”  
“yes, I’m supposed to use it. Why would I put it someplace I won’t be able to”  
“can I...see that for a second”  
“but you’re seeing it now”  
“i meant, can I take it for now? I’m not taking any. I just want to count”  
“okay” Mr and Mrs Nunez counted it in shock.  
“Jim this is 1200$. where did you get this?!..did...did Walt give you this?”  
“oh no, he didn’t bli-someone personal to me did. I can’t talk about it for personal reasons. But my father has a deal with someone, who has a deal with someone and all of them trade, and eventually it leads up to the surface with more trading, and so human currency is collected. Although we really don’t have any need for it, so I can just take as much as I want”  
“Jim, you need to only take a little at a time. You do not want this to get stolen”  
“who would steal it? Usually no one steals anything because they are too smart to do such a thing or have punishment upon them”  
“which is?”  
“death”  
“of course it is. Just, keep this a secret, don’t show anyone else this, unless you can completely trust them.”  
“ohhh Toby told me about the false friends. I said I would eat them. Although that was a joke. I do know others would use me for this. I’m smart enough not to let that happen”  
“good to know. I’m taking 200 for damages.”  
“okay.” Jim heard something open and close, he looked into the kitchen and saw the fridge. Naturally he went over to it for an investigation  
“Ooohhh what’s this? Ohh it’s cold! And there’s a light in it! And food!” Claire went over and closed the fridge door  
“it’s a refrigerator. It keeps things cold so they last longer”  
“ohhhh neat! Usually we just eat everything, there’s usually nothing left over”  
“it’s going to take a while if we want to do your fur”  
“yes! I want to try doing that! Although, I appreciate what you did to my nails and claws, but I don’t really care much for the paint anymore. Can you change them back?”  
“sure, I’m happy you tried it, even if you didn’t like it.”

………………………………………………………………………..

SNAP  
“that’s the third hairbrush.” Claire groaned, reaching for another one. The other three had broken easily, just trying to properly brush the knots out of Jim’s fur  
“if you want, I can just soak it, that usually helps”  
“okay, uh sure. Yeah that might work. Hmm, also a good chance for you to try shampoo and conditioner.”

…………………………………………………………………………..

one quick hot shower later. Jim’s fur was still thick, but it brushed easy now  
“ohhh my fur’s so soft! And it smells so nice! What is it?”  
“that’s called an apple. Well the smell is like how a real apple smells. Okay, all brushed out. Do you have any particular look you want?”  
“look? How do I change my look?”  
“i meant the style of your fur”  
“ohhh, I can do that?”  
“yeah. Did you want it a certain way?”  
“hmmm, I’ll trust you to do it. Do whatever you want”  
“i think I have something in mind”

………………………………………………………..

“okay, it’s been a tough hour. But I think it’s worth it. Alright. I have a mirror in front of you. I want you to open your eyes now and look”  
“okay” Jim’s eyes went wide in shock. His fur, usually thick and long, was now shorter and styled. He gently ran his hands over and through it.  
“you said you wanted to embrace your humanity. So I thought you’d want to look more human, or at least, have a little more. What do you think?”  
“i…..i love it….” Jim’s expression started to fade into a more gloomy one.  
“is...everything okay Jim?”  
“yeah...i….i really love it. I just, it feels weird. Like, I belong here now. Or at least, I fit in more. I was so used to the way I looked and acted before. Now I’m really becoming different. I LOVE it, I just...i don’t know, I guess I’m scared. What if I loose myself. I don’t want to forget who I am and become someone else.”  
“Jim, you won’t. I can’t understand how you feel, I’ve never been in a situation like this. But I’m always here to support you. don’t think of loosing yourself, you’re gaining more OF yourself. you’re not replacing anything, well maybe your fur style, but you’re still you”  
“yeah...i am...aren’t I?...i guess I’m just so used to living full troll, and suddenly surrounded by full human, I just feel...strange...i don’t really belong in any world. But I’m here. I just, I guess a part of me still hasn’t fully realized just how different things are. Past all the excitement and joy, I just feel lost and scared. I don’t know how anything works, or how to interact with others. I’m trying, and I DO want to keep trying! But it’s just so...different. My entire life, the way I act and talk and live and interact and just, know my environment. it’s just so opposite”  
“i couldn’t imagine what that must be like, but no matter what, I’m your friend, and I’ll always be here for you. Same with your other friend Toby”  
“Toby. I feel awful about him.”  
“why?”  
“he is my first friend. I hardly have spent time with him. I just got so excited because you have been showing me such new and amazing things, that I’ve ignored him. I talk to him at school, but I want to be around him, be with him more, have him show me other things”  
“tomorrow you can. Just talk to him, spend the day with him, like you do with me. This doesn’t mean I won’t be around or that we’re suddenly going to stop being friends. you’re just going to talk to someone else and explore more of the world. I’m not going anywhere, this part of the world will always stay here, and you can come back and enjoy it just as much as the rest of the world”  
“yeah….i guess I can….thank you Claire. you’ve helped me so much. I don’t know how I’d be alive if it weren’t for you”  
“you’re welcome Jim. I’m always here for you. I’m glad I can help you. You’re an amazing person, people will understand once they get past how you look and what you are. Just like everything’s new to you, you’re new to us. You don’t understand things, and we don’t understand things about you. People are afraid of what they don’t know or understand. Once they do, they’re not afraid anymore. Once people start to get to know you, you’ll start fitting in a lot more”  
“thank you Claire. I’m sorry to have caused you so much trouble. Like that?”  
“close. Although, I don’t consider it a bad thing. you’ve made my life more fun, and exciting! Now I get to understand an entirely different world through you. Just like I’m teaching you about human things, you’re teaching me about troll things”  
“if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer them”  
“same for you”  
“thank you Claire, I’ve never gotten support like this where I live. I have Bli-someone, but he hasn’t ever spoken like this to me”  
“Trolls aren’t big on emotions are they?”  
“no, they really aren’t”  
“but you are”  
“yeah. Being a half troll your emotions are really extreme. So I never really got help or anyone who understood me. You do though”  
“i try to. You really have the same emotions as humans do, you’re a lot more alike than you like you are”  
“Really?”  
“yes. I’m excited for you to start experiencing more”  
“and I’ll always have you by my side?”  
“always. Although you understand that I won’t LITERALLY be next to you the entire time, right?”  
“don’t worry, I actually do. I really love my fur. it’s so much lighter now! And it looks so human! I feel scared, but I’m more excited than fearful!”  
“good to hear!”  
“I’m sure I could convince my parents to let you try dinner with us again”  
“oh...uh...i...I’m afraid I’ll mess it up”  
“I can teach you. Just watch and copy what we do”  
“if I’m allowed to, then yes, I want to try again” the two smiled at one another through the mirror.  
“oh about dying my fur, let’s do it some other time. I want to enjoy my new look first before getting a new one”  
“whenever you want, we can. Speaking of, sometime soon, I’m going to take you cloths shopping”  
“what’s that?”  
“you and I go out and shop for cloths for you”  
“I’m wearing cloths”  
“true, but we can look around and you might find something new you’d like to wear. there’s LOTS of different styles and outfits. I have a very strong feeling you’re going to want to try a few of them”  
“that sounds fun!”

………………………………………………………………..

That evening, Jim was allowed to stay and eat, he ate well and did almost exactly what he was shown, he was still sloppy, but he was improving. When he returned home, His father, along with his brother and Blinky, were shocked to see what had happened to his appearance. He explained that he wanted to have his fur cut and that his friend made it look more human, he really loved it and can’t wait to continue doing more human related things. They were happy he was happy. 

 

Although in Gunmar’s heart, a tiny little part of it worried that the surface might cause him to loose his son. Maybe not now. But maybe one day. One day his son might get a little too comfortable on the surface and wish to stay for whatever reason. Leave their home, and live elsewhere. He didn’t want to loose his son.

No matter to whatever

No matter to whoever

He won't loose his son.


	25. A great terror looms.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No matter what lurks in the dark, a light will shine, however the curse, will my life truly be mine?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for this chapter being late! some stuff came up out of nowhere and i couldn't get this done, anyways here it is! hope you enjoy it!

Jim ripped a hunk of meat off of a bone. After eating what was in his mouth he continued his conversation with his brother  
“-then it didn't taste that good, it was interesting though! From now on I’m actually going to try and SEE things, FEEL them, UNDERSTAND them. Like glass portals! I always saw them but I never LOOKED at them, does that make any sense?” Bular swallowed his mouthful and licked the blood around his mouth and said with a grumpy tone  
“no.”  
“well, maybe if you were in my position”  
“if I were in your position I would have eaten them all by now”  
“they all do smell sooooo good! My mouth waters sometimes just looking at them, watching them move around and talk. I like to watch them run around, stretch, and do everything in gym class. It makes my stomach growl sometimes.”  
“then just eat them.”  
“Walt says I can’t”  
“you are above the impure. You take no orders from him.”  
“technically I do now, he is the one in charge of me while I’m here. Dad told us both that. Also he’s right, I don’t want anyone to just instantly blame me if something bad happens. The more I fit in, the better. Then I can eat them, well, not for a very long time at least. Mmmhhh I would love to make that place my new hunting grounds. Soooo many of them smell sooo gooood. When I’m just walking and being outside, I can smell sooo many of them! So much food everywhere! It makes my mouth water! I can’t help but lick my lips! I just want to take one! But, I’m smarter than to do that. I rather fit in and enjoy my new human life far more than just eating a few people. Besides, there is just sooo many new human things to do and try! It helps me ignore my hunger! And the human food! Sooo goood! it’s not even close to eating them, but their food is still amazing! You should try it. I ate this thing called and enkalate, or inkage, it’s a hard word to say, but it has chicken in it and its covered in stuff and wrapped in stuff and it’s on a plate! I tried to eat the plate, but I was told not to, so I didn’t. Also forks and spoons taste really good! I ate one by accident, and then ate another on purpose, but lied about it, saying it was another accident. I think Claire’s parents are starting to like me”

“lowly fleshbags, hardly deserve the attention and time of a son of Gunmar.”  
“well I like them and that’s all that matters to me. Speaking of mattering to me, you’ve hardly looked at my fur since yesterday!”  
“you looked strange.”  
“i look more human now! I’m going to fit in more!”  
“you constantly smells like fleshbags and now look more like one, I’m afraid I might try to eat YOU next. I bet you taste like one now. Practically soaked to the bone with their taste from being exposed so long.”  
“you try and eat me, then I’ll tell dad, and then I’ll try to eat YOU! I’ve always wondered what troll tastes like, plus I do love you! I bet you’d taste amazing!”  
“i doubt your fangs and claws could even pierce my hide.”  
“they’re strong enough to pierce solid stone now. I might take a bit when you aren’t looking”  
“we both know that I never have my guard lowered”  
“you DO have to sleep like everyone else”  
“oh? Now THAT gives ME the idea to take a bite out of you when YOU sleep” the two brothers laughed with one another. To them, morbid things like this are just fun jokes to them. Bular looked down at Jim’s food  
“You’d better hurry up and finish. you’ve only got a couple hours left before your...whatever...starts. And I DON’T want you going there stinking and looking like a human corpse.”  
“oh? You care about my appearance?”  
“no. I just don’t want you to get into trouble with the impure.”  
“are you sure you’re my brother? You are Bular right?”  
“be quiet. Before I shove your face into your food to silence you.” Jim smiled and felt warm inside, besides the fresh kill going into his stomach, but the warmth that his brother loves him. Or at least, is starting to slowly show it. Or at least, Jim hopes…

………………………………………………………………………..

Jim showered, brushed, and flossed his teeth. Along with changing his cloths and just overall getting ready for school!. Sitting in Walt’s office for the regular ‘morning check in’  
“-I even ate today before coming! So I wouldn’t be hungry for them”  
“well, that’s good to hear. As long as your appetite is sated, you won’t feel the need or hunger to start eating the other students”  
“mmmhhh I’d still love to though! Soo many tasty humans!” Jim licked his lips happily and imagined everyone he would eat. He even made a mental list of which ones he would start with. At least a gumm-gumm can dream, right?  
“remember. DON’T eat the other students. I don’t care how much your mouth waters or how much your stomach aches for them. DON’T eat them. Unless you suddenly have the urge to completely stop your new human life.”  
“NONONONO! I want to keep it! I haven’t tried so many things!”  
“then DON’T eat them. I’m proud of you for not doing it”  
“when can I start eating?”  
“never. Not a single student should go missing. Or any civilian for that matter.”  
“Awwwwwwwww!”  
“maybe in the future, years from now, you might be able to start doing it. Once you’ve settled in and no one truly cares that you’re among them now.”  
“ohhh! I can’t wait! In the meantime I’m going to try every human thing!”  
“good. I had yet to mention that I like how you’ve styled and trimmed your fur”  
“my friend Claire did it yesterday! It makes me look more human! I love it!”  
“I’m glad you do, and yes, it is styled as one. that’s another small step you’ve taken into fitting it.”  
“i even bought shapoo and conterer yesterday! I washed my fur this morning with it! Although it doesn’t taste good, but it makes my fur sooo soft and yummy smelling! Claire said it was like an..uh...aple?”  
“Apple. Yes, it does smell like one. Today I want you to try an actual apple today, alright?”  
“ohhh yes! I saw the image on the bottle so I’ll know what to look for!”  
“good. I’m also happy you didn’t lick or try to eat anything you weren’t supposed to yesterday”  
“I’m trying my best! I won’t fail!”  
“Good to hear that attitude. Your father would be very proud. Now, time for the ‘bad’ things to talk about. Your work”  
“I’ve gotten it correctly right?”  
“not...exactly. You haven’t been writing in English”  
“I’ve been writing in latin”  
“yes. I know. How is it that you don’t know it but can speak it? Blinky told me he was the one to teach you, at least in some sense”  
“audio. I was always listening to words and phases, as well as it helped to teach me to communicate. All my family can speak English too, but they can’t read or write it. Oh wait, you already know that from dealing with them”  
“yes I do, I was worried about this actually. I want to help teach you how to read and write it”  
“okay! Sounds fun! Oh and my friend Claire has been doing the same!”  
“hmm, between the two of us I think you’d do best. Now, head on to class. If you need help reading, please ask someone else to help you, if you can”

……………………………………………………………

It’s been a couple classes now, Jim was walking along going to his next class, slowing down from hearing some familiar voices  
“-eve”  
“whatever nerd. Just, I’m, uh, stay away from my locker!”  
“i was wondering about...uh….you’ve not really been near me since...”  
“shut it! I just don’t care about being near you! Nerd!”  
“i wanted to sort of tal-”  
“nope, don’t have time for you, or your dumb face, or...uh...words!..i...mean like….I’m probably hanging out behind the school for...a bit after...uh...don’t run into me four eyes! Or whatever, move it I have to get to class”  
“okay. Bye Steve”  
“whatever! Ugh!” Eli just watched him awkwardly walk away. When he turned around he saw Jim right behind him”  
“AHHH”  
“AHHH!”  
“AHHH”  
“AHHHH”  
“AHHHHHH”  
“AHHHHHHH  
“why are you yelling?!”  
“because YOU were yelling! I thought that meant some kind of hello”  
“No! You just scared me!”  
“oooohhh. Why was that alpha talking to you?”  
“oh uh...ever since...you said those things...he’s been acting weird around me”  
“which things? I’ve said a lot of things to him”  
“you know...when I was in the locker...i heard it...very clearly..”  
“you were in the locker for a good amount of time, I spoke to him a lot”  
“the...you know...”  
“i do not”  
“..s..e..x….stuff”  
“the sexual arousal pheromones?”  
“yeah….anyways ever since then he’s been avoiding me, he hasn’t even really talked to me or bully me, which I’m thankful for, but I kinda want to know about the whole...”  
“production?”  
“yeah...”  
“the reason for that is because he’s sexually aroused by you. I don’t know about humans, but alpha males typically try to stay as close to the omega they wish to become mates with as much as they can. Also interact with them, although I don’t know if humans wrestle and fight one another to see who’s better at combat, typically the alpha is, but it’s just a fun tradition”  
“no, we don’t fight here. he’s always bullied me”  
“bullied?”  
“call me names, push me around, put me in lockers, made me give him my lunch money, that sort of thing”  
“is this a human courting tradition?”  
“romance? No not at all”  
“he clearly wishes to breed with you. Are you going to have his whelp?”  
“wha-? Nooo! Breeding isn’t going to be a thing! he’s not even been nice to me once!”  
“you should do some sort of act to show him your true feelings. If you do not wish for this, tell him to back off, alphas are stubborn, some will leave, while others don’t. so a nice bone breaking is a good sign to get your point across”  
“oh...uh...I’m not going to do that, humans don’t….well he doesn’t really want to talk face to face...maybe we can exchange phone numbers and just text”  
“i don’t know what that is, but I’m going to assume it’s some form of speech aid. You should. How do humans say no?”  
“a lot of ways. I just want to know why he’s doing that, that’s all”  
“he’s sexually aroused by you, as I’ve said many times”  
“no, I mean, I know that, I’m just wondering why...”  
“he’s sexually attracted to you”  
“yeah but why!”  
“i don’t know. You are sexually attractive to him for some reason. It differs a lot. With troll alphas, it’s common to be attracted to someone who knows how to kill and fight. Although repairing and creating weapons and armor is another way, not as much, but still an attractive feature. Another is how fertile they are. Another is how many trophies they can collect, although the alpha is the one to typically collect them and present them to their mate, or the omega they wish to be mates with, in order to show how able bodied they are, as well as ruthless and bloodthirsty. Oh and an omega with nice fangs. Those are always a nice feature”  
“humans don’t really do any of that stuff. Why are fangs an attractive feature?”  
“they just are. Alphas find them interesting. And pretty. Each alpha has their own ideas on how to court an omega, perhaps your alpha is trying to court your through abusive means, although he shouldn’t be doing that. Not even troll alpha’s would do that, no matter how brutal we are, we never harm or be violent to their potential mate, unless they are in combat, But they still won’t fight to the death”  
“hmm...I’m not cute or anything...why would he like me..”  
“cute? What makes you not cute?”  
“you know, how I look”  
“how you look has no effect”  
“humans do. If you look good, then you have a chance, if not, then you don’t.”  
“trolls have no concept of beauty, look wise. We only enjoy what I’ve described. We don’t care about one an other's appearances. The fangs are just an add on feature, not a totally direct thing to focus on”  
“i really wish humans were like that…...not the violent part! But the concept of beauty. Well, besides texting him, I really don’t know what else to do. No I won’t break his bones! Hmmmm….well this is nice to talk to someone about it. I’ll think of something, thanks for talking to me Jim”  
“oh! I didn’t get your name”  
“It’s Eli, we've met once before. the fight and all...”  
“i forgot! not a problem now! Hello Eli!, how did you know my name?”  
“everyone does, or at least almost everyone. you’re pretty talked about here..actually...now that I think about it...you’re a troll!’  
“half troll”  
“still, can you answer my questions about trolls?”  
“No! Wait, I mean, I can’t answer personal things, but I can give you things like trolls get hurt by daylight, most of them live underground, except there are a few different tribes, like there are these river trolls that live in very deep rivers. that’s just one example” the bell wrong signaling the start of the class”  
“oh! I’m late! So are you! Okay, bye Jim! Thanks for talking”  
“you’re welcome! Goodbye!”

…………………………………………………………..

In many of Jim’s classes he would hear others whisper a lot, or little ticks and taps on something. He wondered what many things were. He wanted to ask, but he preferred to focus on his work. Many things he heard he couldn’t register. People talking about who’s with who. Who wore what. who’s lying to who. What others are doing after school. How much they hate their moms for not letting them go to the movies late at night even though it’s a school night.

……………………………………………………………..

Lunchtime! Jim had to focus. He wouldn’t ignore his first friend today! He needed to be with him! It wasn’t fair to him! Toby would get his full attention today. Not Claire. Jim told himself this over and over in his head, the first thing he did was rush over to where Toby usually sat at lunch, only to stop as soon as he smelled Claire. He wanted to thank her again for what she did for him AND he needed to do something. He could make one quick stop. So with that in mind, he went to her. Once again, Claire closed her locker only to see Jim right next to her  
“AH”  
“Hi Claire”  
“hello. Jim. Please, next time. Say you’re there. Or something. People typically don’t like when someone randomly appears next to them”  
“i didn’t appear, I walked”  
“i meant-never mind doesn’t matter.”  
“I wanted to thank you again for all that you’ve done for me. I just wanted to say that before going to my first friend Toby. He usually is near the front of the school at lunch”  
“you’re very welcome Jim”  
“oh! Will you show me where the bathrooms are? I have to go now”  
“you don’t know where they are? Why am I asking, you just told me. I should be asking, you just, hold it until you get home?”  
“yes, at my home, there’s very few places to go, so holding it is something you learn”  
“oh uh, that’s, yet another thing I’ve learned about trolls. Okay, well, follow me”  
“okay!” a brief walk to the nearest one, everything was fine until Claire decided to go herself, only to walk in and then notice Jim was behind her  
“Jim! You can’t be in here!”  
“why not? isn’t this the bathroom? Although I don’t see a bath”  
“not all bathrooms have actual baths-we can talk about it later. Right now, you need to leave”  
“i haven’t gone yet though”  
“this is the girls bathroom. Okay?”  
“yes?”  
“there is a bathroom, right next to this one, that’s for the boys. We have separate ones”  
“why?”  
“it’s because-look I can’t explain it right now. Point is, go over, and go there”  
“okay!” after the little educational talk, Jim went. He found it somewhat interesting that all of the toilets were like the one he had. He also wondered why there was very long flat ones against the walls. He decided he would figure it out later. After he went, he waited for Claire outside, wanting to thank her again and just remembered something he was supposed to do.  
“Claire! Thank you! Although I saw strange ones, they were flat and on the wall, how do males use them? Do they just stand up and-”  
“those are only for peeing. Only guys have those.”  
“okay! Good thing you told me! OH! I almost forgot, here” Jim sat his backpack down on the floor, digging around in it until  
“i took your hairbrush yesterday, I thought it would help with my fur this morning, it did! I didn’t need to use it again, so I need to return it”  
“that’s where it went?! I was looking all morning for this!”  
“you’re not...mad at me...are you?”  
“I’m….Jim, next time you want to use or take something, you have to ask the owner, okay? You have to really remember this”  
“okay! I will! It really helped my fur, how do I get one for myself?”  
“later today I can show you where, it’s at a store-”  
“OH NO! I FORGOT ABOUT TOBY! I HAVE TO GO!” Jim suddenly dashed off down the hallways and out the door  
“he got his fur all in this. Well, at least he returned it. OH Jim! You forgot-Great he already left. Better go give this to him. Why is it stuffed with pencils?! Does he horde these things?!. He said Toby was near the front of the school..”

……………………………………………………………………….

Jim came up from behind Toby after rushing over to him  
“Toby!”  
“GAH!”  
“oh wait, hey!”  
“Jim! don’t sneak up on a guy! You could kill them from fear!”  
“that’s physically impossible, unless the fear causes a heart attack from intense stress-”  
“i uh, didn’t actually mean that, i-anyways, hey Jim, how’s it going?”  
“i feel bad about you.”  
“why?”  
“it’s about our friendship” suddenly Toby was very worried  
“what….about it?”  
“I haven’t spent ANY time with you! I’ve been spending so much time with Claire-”  
“wait, you’ve been WITH Claire?! How?! Why?!”  
“she’s nice! she’s been helping me! Oh! Like I was in her house and she showed me around, it was my very first human house I’ve visited! And-”  
“you WENT to her house?!”  
“i just said that. Anyways then I met her parents! And then we ate dinner after she changed the colors of my claws and nails. The dinner wasn’t just good. It was yummy! But I...got a little overwhelmed….OH! Then I was invited over again! I even got to ride in those moving things! I saw the giant teeth and the flying dogs! Then I learned about making the glass portal go up and down and then when we went to her house again she trimmed and styled my fur! See!”  
“oh yeah, I wasn’t sure, but I knew something was different about you. It looks good buddy! BUT YOU GOT TO BE WITH CLAIRE?! LIKE, CLAIRE CLAIRE?!”  
“it’s only one Claire, she told me that, and yes! she’s very smart, she’s helping to teach me about human things and how to read and write english! We were in her room and she showed me the morr! The glass that makes two of you!”  
“AND YOU WENT INTO HER ROOM!? LIKE, AN ACTUAL GIRLS ROOM?!”  
“yes! It was interesting! Her makeup tasted-”  
“you ATE her makeup?!”  
“yes!”  
“wow, you’re lucky you’ve been around Claire!”  
“I am thankful for her help, and she said she’s always going to help me too. OH I that’s right!.” Jim took Toby’s hand, then put it into his mouth and started to chew on it gently with a loving smile  
“uh...what….are….you doing?...ugh it’s all slimy and hot! Don’t lick my fingers! it’s rough and almost feels like a cat’s tongue” Jim took it out with a frown  
“i thought that was a human custom for liking someone. I heard that when a boy likes another boy, they put a body part of theirs into their mouth.”  
“whoooaaaa okay, first, don’t...listen to that...second...ew half troll slobber. why is it so sticky and thick?! it’s like glue! Third don’t do that to ANYONE okay, that’s not...uh..just forget about that...it doesn’t matter. Fourth you like me? Like...that?”  
“like what? I like you! You’re my boyfriend! Mmmhhhh you taste like human!”  
“whooaaa okay hold up, first, I am human and why’d you lick your lips and smile? second-” a MASSIVE crash suddenly happened a few blocks away. The sound hitting Jim like a brick to the face, if he wasn’t half stone that is. Jim’s heart beat fast, adrenaline  
racing through him, and fear swallowed him up. Within moments Jim had run and hid under a nearby parked car.  
“Whoa what the hell happened over there-Jim!”

………………………………………………………………….

Claire finally came out of the building and walked around in front of the school, looking around for Jim. It really shouldn’t be that hard to find a tall non human who stuck out like a black stripe drawn on an all white paper. She finally found him talking to someone, who Claire assumed was Toby. Suddenly she heard the massive crash and watched Jim dive under the car. She ran over as she saw Toby squat down by it  
“-ey It’s okay. Did the noise scare you? it’s alright to come out now. Nothing can hurt you” Claire squat down right next to Toby. Looking underneath to see a scared Jim, eyes constricted, a feral look to him.  
“Jim!”  
“whooaaa you’re Claire!”  
“yes, I am”  
“wow!”  
“wow?”  
“uh I mean, uh, hi, it’s nice to meet you”  
“likewise, I’m guessing you’re Toby”  
“yep! In the overweight flesh...haha...uh...Jim, it’s okay, come on, you wana go get tacos? You like those, not the spicy ones though”  
“it’s okay Jim, the loud noise is gone” Jim’s heavy breathing and low growling slowed down to a stop, his eyes went back to normal.  
“it’s okay. You wana come on out now?”  
“yeah...I’ll be okay..right?”  
“yes, I promise” and with that, Jim crawled out from under it, and shook himself off, like a dog.  
“did you get scared from the car accident?”  
“yeah...car accident? Did they fight?”  
“no it was more of a crash. The loud noise scared you?”  
“yes...at my home, there isn’t many loud noises like that, and when there is, we know what to expect and see it coming. This was so sudden and loud, I panicked and fled. I feared my life was at stake so I took cover and prepared myself to fight to the death”  
“well, thankfully that wasn’t needed”  
“yes, I am thankful too” Toby patted Jim on the arm and said gently  
“let’s go get tacos and take our minds off of this, that’ll calm you down. Right?”  
“yeah, eating would be nice”

 

Claire tagged along, making Toby nervous but excited. A real GIRL! Next to him! WANTING to talk to him!!!. the two watched Jim go through food like it was air. He was happy and had clearly forgotten all about the loud noise. After finishing up his taco, Toby cleaned his hands up and turned to Claire  
“So, wana trade Jimformation”  
“what?”  
“you know. Jimformation. Information about Jim. he’s been around you a LOT, which Is awesome! I mean, cause like, you’re super nice and awesome and pretty-i mean like, yeah everyone is and you are and-uh, yeah he’s been hanging out with you, super nice that you’ve been helping him”  
“i was really worried about him, now that I know him, he’s sweet, and interesting”  
“yeah! he’s suuper cool! I’m soo happy hes my friend! Hes my first friend, all these years of waiting for one are toootally worth it! Hes so badass! And he defended me! Although he thinks I’m his boyfriend, which sucks. NOT that I have any problem with gay people! I love gay people! I mean like, not love love cause-I’m not gay! that’s all I’m trying to say (haha rhyme). Although, if I was, I really wouldn’t mind dating a half troll, all big and badass! Able to defend me and stuff”  
“yeah, I could see that. Oh and by the way, he doesn’t think of you as his boyfriend. He means you are his MALE friend. He called me his girlfriend, I told him about what we mean when we say it, and one of my friends gave him a lot of...bad info. Like kissing  
“wait he KISSED YOU?!”  
“no, he tried to but I pushed his head away. He really didn’t know what it was. So he tried to do it to me, although he asked if he should do it to someone else, I told him not to”  
“glad he didn’t try kissing me, not that I have a problem with that! I mean I do-you know what I mean. Today he did and said something suuper awkward”  
“oh? What did he do to you?”  
“he stuck my hand into his mouth, chewed on It and was licking my fingers. Ugh it was so gross! It was super slimy and hot and wet-uh, anyways he took it out and told he that he heard that when two guys like each other, they put their body parts into their mouths. By the way, half troll slobber, it’s weirdly thick and is almost like glue. Ugh that’s gross, uh never mind”  
“WOW! Good thing he didn’t know about what it actually meant. Also I’m pretty sure he’s not listening to us, he’s totally only focused on the food”  
“oh yeah, he’s in the zone. he’s almost like a bottomless pit. I think he would eat the entire truck if he could!”  
“i honestly don’t doubt that” The two shared a nice little laugh while watching their shared friend.  
“man, still kinda weird to just see him, you know?”  
“that feelings starting to wear off on me, now I kinda just see a really awkward tall person”  
“makes you feel kinda smart to teach him new stuff, doesn’t it?”  
“yeah I have to admit it, oh plus his reactions”  
“ohh those are the best! Glass portals and flying dogs? Do you know what’s up with that?”  
“oh he thinks birds are like dogs, and glass portals he means windows.”  
“ohhhhh okay, yeah that makes total sense. You see his backpack STUFFED with pencils?”  
“yeah! what’s up with that?! Does he just hoard them? Is that a troll thing?”  
“naah, he actually told me it’s because he likes them, sometimes he eats them by mistake, sometimes as an actual snack. So he brought plenty to make sure he always has one”  
“now that makes sense. I really like Jim”  
“me too. he’s like a strange blessing in disguise. At least for me”  
“same here. Did you see that MASSIVE wad of cash?”  
“YEAH! I told him not to show anyone else, they might take advantage of him”  
“yeah he told me that actually. it’s 1000$”  
“what!? How do you know?!”  
“my parents counted it the other day. They took 200 for damages he caused”  
“what did he do?”  
“partially eat our blender and scratched up the roof of our car with his horns. He also ripped the door off it’s hinges”  
“whhhaaaaat! I guess he really likes non food. Also the horns I get but the door?! he’s THAT strong?”  
“yeah! Although he fixed it, seems to be just fine, so we aren’t worried about it. Do you know how fast he is?”  
“ohh yeah, well sorta. He picked me up and ran us over to the table I usually sit at”  
“he picked me up, gave me a piggy back ride to my house, in roughly 4 minutes”  
“wow! that’s amazing! Bet he could life us up with one hand each at the same time”  
“i don’t doubt that at all” another fun laugh as they watched Jim by another armful of food  
“man, almost has spent another crisp hundo”  
“with that kind of cash and that kind of appetite, it wouldn’t surprise me. So, I guess it’s time to trade our ‘Jimformation’”  
“totally!” the two began to trade their information as they watched the half troll go through armful after armful of food. Human food really wasn’t that filling to him, nothing like eating human. 

 

…………………………………………

After school! Jim PROMISED he would be spending time with Toby! Uninterrupted by loud noises or pee breaks! Jim found Toby but slowed down. He called out his name before approaching  
“thanks Jim! Good boy!”  
“g-good boy?”  
“yeah, you’re a good boy for doing that! For remembering...that’s not degrading right?”  
“no I love it! I did a good job!”  
“yeah!”  
“today did you want to spend time with me? I haven’t spent time with my boyfriend at all! I feel bad! I need to! I would really love to be with you! you’re my first friend, I’ve hardly paid attention to you! I shouldn’t do that to my boyfriend!”  
“okay Jim, dom’t keep saying boyfriend or else people will start spreading rumors”  
“oh sorry, I meant my first male friend!”  
“there we go. Yeah! If you wana hangout today, I don’t have anything going on!”  
“why would we hang ourselves? Do you have a need to com-”  
“noooo! it’s just a thing, it means we spend time together”  
“ohhh! I would love to hang ourselves!”  
“noooo. Just, hangout”  
“ohhh, hangout”  
“good boy!. So, want to head on over to my house?”  
“my second human home! Well, my third technically, but still! I would love to see where my boyfri-my friend lives and eats and sleeps and is alive in!”  
“well I do really like to be alive”  
“ohhh it’s a good thing you aren’t dead then!”  
“yeah I guess….so”  
“troll humor”  
“okay! Well, let me grab my bike and we can leave, you don’t mind if I run along with it, right?”  
“no! I can run very fast, it’ll be easy to keep pace!”  
“Cool”

 

It was nice, enjoying the views and the experiences while going to Toby’s home. The new sights and smells and sounds, everything was, well, new! And Jim was loving every second of it.  
“okay this is my home”  
“wow! it’s surrounded by so many trees! And rocks!”  
“yeah, it’s pretty cool, there’s a river nearby too. Well it’s kinda a bit of a walk over there, but it’s nice.” Toby parked his bike and opened the door  
“Nana, you home?”  
“what’s a Nana?”  
“she’s my Nana, she takes care of me, and raised me”  
“where are your parents?”  
“they died when I was 2, it’s something I can explain later. Right now-hey no lick!”  
“sorry, it-ohhh there’s so many cat’s here!”  
“yeah my Nana likes cats-what...are you doing” Toby watched as Jim bent down and gave a cat a long lick from back to head  
“bleh. Yep, still don’t like cats. Fur’s in my mouth now”  
“whhyyy did you just lick the cat?”  
“i was curious! I’ve ea-licked a cat before, I didn’t like it, but I wanted to try it again! See if I liked it now! Still don’t”  
“ooookkaaayyy well, let’s go up into my room”

……………………………………………………..

“wow! Ohh look at this! Oh what’s this! Ohh look at this! it’s a tiny home! Who lives here? Ohh I see a girl! She is soo small, she isn’t moving! Is she dead?! Ohhh she’s just a toy! Was this built just for her?”  
“wow, I super love that you don’t know anything..uh I didn’t mean that to be mean! Just uh...it’s nice to be able to teach you things! Now, this is a doll house, it’s Nana’s, she doesn’t use it anymore but she wants to keep it-hey no lick!”  
“ohh what’s this! it’s like a glass portal but in a box!”  
“watch this, literally” Toby turned the TV, Jim gasped and took a step back  
“there’s a small person inside! I’ll get them out”  
“NONONON JIM DON’T HIT THE TV! it’s just a show”  
“a show?”  
“it’s TV, it’s pretend, well sometimes, anyways uh...you turn it on and watch people do stuff, other things, there’s a LOT of stuff to watch”  
“ohhh I want to watch them all!”  
“that...would be difficult...”  
“ohh this is like a play!”  
“yeah! Sorta, well anyways I also have my computer and videogames-”  
“ohhh what are those?!”  
“fun things! I’m going to show you sooo much! you’re going to looove it!”  
“I want to be with you to experience it all! From now on! Is that alright?”  
“totally! you’re my first friend! I would LOVE to be able to hangout as much as we can!” the sound of the door closing downstairs echoed  
“Oh, Nana’s home, you should meet her since you’re my friend! Friends meet each others family”  
“ohh yes! You cannot meet mine however. For personal reasons, I am unable to speak of it”  
“okay, that’s fine! I won’t ask. Come on, let’s go meet her” a quick trip downstairs, Jim saw her  
“wow! she’s the oldest human I’ve ever encountered!”  
“really? Huh, well uh, Hi Nana!”  
“ohhh hello Toby pie, oh who’s this?”  
“He’s my friend!”  
“ohh a friend! It’s finally nice that he has one! Ohh you’re tall, and...hairy”  
“He’s called a half troll, he’s part troll part human”  
“ohhh, I’ve met a few trolls back in my day, kind things, strange, but fun!”  
“My name is Jim, it’s nice to meet you!”  
“it’s nice to meet you too. If you need anything, just ask”  
“Thank you”  
“Why don’t you go take your tall friend up to your room, My show’s about to start, please keep it down, I really don’t want it interrupted”  
“okay!”

 

And so, the two friends went upstairs into Toby’s room. The friendly human showed the friendly dark spawn of evil who will eventually enslave and destroy the world, many new things. Jim felt so giddy, his first friend and him were becoming close, he couldn’t wait until he could try and do so many new things with him! Along with his friend Claire! He thought of his future and just how strange and different it will be now, he was afraid, feared the unknown, afraid to start something he couldn’t finish. It was too late though, he HAD started it, and he loved it!. Still, that fear in his heart wouldn’t go away, at least for now. He knew more human life would replace his fear, and fill his heart with nothing but good things! He doubted anything bad would happen here. With his friends by his side, he knew his life would only ever improve. A truly happily ever after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two worlds collided, they would fight, from this they created, a terrible blight.

Created from violence and spite and war, the dark creature could only ever want gore.

The horrible, awful, terrible beast, one day soon, the light he will feast.

Creature of unspeakable might, dreamer of the eternal night.

Black was his heart, filled with corruption and hate, one small day, he found a mate. 

Evil that could love and share, one day soon, he made an heir.

The baby boy, grew and grew, far faster, than they knew.

Travel and travel, down and above, from his adventures one day.........he found love.

Two roads he walked, only one could stay, what will he chose? night or day?

Terrible dark, beautiful light, in his mind, what was right?

No matter the choice, no matter the lie, all he knew, was that many will die.

Death for above, or death for below, always now, his heart sank low.

Betray his family? betray his life? he know knew, only terrible strife. 

Stay below, even though he had a kiss, no matter what, love he will miss.

Stay above, and be near, his fathers wrath, he will fear.

One day soon a mate he shall choose, no matter what, love he will loose.

Or does love he will gain? from this, the maker of suffering and pain.

The second strongest warrior, only rivaled by arrrg, the gumm-gumms name, is Garg.

Garg!, Garg!, the gumm-gumms cheered, Garg! Garg! always he that they feared.

Where ever he was, where ever he went, all enemies before him, their lives would be spent.

Fight and fight! proud and strong! he only did great! he never did wrong!

Jim's heart Garg's love will host, hes Jim’s mate, Garg will always boast!

Jim's heart will be torn, one side will be broken, however a choice, his heart will be woken.

Many a time Jim's heart will cry, pain inflicted, sometimes it wish it would die.

One day soon, it will know, one day soon, it will learn how to grow

No matter the choice he would have made, no matter what, he'll always get laid!


	26. A meeting of a father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby.
> 
>  
> 
> He would have never imagined that his life would become so intense, so chaotic, so......stressful. all he wanted was a true friend in his life.  
> Well, he GOT his wish!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DADA DADADA DAAAHHHDAAAA! Here it is! the great continue! to know the past is to know the future. the present must be lived through to reach it. i hope you had fun! now, life will go onwards! 
> 
> Toby, pleaasseeee don't have a mental breakdown
> 
> also since this is Friday's chapter of my chapter gift week, I of course, released it today!

“Jim.” Kanjigar was expressionless, however it was clear that his mind was trying to debate if he should accept it like the back of his head had, to be furious that Jim lied for so long, to be mortified that his Jim was doing this, to be devastated that Jim truly was the gumm-gumm prince. Kanjigar closed his eyes and took a deep breath to still his overwhelmingly loud thoughts, the heavy scent of gore in the air, Jim’s own scent was heavily masked by it, almost to the point where it wasn’t noticeable. He opened his eyes and Jim was gone. Kanjigar turned around and saw him running quickly towards the city. Just as silent and quick as Kanjigar had expected. He couldn’t let his emotions swarm his head and cloud his judgment. Jim needed to be accountable for his crimes, for all that he’s done, for all that he’s been. Kanjigar simply hoped he would be allowed to give Jim a quick and painless swift death. He might have lied about his whole life during his stay in trollmarket, he might have actually started to have morals and emotions come to light, to truly want to be good and stay and feel love and acceptance. Maybe, maybe, MAYBE, something could be done to where Jim doesn’t have to die. He would still stay by Kanjigar’s side. Still be his pet. Still be Draal’s-no….would Draal even want Jim’s affection still?. 

Jim was becoming like a son to Kanjigar. He didn’t want that life to go away, he wanted Jim to stay with them, maybe he truly could forgo his own nature and live the rest of his life in redemption for his actions. To truly spend it meaningfully and not with waste or regret. He could become better. Other gumm-gumm’s in the past have, however that was long long ago, far before Gunmar ever became their leader. Far before any true sides were made. All the questions about Jim doing bad things and be punished for it, all the emotions he’s gone through. He really could change. He showed the capabilities... Kanjigar cleared his head fully. He focused on the present. He was the trollhunter first and foremost. No emotion should get in the way. What about the others? What about when Deya was overcome with emotion? No other trollhunters of the past had to deal with situations like this, but still, everyone had to handle tough choices. Jim didn’t need to die if he-no. No more thinking. Kanjigar gave chase….

 

Jim swallowed what was in his mouth. His life felt frozen. A part of him wanted to just, sit there. Accept it. He was caught. This must have been fate. Just give in. no more lies. No more pain. No more emotional issues and being forced to chose one side or another. He accepted that he would be executed. His pain would be over at least. Death was peaceful, quiet, numbing. Some say it’s like having your soul suddenly plummet into a sea, slowly descending into the dark deeps. It was….calm...silent...all the pain and worries faded away, along with your memories and thoughts. He deserved this. All parasites are killed eventually, when they’re found out about their feeding. One of the biggest things Jim didn’t want to see, was Draal’s face when he heard the news. He….he was falling in love with him. Draal was too good to suffer like this. To fall for something as vile as Jim. What about Toby? Jim’s thoughts turned to his best friend! He didn’t deserve this! The pain of loss! Knowing that his one true friend was killed! Toby would feel horrible, all because it was Jim’s fault. What about his dad? And his brother? And his adopted uncles? They would all suffer, feel pain, want vengeance. However it also might turn to hate, not to Kanjigar, although he will have most of it, towards Jim. It was HIS fault this happened. It was HIS fault that he made all these choices. It was HIS fault for having such weakness come into him. It was HIS fault he betrayed his family. Would they pretend Jim didn’t exist? Forget about him because he betrayed Gunmar? Move on and pretend this never happened?. Like with his mother? Like with Bulars mother? Like any other important gumm-gumm? 

 

Jim was always considered a mistake by nearly everyone. Maybe it truly would be easy to forget him, erase him from everyone’s memory. What about the changelings? Jim knew that they would be gotten rid of after they served their purpose, at least that’s what he figured. Bular hated them, Gunmar would see them as useless now, so why keep them around? They were created for one purpose. They finished serving it. Why keep them around? They were disgusting impures. Why keep them around?. Jim would be their only savior. The only one who would vouch for them. By his word, they would be allowed to live within his kingdom. By his word, they would be allowed to be alive. What about saving all the half trolls? Letting them all come together for the first time in, well, history! He could be the one to save them! Same with humanity, at least some! He could save so many!.

no.

 

no.

Jim had too much to live for. He won’t just accept it. He won’t go gently into that good night. He will fight and claw his way out of his fate. He will grab onto whatever he could and pull himself out from this. Jim noticed Kanjigar close his eyes. This was his best shot. With the fastest speed Jim could muster, he ran. He ran. He sprinted as fast as his legs could go. He would twist and dodge, weave and sway, do whatever he need to go through the dense forest. He couldn’t look back, he couldn’t waste a single second. Jim’s nails scratched the surface of concrete. City. He looked around and had his mind form thoughts as fast as it could. The only thing at his disposal right now was the Janus order. A mile. Then a bridge. Now only a few blocks away. He practically crashed into the door, actually breaking it off it’s hinges.  
“WILL START THE ELEVATOR NOW! NO QUESTIONS! NO TIME!”

Jim’s heart beat faster than any time in his whole life. He thought it might beat so fast it would stop from exhaustion. The SECOND the elevator made enough space for Jim to run through, he did. First thing he did? Run to a nearby changeling who was a higher up.  
“YOU. NO QUESTIONS. WHERE’S OTTO?!”  
“he’s at the floor below, outside the meeting room I think-” without hesitation Jim went to his new destination. Many changelings had to move out of his path, many of them looked confused and tried to figure out what fast blur just ran by. Jim’s nails made deep scratches as they skidded to a halt on a corner, the sound echoing down the hall like nails to a chalkboard. His sight honed in on the polymorph who was surrounded by a few others.  
“OTTO!” Jim shouted loudly, his voice booming with power. Everyone turned to him, even others who weren’t near the small group.  
“NO TIME TO EXPLAIN. YOU GO TO WALT, TELL HIM THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ‘ACCIDENT’ UPSIDE. DOESN’T MATTER WHAT IT IS, CAR ACCIDENT, BREAK IN, I DON’T CARE! NO ONE NEEDS TO GET HURT, JUST MAKE A HUGE SCENE. OTTO, TURN INTO ME RIGHT THE FUCK NOW. YOU, GO CLEAR OUT A BACK DOOR FOR OTTO TO RUN INTO LATER. YOU, GO GET A SHOWER STARTED FOR ME, I DON’T CARE WHERE, JUST GIVE ME WATER AND SOAP, NO I DON’T CARE WHAT KIND. YOU GO GET ME CHOCOLATE, MARSHMALLOWS, AND GRAM CRACKERS! NOW MOVE MOVE MOVE!”

everyone scattered around and ran off to their newly assigned jobs.  
“now-wow that’s what I look like? Well okay so you have to-huh that’s what my nails look like? I need to file them. OKAY SERIOUSLY-man my fur is a mess! I need a haircut OKAY, OKAY NO MORE DISTRACTIONS! Listen the fuck up cause I won’t repeat myself!”

……………………………………………………………….

Kanjigar breathed heavily through his nose. He jumped out of the edge of the forest and landed heavily on the sidewalk. He sniffed around until he picked up the now faint scent of blood. He ran after it, following it’s trail. He was no where near as fast as Jim was, but he had far more endurance. Jim tired himself out quickly, at least that’s what Kanjigar knew, it could be a lie for all he knew. Crossing a bridge and turning down a few streets. He noticed Jim on a sidewalk, looking back. Kanjigar was about to shout for Jim to stop, however Jim bolted across the street and around the corner. Kanjigar sped up and gave chase once more. Hardly able to keep up, he persevered and didn’t slow down. Until he was forced to. An entire street was closed off, a huge car accident that caused damage to a lot of the nearby buildings. He saw Jim make his way through the crowd. Kanjigar took a step, only to see….Jim...carrying some stuff in bags down another street. Kanjigar turned his back at the scene. Jim was jumping from the rooftops to one another. Looking back once, then falling behind a building, outside of sight. Kanjigar ran over to a very surprised looking Jim who held his bags.  
“oh hey, what are you doing here?”  
“JIM”  
“yeah that’s me.”  
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”  
“i wanted to go get more smore stuff, juuust in case we ran out-HOLY SHIT THAT’S A HUGE ACCIDENT! WHAT HAPPENED?!” Jim gasped, looking at the wreckage. He truly didn’t know about it! He knew the Janus order would cause a big distraction, he didn’t mean THIS BIG THOUGH. Jim almost couldn’t breathe as he was hugged strongly by Kanjigar  
“i knew it. I knew it. I knew it wasn’t you”  
“hey...okay..big...guy..let..go..i..can’t...breathe!” Kanjigar held Jim’s at arm’s length, almost coming to the point of crying  
“ooookay, what’s not me?”  
“nothing.” Kanjigar turned his head to the empty rooftops. Then back at Jim.  
“I’ll deal with it later. Come, I’m going to escort you back to your friends.”  
“Cool, wouldn’t mind being next to you for a bit, so, how’s Draal doing?”

………………………………………………………………

“-so yeah, Eli isn’t banned from the card shop anymore, so that’s cool” Kanjigar wouldn’t stop smiling and looking at Jim the entire walk back.  
“you okay big guy? you’ve been looking at me like that the entire time”  
“more than fine.”  
“nothing weird going on?”  
“nothing that matters at the moment” Jim smiled and took a nice deep breath of relief. The plan he made was fairly simple. Otto turns into him, let’s Kanjigar chase him for a bit. Head to the accident, jump up on the roofs EXACTLY when the real Jim walks down the street, make sure both are in clear sight of Kanjigar. Then Otto leaves and runs back to the Janus order. Meanwhile Jim had a quick shower, cleaned and groomed himself (with the aid of some changelings who happily agreed. Jim purred when he was brushed, some changelings had to stifle a giggle. Jim said It was alright, he felt great too. Sadly Jim couldn’t enjoy it, he had a job to do! Although….maybe he might come back some time and have a nice long brush….more than enough others would be happy to offer dong it) then was handed a nice few bags stuffed with the smore materials, and left. Then he ‘casually’ walked down the street to Kanjigar, and then here they were in the present.

Kanjigar was a little...curious though….Jim smelled freshly showered, freshly cleaned. Jim wasn’t smelling like this at when Kanjigar left him at the campfire….

The two stopped as they could see the campfire. Kanjigar turned Jim to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
“Jim. Listen. From now on. You will wear a gaggletag.”  
“okay, I’m cool with it, but why?”  
“doesn’t matter. No more questions about it. As your trollhunter and master, I am ordering for you to wear one at all times. I don’t care where, put it on your belt, around your neck, under your shirt, in your pants, doesn’t matter. Have one on you at all times. ALWAYS able to touch your skin at any given moment. Understand?”  
“sure do! Cool, a nice new fashion choice. Hey maybe I might get it to trend, become the next big thing, cause everyone to start wearing one”  
“that would be helpful. Erm, yes, so wear one at all times.”  
“so, even in the shower? Or while I’m riding...uh...a..bull...haha...mechanical of course...”  
“you know what I mean. No jokes, this is serious.”  
“i promise, my trollhunter, I will do as you command” Kanjigar patted Jim’s back with satisfaction  
“come. Let us return to your friends. Perhaps I may stay for a few moments and have a mellow”  
“neat! I’ll make sure Eli doesn’t bother you too much with questions. he’s….excitable...but he’s a sweet heart, really kind and loving, never seen someone more gentle than him.”

Toby couldn’t stop shaking his foot and burning his marshmallows. He told Steve and Eli he was fine whenever they asked. He gasped when he saw Jim and the trollhunter  
“JIM YOU’RE BACK! uh..so...how did...getting the stuff...go?” Jim smiled widely and held up the bags  
“Great! No one got mad I was out late, so no lines!”  
“so...everything went good...nothing...happened?”  
“well, there was a little traffic while walking there. But everything’s fine! I got juuust enough to tide me over until later. No problems otherwise. Everything is A-okay. No one gave me a hard time while I went to the city”  
“PHEW! I was TOTALLY afraid that you would get caught-by the cops and in trouble for staying out so late!”  
“nope! Cops noticed me, but didn’t see I was doing anything wrong so they left me alone. Then I ran into Kanjigar and we walked back, no problems at all”  
“that’s awesome to hear!” Eli started to make a big smile, marshmallow melting out of his mouth. Jim gave him a stern look and spoke  
“Eli. don’t keep questioning the trollhunter. Leave him alone. He want’s to try a marshmallow before leaving” Eli frowned and nodded sadly.  
“so my trollhunter, let’s make you a camping treat!”

………………………………………………………………….

The next day Jim, Toby, and Claire sat on a couch in Claire’s living room. They watched TV and relaxed, making small talk and little comments on what they watch. Claire’s mother had just walked through the front door, clearly looking ragged and tired from the stressful day. She noticed the company in her home, and managed to regained her composure enough to make a few more smiles. They all said hello to one another. Claire asking about her day, she didn’t want to reply much while Jim and Toby sat there. Jim burped into his fist.  
“excuse me. All these incidents must really be EATing you from the inside huh?” Jim burped again and excused himself. He had eaten before the two came over. Toby shot him a nasty glare  
“not funny Jim.”  
“sorry, troll humor. Dark...yeah” Mrs. Nunez forced a decent smile  
“yes. I suppose I still don’t fully understand troll….humor. Do not worry, I know these past few months have been...stressful. For everyone. But the police force has been stepping up and have plans underway to help solve these cases. And prevent future ones.” Jim burped again  
“sorry, gassy tonight. Must have been something I ate a bit earlier. Well, I truly hope everything works out! I really hope whatever is causing this finally ends. I’m sure this will finally be solved and won’t continue” Jim scratched his chest and then rubbed his stomach, he noticed Toby still shooting a nasty glare at him and added  
“i hope so too. Bad enough things happen so close together, better if someone solved this instead of boasting about it.”  
“sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t be taking this lightly, the troll side of me finds this...funny...again, I really am sorry. I guess this is like when middle schoolers laugh when talking about dicks and stuff. I PROMISE from here on out, I won’t find this serious issue funny.”  
“good. it’s not funny.”  
“well...”  
“Jim.”  
“alright! Anyways, so yeah, I feel like everything from here on is going to work out! The forests are dangerous at night, something dangerous must be prowling around right out of sight, snatching people away and eating them, or attacking for some strange reason. I think maybe it would be best if the curfew continued and people started doing a buddy system. If two people are together, well then, the thing prowling around would have to eat both of them, something I truly hope it doesn’t start doing”  
“yeah. I hope so too.”  
“Well, maybe the poor thing can’t help it, food chain and all that. I’m not saying their deaths aren’t a light thing, but it must be some wild animal who can’t control themselves and just wants to live like everyone else. Animals don’t have the sentience to really understand and help what their doing. At least that’s my opinion”  
“you’re right…..it just wants to live like everyone else...i shouldn’t judge something if it’s just doing it to survive like the rest of us. Still. Whatever this is, I hope it gets the help it needs to stop eating and attacking people”  
“i do too Toby, I really do”

 

Claire decided to step in  
“well, mom you should go rest and relax, everyone can only take so much. I can cook dinner, do you two want anything?” Toby said in a kind reply  
“no thanks” Jim did in the same tone  
“thanks for asking, but I had a big meal right before coming over, I’m stuffed!” Toby looked at Jim now, a nervous look  
“yep! I hope you don’t get hungry again soon” Jim looked at him and smiled  
“trust me, I do too. You know my appetite though, when I get hungry I could practically eat someone!”  
“Jim.”  
“well it’s true! Not like I WANT to eat that much when I’m hungry! But I can’t help but enjoy it when I do. it’s getting late, sun’s about to go down, come on Tobes, let’s go home before it gets too dark”

Mrs. Nunez smiled, a bit relieved that they would leave and let her no longer have to keep up appearances  
“yes, please be safe the both of you!” Jim waved with a smile as he left  
“thanks! I have a gut feeling we’re going to make it home safe”

After going down the street and out of earshot Toby angrily started a conversation  
“’i have a gut feeling’, ‘i could eat someone’, ‘eating you from inside!’, and then you talk about the ‘buddy system’. You said you could only eat one person! Sometimes you couldn’t even finish!”  
“I’m a growing gumm-gumm! I need to eat!. Look, I know what I said, I still feel that way. Sometimes my mood shifts! Right now...I’m...finding it funny to talk about it. Riiiight there in the open”  
“Well I don’t find it funny! it’s rude!”  
“well, if it helps, my dinner wasn’t exactly a good person, he didn’t do the best things in life.”  
“oh? What was his deal”  
“he tended to be around others who were younger than him and they didn’t always agree on his gestures about certain events that should happen in certain moments while he was around them.”  
“so he was...”  
“yeah”  
“well...at least your full.” as if on cue Jim burped  
“yep! Good to go! Hopefully for a while. Ugh, I do hate that I have to keep eating so much! I don’t get it! I hardly feel full at times, even if I’m stuffed! I really really really hope I can go at least more than two days now. I can’t keep eating here! I honestly don’t want to ruin Claire’s mothers life.”  
“why not just...go somewhere else?”  
“kinda can’t, well I CAN, but I can’t? it’s hard to explain”  
“huh….well, yeah I know you don’t want to keep eating so much. Well, at least one bad person is gone from world”  
“and fed to someone better. Well, someone who hates himself and can’t help but enjoy it”  
“come on big eater, let’s get home and relax.”  
“Good, feeling tired from being so full”

……………………………………………………………………..

Jim laid on his back in his nest, Toby was watching videos on his laptop until he closed it and tapped his fingers nervously.  
“Jim it, feels kinda weird to know this stuff.”  
“hm?”  
“I feel that I’m an accessory to the crime and SHOULD be doing something about it….i almost feel like I’m the one doing the, well you know”  
“Tobes, the guy’s in my stomach, not yours. Besides it’s like 90% bad people that I ‘recharge’ with. I don’t want you to feel bad about it, anything I can do to help?”  
“honestly...keep it up?…..that sounds super weird but, a lot of things have just been...getting better around here. I know I NEED to report you or something and SHOULD help to stop murders from happening but…..i just remember, it’s you, you’re my best friend, we care so much for each other, we’re both big parts in each others lives, you need to do this to live and you mostly go after bad people so….i don’t know, I feel too calm about this, a part of me worries that I should be worried about this...but I’m not. Am I a psycho?. I enjoy that they’re just...going away….oh god I am one aren’t I?”

Jim can’t help but laugh so hard his chest hurts  
“no! I mean, this situation isn’t exactly a normal everyday friendship thing. Besides we both know that if this were ANYONE ELSE, you would totally stop this. Brains and emotions are weird, I never thought I would ever involve you in this, or ANYONE else outside of my personal life. NO ONE was supposed to know I was a prince, I ate people, who my brother was, NONE OF THIS was supposed to happen...well until...uh….anyways the ‘end game’ let’s just say.”  
“can we not talk about that please? I just….the whole ‘end of the world’ thing really freaks me out...uh so yeah...I’m way more comfortable talking about you eating people than that.”  
“well, the bad people do ‘go away’ and life’s gotten better around here, that’s true. Hey! I’m really helping our community out! Crime rates are at an all time low! So is vandalism!”  
“yeah, buuuuut missing persons and dead people have risen like, 500%”  
“eh, something for something I guess”  
“uh….um...this….I’ve been….thinking about this for a bit….but…..”  
“yeah?”  
“i...i feel weird even thinking about it...”  
“i won’t pressure you”  
“i….you know how you think to yourself ‘ugh I wish that person would just die!’ when someones being awful?”  
“oohhh yeah. Except I have the abilities to actually do that”  
“well...i….I’ve felt that way about a certain person and….well you know when you think that you’ve never really meant it...but….this guy is pretty….bad. At least I think so….do you….take...requests?”  
“WHAT?!” THAT caught Jim off guard, he started another laughing fit. Toby was red faced and felt awful.  
“no no! don’t be like that Tobes! It just was NOT something I’d ever hear. I’m not an artist or writer or whatever, but yeah, I guess I will? so. Who you want me to eat?”  
“Well there’s this guy at our college...he bullies a lot of people. I know I know, it’s just some ‘stupid school thing’ and people should grow out of it right? Well he hasn’t. At least not yet. he’s bothered me lightly but then recently it’s gotten worse. Throwing rocks and stuff, not just at me but at a lot of others. You’ve not been around to see it, ya know?”  
“sorry about that, I had...personal stuff”  
“i get it, I don’t blame you. Anyways, so...yeah I’ve wanted him to stop, among a LOT of others probably. Well, he’s been vandalizing Nanas car and writing some preeeetttyyy terrible stuff on peoples...well...stuff. He hasn’t stopped, he hasn’t gotten in trouble because his parents are rich assholes who get him out of any situation by paying people off or just paying his bail. He never learns or grows up. I’m tired of it. No one can do anything without ‘getting into trouble’ with him. He is in COLLEGE and he hasn’t grown out of that mentality. No ‘justice’ has ever been done to him. I’ve always wished he’d finally have to pay for all the shit he does and well…...i guess now he can….”

“wow. I’m sorry this has been happening to you Tobes. I wish I could have stopped it. Well I mean, NOW I can!. He’s as good as dinner Tobes”  
“thanks….wow this feels weird...like I just put a hit out on him”  
“or a bite out?” the two laughed at that but then Tobes went back to feeling that small weird static in him.  
“Please Jim don’t get caught. I know you’re a ‘pro’ at this but still. His parents will hire private investigators, search parties for any clues. And well, everything they can throw at you.”  
“hmmm...let’s see….you just show me who he is tomorrow, we follow him for a bit, learn about him, and uh, well, chomp time later on.”  
“could you...do it...the...sooner the better I mean...”  
“well I guess it WOULD be good to prevent my batteries from going down already. Yeah, tomorrow we learn, and then maybe that night, well, no more him.”  
“is this like serving my friend dinner?”  
“hey, why not! This is our own weird fucked up thing! We get this and no one else does! Our own special horrible thing! We really should be thankful!” more laughter and enjoyment at the dark subjects they’re talking about.  
“so, any personal touches you want?”  
“huh?”  
“like, want me to leave juuuust enough ‘leftovers’ so they know who he is? Want me to just get rid of the entire body and leave no traces, etc”  
“i would really love it if there was….some...left...just...enough to be shown who it is….”  
“you got it Tobes.”  
“i...i don’t know how to feel. I just sent someone to their grave...or...my best friends stomach technically.”  
“Don’t feel bad Tobes. He deserves this. You know it, you have great judgment, that’s why this has to happen. Besides, everyone else will breathe easier with him...gone.”  
“you’re right but….like what you said. I have great Judgment! So why...am I so...okay with all this?. I mean, I’m sorry for being annoying and I keep repeating myself.”  
“no no, I don’t think you’re annoying. Trust me, believe it or not, I had issues like this before. A good amount of times actually. I still wrestle with this like I said before. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s easy. Like right now, I’m kinda...in a ‘positive’ mood about eating people. Totally opposite of how I felt the day when you found out.”  
“so….huh….well, I guess….this is alright in some twisted way.”  
“yeah, it is huh?”  
“he does deserve it, and you need to eat. Rather you live and him die.”  
“that’s how I see it when I do it to bad people.”  
“well….uh...this got heavy...”  
“yeah, hey so let’s watch cringy videos”  
“ohhh that sounds fun! Nothing gets your mind off of eating people and debating the morality of who should live and die like cringy things!”  
“exactly!”

………………………………………………………….

Toby and Jim stood on a sidewalk, getting ready to cross the street. Their college classes just finished up and their mission of ‘finding out about the asshole that Jim’s gonna eat’, the name’s a work in progress.  
“There he is Jim. that’s the guy.”  
“which?”  
“the blonde one”  
“there’s like, four guys”  
“that one next to the blue truck”  
“ohhhh, that’s him huh? hm...yeah...okay...what’s his name?”  
“his stupid ass is Steve.”  
“a blonde bully named Steve.”  
“not OUR Steve, our Steve is great. THAT ONE is terrible. Speaking of terrible. Ugh that guy over there in the brown car, see him?”  
“the one flipping off an old lady who was trying to cross the street?”  
“yeah that’s the one. He’s terrible too. Racist, sexist, homophobic-that look on your face tells me he’s next on the menu”  
“ooohhh yeah he is”  
“well another one bites the dust. or...you bite them...whatever, point is you’re gonna eat him”  
“Alright, We’ll deal with that guy later, right now, we have a Steve for me to eat.”

………………………………………………………

The sun was about to set. Toby was riding his bike out now, trying to get some fresh air while waiting for Jim to ‘finish up’. He was making his way home, not wanting to get caught by the cops and get in trouble for breaking the new curfew law. No one, except for a certain few, if you’re in large groups, or with good reasons, are allowed out after a small period after night. Helps to prevent anymore ‘incidents’. Toby hummed a song to himself as he rode around a corner. He came to a slow stop as he had to start easing himself up a small hill. He heard some faint noises like someone made a muffle cry. Toby stopped and looked, he bit his lip, really not wanting to do what he was thinking of doing. Tapped his fingers on his handle bar, kicked the ground a bit, bit his lip, doing all of this while mentally debating if he should at least see if it was Jim. Just to make sure everything was fine. That area did have higher patrols than most others. Toby was too worried something might happen. 

Toby took a deep breath, looking both ways and crossed the street on his bike.  
‘why am I doing this? you’re an idiot. A loyal idiot. At least the thing that’s been killing everyone isn’t going to kill you.’ He groaned as he set his bike down and walked a bit into the trees.  
“pppssst. Jim, hey Jim, that you buddy? Just...wana make sure, cops are coming out soon. Just wanted to let you now. Jim?”. The scent of blood was heavy now, so that was Toby’s cue to leave. He does NOT want to see his friend ‘in action’ again.  
“Gonna assume it’s you, just head home soon okay?” a loud deep grumble was made, a huge shadow suddenly rose up in front of the now terrified Toby. Red eyes shined in the dark shade of the woods.  
“you’re n-not Jim...uh...see ya!” Toby yelled trying to run, only to be snagged by the back of his shirt  
“PLEASE DON’T EAT ME! Wait...you’re uh..Jim’s brother! Bult? Wait don’t hurt me WAIT WAIT JIM SAID YOU CAN’T HURT ME JIM SAID YOU CAN’T HURT ME JIM SAID-”  
“BE QUIET!.” Bular growled out. He pulled Toby’s face close to his. The looks of blood and gore dripping down Bular’s face. Bular licked his mouth to clean off the gore, or at least a bit. He eyed Toby  
“what are you doing here little whelp?”  
“i uh...Jim...uh….heyyy let’s pretend-”  
“silence. hm...what should I do with you?” Bular licked his lips again, he sniffed Toby over then turned back around to the horribly mutilated fresh corpse.  
“I was in the middle of my dinner. You interrupted me.”  
“If y-y-ou let m-me go I can tooootaalllyyy leave and l-let you f-finish!”  
“no. I need to figure out what to do with you. Hmm...” Bular tightened his grip around Toby now, making sure he wouldn’t fall out. Strong enough to keep him still, but not to hurt him.  
“w-what are-”  
“be quiet.”  
“i-”  
“be QUIET!. You will speak when I say so.” Bular sniffed and looked all around before starting to make his way deeper into the forest with Toby in his hand.  
“w-where”  
“be quiet,” Toby was on the verge of having a panic attack. If he just had gone home, he wouldn’t be here! But noooo he had to be a loyal and loving friend who had to make sure everything would be alright! Well...Bular won’t hurt him right? Jim said he couldn’t!. 

 

A surprisingly quiet and intense few minutes passed before Bular stopped in a small openings in the trees.  
“there. Now no one will be able to hear your screams and cries. Do not soil yourself in my hand. You will listen. You will pay attention. I will NOT repeat myself. Now then, you saw something you shouldn’t have. I can’t let you go running off. I don’t trust you. Even if you say you’re trustworthy, I don’t believe it. My brother might have a fondness for you. But I don’t. My brother made me promise not to hurt you, or eat you. Believe it or not, but I always keep my word. So I won’t. That doesn’t mean an accident can’t happen. They happen all the time. If you fell off a cliff and plummeted to your doom, that wasn’t my fault you fell. Nod if you understand. Good. Very good. What do you think I should do with you? I can’t let you go back. And I don’t feel like holding onto you for the rest of your short life. So, you may speak now, quietly.”  
“y-y-y-you d-don’t have to do anything! I know everything! it’s okay! Just let me go-”  
“what do you mean. Everything.”  
“Jim and you and your dad are gumm-gumm’s and you eat people and you plan on coming up top to take over and Jim said I would be safe and he’s a prince and-”  
“you know all this? Hmm...now I REALLY can’t let you go. My brother is foolish in thinking he can let another know. You will speak your human ways and spread it around. Eventually certain beings will find out and kill him. You will cause my brothers death. I will prevent it by causing yours.”  
“nononononoon! Plleaassseee don’t! I promise! I can keep secrets! I have for a really really long time! Talk to Jim! He will vouch for me!”. Bular glared at him silently for at least 5 minutes of pure terror.  
“alright.”  
“..uh…what?”  
“alright. I will allow my brother to vouch for you. He has good reasoning. I will let you go and live your small human life until you eventually die.”  
“just….like that?”  
“yes. Just like that.”  
“uh...oookay...so….”  
“this is what I’m going to do. I’m going to take you back to your hut. You will STAY THERE until my brother returns from what I assume was a hunt that you know of. And you will tell him he MUST take you to meet our father. He will decide on what to do.”  
“m-meet your….dad?”  
“yes.”  
“uh...so...you...take me home...Jim takes me to meet dad….and...that’s it? No throwing me off a cliff, no taking a bite out of me, no-” Bular made a surprisingly smooth calm whispering voice.  
“shhhhhh sh sh shhh. No more speaking boy. I don’t want to hear a single whimper out of you as I take you back to your hut. Yes, I know where it is. I’ve seen you both inside. I’ve watched you both. Not for long, just to make sure things are going as they’re supposed to. Nod if you understand. Good. You will also not tell my brother about an ‘accident’. That is between you and me. You said you can keep secrets. Then prove it. Now, let’s put you back in your little human hut like a toy in a toy box.” with that, Bular started to walk through the forest.  
“i...okay okay I know you said no talking but I just have to say this one last thing. I uh, well my bikes back where I saw...-”  
“shhhh. I will return it to your hut once I’ve put you in it. Nod if you understand. Good. Now no more speaking.”

The walk was….relaxing?. Toby was tired. He was still horribly afraid, but to the point where he just kinda gave into it. Bualr wouldn’t hurt him! Bular is just going to take him home. And so far, he’s doing just that. No need to panic. The walk ended, Bular came in front of Toby’s house, put him down on his feet gently, told him to go inside and wait. Then just like that, Bular walked away surprisingly quietly after watching Toby enter his home. Toby couldn’t stop shivering and shaking as he waited in his room. He couldn’t focus on anything else besides that deep powerful scary voice. The black as night tough stone body. Those blood red eyes that felt like they were piercing into you. No wonder Jim didn’t want him to meet anyone. He was like something from a horrific nightmare come to life! Eventually Jim came through the window with a cheerful voice  
“okay! All done! By tomorrow every-you okay Tobes?”  
“uh...it’s…..your brother….”

…………………………………………………………

Toby told him about everything. Jim silently sat there in his nest, angry that his brother man handled his best friend and almost made him crap his pants. Jim was almost entirely….nervous. Bular told him to show Toby to their dad. Jim had to do it. He had no choice. Either that or...he wasn’t even sure. He no doubt knew that Bular told their father about what was happening. Now it was just a matter of time before Jim HAD to bring his best friend to meet dear old dad.

“well, you know how I said no human could go to my home without dying? Well it….technically is true….humans CAN be there, it’s not like some radiation or crushing pressure or anything. it’s just that, well, we eat people. The second they see someone, it’s suddenly chow time.” Jim had promised that he wouldn’t leave Toby’s side. They would be next to one another every second. Nothing bad would happen to him, as long as he just listened and followed Jim’s instructions.  
“so, you must always wonder how I go back and forth huh”  
“i assumed you took a troll bus”  
“haha, actually that would be pretty neat if that were a thing. No, I actually use this baby! Neat right?”  
“its like a pocket watch?”  
“not exactly. See it’s this amulet thingy, I turn the dial around, the angry troll face glows green, and poof. I’m in my room.”  
“that’s it? Just. Poof?”  
“yep just poof, well with a green flash, but that’s it.”  
“huh, so, you can just come and go whenever?”  
“yeah pretty much”  
“that’s...neat!”  
“right? Beats taking a troll bus”

……………………………………………………………….

It was the next day. The two had prepared to go. Toby, nervous as all hell of course, while Jim was just as much, but in a different way.  
“you ready?”  
“I’m ready to poof!”  
“cool”  
“so….there won’t be like, some weird accident right? Like I don’t get fused to you or anything?”  
“honestly, I don’t know. I doubt it, buuuut it only ever works for me. It was made that way. Bular has his own, those are the only two. So yeah, uh..here...hold my hand, juuust in case something happens and you do get fused to me.” Toby stood right up against Jim practically hugging him  
“uh...yeah...Jimbo...I’m ready! Hahah!”  
“well, let’s go meet dad!”

the regular bright flash of green light was made.  
poof

 

“alright here we are”  
“huh..really that was it...”  
“told you”  
“WHOOOAAA THIS IS YOUR ROOM?! IT’S HUGE!”  
“right? So over there is my nest, suuuper perfect!”  
“it’s huge! Woooow it’s sooo soft! AH! I could sleep forever in this thing!”  
“over there are my bookshelves”  
“there’s sooo many books! they’re crammed! awww look! Photos of us! Aww look at how young we were in highschool. Ugh, those braces.”  
“yeah right?, over there is my skull collecti-uh...”  
“you collect skulls? that’s cool! oh...loooota human ones...huh...”  
“ignore those. Anyways over there-”  
“lots of...human skulls around your nest too...huh...”  
“juuust ignore that. Anyways that’s my bathroom! Well, just my bathtub and my toilet and my sink behind a big screen.”  
“you have like, 50 shampoos and conditioners!”  
“yeah, trust me, with this fur, it takes FOREVER to wash and clean properly”  
“whoooaaa weird dark circle with more….human...skulls...”  
“okay so...well doesn’t matter anymore about being a secret. Buuut there IS magic, not like, videogame stuff, but magicy stuff? Hard to explain. Anyways I’m all edgy and only practice the darkest of magics!”  
“you can actually do magic?! Like, not tricks and shit but REAL MAGIC?!”  
“yeee!”  
“wow now my skills look like shit. show me!”  
“uh...well...it’s...difficult...you have to do everything PERFECTLY and then there's a lot of different kind of magics and the way to do them and all this crap. okay, think math. it's like learning math but a LOT harder. and then imagine science, how there are just a shit ton of different studies and fields? it's kinda like that. magic in TV shows and movies aren't the same as what it actually is. it's not as fun as you would think. it's really, really hard. 'hey it's magic! I'll focus and learn everything!' well you don't have that mood usually. well i don't, and pretty much everyone i met feels the same, welp! whatever it doesn't matter, so do you get what i mean?”  
“yeah!”  
“Guess who’s trying to learn how to resurrect the dead”  
“like a litch?!”  
“yee!”  
“awweeeesssooommmeeee saaauuuucccceee!”  
“yeah! So far I can’t do jack shit. I mean, I made a gnome’s leg twitch but that’s about it.”  
“gnome?”  
“long story, little beings who are kinda like the equivalent of troll rats. they’re vermin”  
“ah, man look at all the glowing crystals! AHH I JUST NOTICED HOW FREEZING IT IS HERE!”  
“shit I should have told you to bring a jacket. Well yeah, this place has NO SUN or heat of any kind really”  
“no wonder you’re never cold! You lived here for 93 years?!”  
“yeeee!. Well I’ll show you around the darklands. that’s what this place is called. I’ll explain our little history too”

………………………………………………..

Jim had explained EVERYTHING to Toby. From the first day of coming to high school, to the exact moment they were in.  
“I DIDN’T KNOW YOU HAD SUCH A COOL LIFE! ALL BAD ASS AND SHIT! So much danger and violence and holy crap! Right in front of me!!!!”  
“yep!”  
“so….you’re LITERALLY sleeping with the trollhunters son AND you’re owned by the kanj guy whatever!? I was wondering about that mark, I just thought it was some tattoo.”  
“yeah, that’s why Kanjigar CAN’T KNOW, and my dad and brother and NO ONE ELSE can know I’m still with Kanjigar and Draal. Okay?”  
“i tooootally get it! Now everything makes perfect sense! No wonder you’re gone for like, ever, then come back out of nowhere! And the trollhunters are like, the good guys, and you’re the bag guys? That’s craazzyyy! WHOOOAAA THIS IS THE DARKLANDS?! IT’S SOOO COOOOLLLDDD! AND TWISTY AND..well..DARK! Everything looks kinda vomit inducing HOLY SHIT I JUST LOOKED DOWN”  
“yeah, don’t look down. And watch your step!”  
“AHHH NOT FUNNY JIM!”  
“what? I pulled you back!”  
“CAUSE YOU PUSHED ME!”  
“speaking of. Okay, I know I know I know I said I wouldn’t leave your side. But I want to get you a coat or blanket or something so you don’t freeze to death, it can’t happen, buuut I don’t want you to get sick or whatever. I will be RIGHT BACK. Stay here. I won’t be gone but for a few seconds. K?”  
“uh...okay...”  
“stay put.”

Toby now stood still. Trying not to move or look over the side again. He shook from the cold and warmed himself up. He heard loud clinking noises coming closer  
“Jim? That you buddy?...you’re not Jim….WHOA OKAY YOU’RE NOT JIM!” a few guards pointed their spears at Toby. Shouting something at him that he had NO IDEA what they were saying. He held up his arms and tried to make it look like he was surrendering. One of the guards came in front of him and put a sack over his head. Toby was suddenly being dragged away…

………………………………………………………………..

“Okay, sorry about that, I got you a little blanket! Nice and cozy and warm! Hey, where are you? Well shit. I KNOW you wouldn’t just lea-oh shit the guards!...OH SHIT IT’S DAD’S FEEDING TIME!”

……………………………………………………………………….

Toby’s eyes needed to adjust as the sack was suddenly pulled away and he was tossed onto the hard cold stone ground  
“ow! Why did-whoa….” He stopped talking and looked around in bewilderment. He has NEVER seen anything remotely close to this before!. The stone, the statues, the cages, the cracked ground, the crystals, everything glowing! The entire atmosphere seemed to just radiate malice and spite. Hunger and violence. Even the very stones seemed to want to fight, or at least, try to hurt you.

Thump

thump

THUMP.

“hm...a little young. Very plump.” Toby heard growl noises, the same Jim and Bular made, then felt a hot breath fall onto his back. He turned around and noticed Gunmar  
“hmm...you look familiar. Have I eaten any of your relatives? Well, I guess you’ll join them soon enough.” Toby was frozen in fear. He couldn’t move or scream even though he WANTED TO! Toby gasped as he felt the sharp claws start to dig into his arms  
“DAD NO STOP NO DON’T EAT TOBY!” Jim screamed then did a tuck and roll straight into Toby, grabbing him and pulled him behind his back when Jim stood them both up.  
“NO DAD DON’T EAT HIM!”  
“why not?”  
“THIS ISN’T YOUR FOOD, THIS IS TOBY!”

………………………………………………………..

“that’s your dad?! Holy fuck! he’s huge! he’s bigger than your brother! He’s terrifying! Holy shit! How are you two related?!” Toby whisper shouted behind Jim  
“yeah he is, uh, okay so….that...was a rough start...uh...okay! Well, Toby this is dad, and dad this is Toby.”  
“uh hi...dad...guy...”  
“shit, uh his name is Gunmar”  
“hi gunnar”  
“no GunMAR”  
“gunma”  
“Toby”  
“I’M SORRY OKAY, YOU TRY DEALING WITH THIS THE FIRST TIME. I ALMOST CRAPPED MYSELF! AND HERE I THOUGHT ‘OH NO IT’S ALRIGHT TOBES, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY ANYTHING COULD GET EVEN MORE TERRIFYING, AFTER ALL YOU SAW JIM EAT A PERSON AND THEN SAW HIS BROTHER. OHH LOOK THIS IS WHERE JIM LIVES, WELL I GUESS THIS IS THE LIMIT TO THE SCARE FACTOR BUT NOOO! SUDDENLY IT SHOT OUT THE FUCKING CEILING!’”  
“yeah I was afraid of that. Good job not doing it at least”

Gunmar stared directly at Toby, unblinking and serious  
“dad, so yeah, this is Toby, my best friend, one of the, well actually THE most important human to me. Toby, wana say hi?”  
“I’m...good...uh I mean HI!” Jim pulled Toby in front of himself, Toby of course tried to stop it by pulling himself back and pushing his legs against the ground. Gunmar made a quiet voice  
“send him forward.” Toby laughed with clenched teeth, feeling Jim push him a bit, clearly giving the  
‘walk to my dad please and I promise he won’t hurt you’ signal. Toby walked until he was a couple feet before Gunmar. Swallowing and nervously he spoke  
“hi...uh...yeah...my name is Toby...uh...and yeah I’m Jim’s best friend...” Gunmar bent down and a sniffed at Toby then huffed air out of his nose  
“so. This is the human my son is so affectionate to. He praises you highly.”  
“t-thanks...”  
“how lucky do you think yourself?”  
“v-v-v-very?”  
“My first born son, Bular, has informed me of everything.”  
“yeah uh….he told me that...” Gunmar leaned in closer. Toby gagged as the hot rancid breath of rotting meat and gore hit him. He almost was on the verge on vomiting, he held it down, wouldn’t exactly be a good introduction if he suddenly hurled in front of his best friends father. Even if said father was a living walking nightmare of a creature  
“you understand that I will rule the surface world. Correct?”  
“yes! I totally will accept you as my dark...troll..king...guy”  
“you will be one of the lucky few who will not be killed and eaten. That is my son’s privilege. That is his wish.”  
“I’ve been told that a lot of times, which I’m very happy for it! Totally not ungrateful!”  
“he will own you as his slave.”  
“yes! I totally accept that!”  
“i see to it that I make my sons happy. Their lives enjoyable. Those who are loyal to me are well rewarded. Does my son hide anything from me?”  
“nope! Not that I know of! He told me your plans your, uh, kingly trollness, and you’re gumm-gumms and the trollhunters kinda kicked your as-” Jim cleared his throat loudly.  
“what he’s trying to say is. I have told him our FULL history. Sparing no detail. He knows of our plans and our goals and everything, except the changelings. He doesn’t need to know that right now. he’s super loyal and knows that if anything were to happen, I would deal with him personally. I’ve trusted him my whole life and he’s never once went behind my back and did something he wasn’t supposed to. I am literally willing to put my own life on the line to vouch for him.”

Toby tried to slowly back away from Gunmar, as much as he could. Until Gunmar leaned in further.  
“Jim is willing to put his own life on the line for a human. A regular small human. A son of Gunmar, willing to put his own neck out, just for something so small, weak, tasty, and fleeting as you are. Nothing is greater than one of my dark spawn, except for me. All others are beneath us. Willing to kill themselves without hesitation if commanded. If you truly are loyal. Then you will accept me as your ruler and do as I command.”  
“uh dad, he-”  
“silence. I want the boy to speak.”  
“dad i-”  
“no. let him speak.” Toby swallowed, he couldn’t form any words.  
“well? Are you willing to obey my every word?”  
“if...j-jim w-wants m-me t-”  
“i didn’t say my son. I said for ME”  
“uh...uh…..” Toby looked to Jim who wasn’t sure himself  
“i….wow this is heavy and hot in here suddenly? Never thought this would happen in my life. Okay uh….y….yes?”  
“is that a question or an answer?”  
“uh...a-answer?”  
“that still sounds like a question”  
“yes! I uh, will listen and do as you command..o...kingly..troll...lord..”  
“good. you are my sons little pet. I trust my son’s judgment. If he vouches for you, then it must be true. This is the one time he’s ever done that for anyone, including trolls. You seem to be a good little human. You have the honor of being the first human I have encountered that I have not eaten. My very first human to be allowed to live among my kingdom. You should feel honored, no one else shall receive this, at least, for the moment. You will do well by my son’s side.”  
“i-i-i j-j-im”  
“you stutter so much. Is he alright?”  
“yeah dad he...well...he’s pretty freaked out...he’s really not...well, used to any of this. This is all very very overwhelming for him.”  
“hm.”  
“Dad...is...everything….okay?”  
“yes. He is truly loyal. He accepts me as his ruler. He understands his place. He makes you more than happy. He may live.” Gunmar leans in, his head above Toby’s very own and calmly whispers  
“i have no need to explain what happens if you ever betray me or my son. You seem to be smart little human. Good.” Gunmar made little growls in his throat. He was quiet, as was everyone else. Until he spoke softly once more  
“You will stay here for the time being.” Toby and Jim looked at one another  
“uh...what?”  
“he will stay within your room.”  
“he...he can’t….live here dad, he has to take care of his Nana, her and his cats”  
“and our homework! Oh shit we have that project due tomorrow!”

“he will stay here. You may both leave to your….colge...but you are both to return here when night falls. As per my rule. As for his nan, he will tend to her needs, then come back here.”  
“Gun-Dark under troll guy..uh..well, it’s sorta hard to just leave her alone for long, she’s legally blind so she has a hard time doing a lot of things”  
“Blind? hm. You will figure out a way to give her aid while you are here.”  
“why does he need to be here dad?”  
“i want to see him with my own eye. I want to watch him closely. I want to understand him. I want to try to see him as you see him. Human fathers do that for their son’s, don’t they to-be?”  
“oh uh...i guess? I actually don’t have parents….my mom and dad died when I was really young, I don’t even know them. I only know what my Nana tells me about them.”  
“hm. Motherless and fatherless.”  
“yeah...when I was 2 years old, they won this state lottery-” Jim suddenly explained  
“human gambling, for wealth and riches, high rewards by chance and luck dad, usually you loose.”  
“-and well, to celebrate they went on a world cruise-”  
“biiig fancy boat people take to celebrate and have fun on, lots of neat foods and activities of all kinds that goes around the world”  
“-and there was a storm, well, they never made it back”

Gunmar’s eye seemed to relax a bit  
“so. You lost your parents when you were hardly a whelp. I’ve no doubt my son explained to you about his mother.”  
“yeah, he has” Gunmar had a long period of silence. His sight never breaking from Toby’s.  
“he is to stay here for the meantime. Show him our kingdom. I will announce that he is not to be eaten or harmed, and that he is owned by you.”  
“thanks dad...how...long?”  
“long enough. Until I say so. Now, i want you to introduce him to Blinkous and Arrrg, if he is to understand your life more, then he needs to know them as well.” Jim smiled with satisfaction  
“you got it dad!”  
“why is there a gaggle tag on your belt?”  
“what? OH it’s a long story, well to keep it short, I lost a bet. I had to wear something, it was either this or a santa hat or a lamp for like, a month or something. So I chose the horseshoe, er, gaggletag. Seemed easier to wear than a santa hat, might fall off, and I don’t want a lamp strapped to me the entire time. So bam! Horseshoe on my belt! Or, gaggletag on my belt. You get what I mean”  
“hm” Gunmar sniffed at Toby more before puffing out of his nose, rising up, turning around and walking back to his throne…..


	27. company for the path i walk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby has almost been broken....or is now. At least a portion. 
> 
>  
> 
> Good news is learned. Kanjigar couldn't be happier.
> 
>  
> 
> Betrayer had failed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW writing this took a while! glad to have finally finished it! Don't worry! Toby's gonna be fine!....right?  
> it's not like everything finally comes to light once and for all, overwhelms you, and then makes you just a liiiittlle unhinged.   
> it's not like everyday you learn of the morbid things that go bump in the night are truly living around you.  
> the plans for the end of the world are totally okay to learn about! and see with your own eyes!
> 
>  
> 
> At least Kanjigar is happy!

Years earlier…..

……………………………………………………………………………..

“Dad, you talk about the eternal night...what is it? The sun always goes down and returns” Jim walked along his fathers side as they made their way through the darklands to go to the throne room.   
“Blinky doesn’t really tell me much about it, he said I had more important things to be taught. I was just curious is all, it clearly is important to you, so it’s important to me too! I want to do everything I can to help!” Gunmar smirked and felt pride swell within his heart. His son so loyal, so loving, having such a strong desire to simply serve him in every way.  
“The eternal night. It Is something of great importance. It will forever block out the sun, causing, well, an eternal night. Without the sun, nothing will ever impede our forces from marching across the world. That is what it is my little whelp. Once we bring it, there will be very little to stop us. When that happens, we may travel wherever whenever. No longer cursed from the blight of the sun. no longer restrained to the night”  
“oh….well that sounds cool”  
“cool? Why does it sound like a temperature difference?”  
“no, it’s just a human term for something that is great!”  
“ah. Then it is ‘cool’ indeed”  
“so how exactly would that happen?”  
“we search for that answer along with other answers we seek.”  
“oh, well I hope it’s soon dad! I really want to make you proud! I’m going to break you out of here! I’m going to find the way to break the curse! I’m going to do my best! I want to be the one to personally do it!” Jim spoke excitedly, as if he was going to get an amazing present the next day. Gunmar smiled more, the pride swelled.

………………………………………………………………………

….. “this place is MASSIVE! LIKE, IS IT BIGGER THAN THE GRAND CANYON?!” Toby’s voice echoed throughout the massive decrepit environment. He pulled the blanket that Jim gave him closer, it really was helping to stave off the endless cold.   
“hmmm good question Tobes, I really don’t know, I’ve never been there in person, also the darklands is kinda like a whole different world? I think so. it’s not like, a different dimension, at least I don’t think so. it’s honestly really hard to describe, even to us!”  
“this place is so...amazing! And scary! it’s like some final evil video game level!”  
“and my dad, the final boss”  
“he can glow! Like you! Well, you glow like him! Mmaaaannn he’s sooo scary!”  
“yeah, just between the two of us, even I get scared of him”  
“has he ever like...hurt...you?”  
“ehhh yeah, not like, how human parents would their kids, it’s more like training, other than that, no”  
“oh neat! So is there super weird or magical stuff in here?! Like some weird giant ghost haunting this place?”   
“THAT would be fun! No other than some small creatures, goblins, those giant worm things I told you about, and gumm-gumm’s, that’s all that there is”  
“huh, no wonder you didn’t know ANYTHING when you came to the surface!”  
“exactly! Now you see it from my perspective”  
“that all makes sense now! No wonder you were so awkward and weird. No offense!”  
“nah none taken”  
“So who’s blinus and arrg?”  
“Blinkous, although I call him Blinky”  
“why? I mean it’s a lot easier”  
“exactly! Plus when I was a little kid, you know, yee old age of a little over 50, I couldn’t say his full name, and the nickname just stuck”  
“weird to think that around 40 years, we would be best friends. can I just call him Blinky too? Or is that rude”  
“sure! Only because you’re my friend, no one else gets to call him that, well except for my dad and bular and Arrrg, other than that, no one”  
“so who is Arrrg? Like a dog?”  
“no, but hes considered a hound. Long story short, more wild, feral, powerful, loyal, high ranking gumm-gumms are called hounds. it’s actually a big honor”  
“neat”  
“alright, here we are!”  
“i just see a dark spooky hallway like in a horror movie”  
“it’s what’s on the other side, and yeah it does” as the two excited the hallway, they came upon a large, mostly gumm-gumm made, training ground. There are more than enough of them scattered about, however this one was a private one just for the ‘family’ to use. Gunmar will fight Arrrg here, or Bular, or both at once, that truly is something to behold. Bular and Arrrg of course used it themselves, they had better equipment than any other training ground. When Jim started to train with Arrrg, they brought in far easier, more simple things to practice against. 

 

(look. I don’t feel like explaining this. Just imagine it’s a training ground, except in the darklands, duh XD)

 

Toby was once again, awed by everything. His sight came back down when he noticed from the corner of his eye someone standing next to him. Turning, he saw the 6 eyes looking at him  
“GAH!” Toby backed up and fell into Jim’s chest  
“Master Jim! Welcome home”  
“thanks Blinky, oh! This is Blinky, Blinky this is Toby”  
“ohh so I finally get to meet the human in person! I’ve read and studied so much about your kind! The cultures and histories! What time period is your favorite?”  
“uuuh, I don’t really have one?”  
“Blinky we usually don’t focus on that kind of thing. OH and please don’t bombard him with questions about all the things you’ve learned he’s very….simple. No offense Tobes”  
“none taken! As long as I don’t die haha...ha...” Toby backed up a bit, wanting some ‘breathing room’ away from the newly met Troll. A shadow formed over him a bit and he felt someone sniffing on his back lightly, tickling almost. He turned around and was once again startled.  
“hi”  
“oh uh...hi...big...troll...dude...”  
“Tobes, that’s Arrrg. Arrrg, that’s Toby. Also only I get to call him Tobes”  
“hi”  
“hey..wow...you’re another big one...”  
“thank you”  
“i should probably explain who they are. Tobes, Blinky is my dads royal adviser and my primary caretaker. he’s the one who taught me everything I knew before coming to the surface, and still does. Arrrg is, like I said, one of my dads hounds, actually THE top hound. He’s the strongest and most blood thirsty in our whole kingdom”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“Hi”  
“hi”  
“hi”  
“Hi”  
“h-”  
“oookay no more needing to say hi Arrrg, and you repeating it Tobes. Well so, I’m going to do a short explanation as to why he’s here. So, I told him everything, it was sorta….not planned in the way I wanted to, but well, one thing lead to another and I told him. He then ran into Bular by accident, who didn’t like that I told Tobes everything. So he came here and told dad Tobes HAD to do a meet and greet. And well, here we are! Showing the rest of my little family. OH Tobes, these are my ‘adopted uncles’ I always talked about”  
“ohhh these guys are? I always imagined them being more like you”  
“nope! Like I said, kinda the only half troll around. Never even met one of my kind before, I think I told you that already sometime waay back when”  
“okay. Well uh hi-”  
“no more saying hi! We all know each other, now we’re going to learn MORE about each other. Now all at once. But overtime. So, Tobes, wana watch me fight a bit?”  
“like, with Steve those few times?”  
“nope! Like ACTUAL fighting. Using my ACTUAL skills. Remember how I told you about me larping? Well, this is actually the real thing. I know how to kill, well you already know that, but I mean like, trained with swords and armor and stuff”  
“that’s so….AWESOME! I WANT TO SEE YOU KICK ASS!”  
“great! Arrrg, we’re going to do a little demonstration, just for fun, nothing serious”  
“gotcha”  
“OH WAIT before we start, Tobes wana see something awesome? Arrrg, go over there and smash that boulder. Be angry”  
“gotcha-AAAHAHHRHRHRHR” Arrrg lit up, his eyes changed, and he went into his battle frenzy. He crashed into the boulder and started to thrash around until it was nothing but dust and pebbles. He then calmed down shortly after.  
“did it!”  
“Great job big guy! Thing is Tobes, when he gets all angry and violent he glow”  
“i thought only you and your dad could glow”  
“nah, to US it’s like a super power, other trolls can just naturally glow, but it doesn’t do anything. Arrrgs been trained to be violent on the spot, and power up”  
“awesome sauce!”

………………………………………………………….

Toby couldn’t sit still. He bounced and cheered, watching Jim fight. The half troll really let loose his full abilities. Diving, hacking and slashing, rolling and jumping, stabbing and thrusting forwards. Jim used a basic sword, dull and simple, but strong enough to endure. He and Arrrg just laughed and had fun. Arrrg would grab Jim and crush him into the ground or punch him away or throw him. Toby was kinda freaked out that all that stuff would kill Jim, but it seemed to totally not effect him. Sometimes even the floor would crack from the intense strength. Jim flipped Arrrg over and beat him in the chest arm, to which Arrrg grabbed and squeezed him, then slammed him into the ground.   
“pretty cool huh Tobes? okay big guy, I think we’ve had our fun for now, thanks for helping me show him”  
“happy! More later?”  
“mayyybbeeee, we’ll have to see. Alright, let’s go Tobes, we have a couple more spots to stop at.”..

…………………………………………………………………

“...aaaannndd down there are the training grounds, well one of like, 50 or whatever”   
“whoaaaa! Sooo many soldiers to...uh...”  
“yeah...anyways, over here is their mess hall, it’s pretty neat in there. I mean, loud, messy, rowdy gumm-gumm alphas fist fighting and drinking and arm wrestling, but they know how to have fun when off the clock. The second I walk in EVERYONE gets quiet, I tell them to keep at it and have fun! Some do, others really try not to move or be loud, at least as much as they can. I’m pretty sure they think I’m here to watch them and report to my dad about how they’re acting. After all, soldiers must be willing to fight and die at any second, so being drunk and having fun, not exactly something dad enjoys. I never report anything, they want to let loose! Have fun! Life is stressful! I totally get it!. OH! And guess what? I have my OWN ARMY! Well, it’s a really small group of my own personal infantry, but still. Bular has his own, except his is MASSIVE! Like, I guess It could be seen as dad 90%, Bular 9%, and me 1% of ownership, but I can’t exactly make a comparison, and dad is the leader so he owns all of them of course. “  
“wow! You have your own army! that’s so cool! When you...uh...”  
“yeah anyways let’s move onto something less ‘end game’ thinking.”  
“thanks….you know..how I feel...”  
“it’s fine. If I were in your shoes, I would feel the exact same. So! believe it or not but must of us haven’t even mapped ALL of the darklands, it’s massive! Well, clearly as you can see.”  
“so how much HAVE you guys mapped out and explored and stuff?”  
“i dunno. We really don’t know how big this place is. It could be the size of a continent, or a state, or whatever. Maybe we are about to find the end of it, or maybe we’ve only explored 1% of it. Always finding new places! Except as you can see, it’s not exactly ‘new jaw dropping discoveries’”  
“yeah I could see that. Man this place gives me vertigo”  
“oh yeah it still does for me, you sorta have to relax your eyes slowly and not take everything in at once”  
“hey...Jim..do..i hear...babies?”  
“huh?”  
“it sounds like...human babies over there”  
“uhhh NOPE! Nah it’s the wind! Mixed with whatever is lurking over there, and, uh, stuff? Well it doesn’t matter, if it did then I would have shown you! OH! Fun thing! Want to go watch the soldiers train and fight to the death?”  
“uh...not...really death, I don’t know, killing in video games is nothing like watching it in real life”  
“yeah, it’s really stressful on anyone, well except us. But still”  
“haha...i need like, a sanity meter...”  
“you okay? Want to go back?”  
“uh...we...can walk some more”  
“it’s okay Tobes, if you don’t feel good physically or mentally, we can leave, I really just want to make sure you feel okay”  
“i uh...yeah this is all pretty...well...a lot to take in at once..uh...haha...getting a liiiiiitttlleee unhinged.”  
“yeah I was afraid of that….i….i know I keep repeating myself, but I NEVER intended for you to be involved with this AT ALL. You were NEVER supposed to find out or experience this or just, be aware about it until...well you know. One thing lead to another and suddenly...here you are”  
“Jim I...yeah this isn’t exactly ‘hanging out and going to the movies’ fun friend hangout sesh. it’s terrifying. I think everything is slowly actually catching up to me...haha...uh...right under our feet is the army that’s going to bring the end of the world, your dad an ancient warlord bent on destroying humanity, and you being a gumm-gumm, and a prince, and his son, and wanting to break him out as fast as you can, WHICH I’M NOT JUDGING! I just….” Jim slowly came in for a hug, pulling Toby close to him, head on top of head, then gently spoke  
“I’m so so sorry for this. I never wanted you to be involved. If I could, I’d help you forget all of this” Toby started to crack up and laugh like a maniac  
“y-you want to know what’s so funny?! If I never asked for that pencil, none of this would have happened to me!”  
“I...i wish I could help you forget. I feel so so awful. I wish I could just...take everything away from you...i mean...well, you know”  
“i think I’m starting to crack a little! I...you’re my best friend and this is my life now! it’s…..amazing! Horrifying, but amazing!”  
“it...is?”  
“yeah! I mean, school, job, education, bills, taxes, society in general, I don’t have to worry about any of that ever again! I’m free! I can just do whatever I want now!”  
“uh...Tobes...you can’t just….go around breaking the laws”  
“oh I know that! But you get what I mean! This is amazing! I mean, if I never asked for that pencil. I would have just spent my life alone and scared, sad and just dull. Nothing exciting and just a day to day job that slowly saps my very soul out until I finally croak. But THIS! THIS is so different! I know about magic and shit! And you! I feel free! In a weird way! I get a life NO ONE ELSE gets to have! I always thought my life would just be plain and miserable in it’s own way! But now! Now I know it NEVER WILL! It gets to be exciting and dangerous and fun and our own special secret! I never have to wake up and feel like its another mundane life for me! From here on out, it’s only crazy and unpredictable! it’s like an actual anime or fantasy or sci fi or whatever come to life! I get to live something amazing! Even if it’s a horror fantasy! it’s still soooo much better than just boring life!”

“are you….okay?”  
“nope! Everything’s finally setting in and I’m like, evil Toby now!”  
“Evil Toby?”  
“yeah! No more having to worry about bullies or assholes or anyone around me acting terrible! I can just sick you on them! Problem solved!”  
“uh...okay? I mean yeah totally, but...I think I might have broken you too much...”  
“maybe! But YOU’RE MINE! ALL MINE! No one else gets to have this! This is my life now! And it’s amazing! I want to learn about magic! I want to learn about swords and shit! I want to live next to a prince and have an amazing life! I mean, I love my life, our friends, nana, my cats, my home, but this! This is like, my second special life now!”  
“i guess it really is…..I think I need to help you”  
“okay, I get it, I’m acting weird and crazy, but come on! This is your home! Not some boring Arcadia house! When I say ‘hey wana head to your place and hangout?’ it’s not just some room! IT’S AN ENTIRE FUCKING WORLD! HAHAH haha...oh god I feel like I’m going to throw up. I think I need a nap.”  
“you...gonna be okay?”  
“yeah...i...freaked out a little...clearly...I’m calm...ish….i just...needed to get that out of my system...okay! Still freaking out! But now that I said it, a lot of it has now been purged from my system. WHEW that felt good. Okay! let’s do whatever! This is my life, I want to know allll about it! I’m excited!”  
“clearly...i...think...you …..i broke a perfectly innocent person...great...now I can add that to the list of what terrible things I’ve done”  
“Jim you did sorta break me, but hey, this is fun! It’s not like you told me you were some junkie. Only someone who’s totally going to bring the end of the world and eats people, totally fine!”  
“Okay, all jokes aside, I actually am worried about your mental health now”  
“i need this to settle in more. I...need a breather I guess...”  
“well, dad said we need to figure out how to take care of your nana while you start living down here for however long.”  
“huh, shit yeah how am I gonna...oh! I think I know the person...as for me living down here, guess it’s time to help me move!”  
“you just need some stuff, not a whole lot, you aren’t moving down here forever! Just until dad...gets to know you I guess, don’t worry, he won’t harm a hair on your head….well...just...make sure he’s happy and you don’t get him mad, something kinda easy to do, buuuut just make sure to listen and follow him and answer things as basic as possible, unless it comes to yourself or me, other than that, just keep calm and feel like you belong. Totally not easy I know, that’s an understatement actually. But I promise. As long as he likes you, or at least understands just how much you mean to me, he won’t care about you being here anymore”  
“okay, okay, okay, I can deal! Hahaha! I hope!”  
“believe it or not, but he’s REALLY going to try his best to get to know you, do what ‘regular fathers’ do. He knows NOTHING on the subject, so he’s prob gonna ask you a bunch of questions, if you don’t know how to answer them, just say you don’t know how and or you’ve never experienced it.”  
“gottcha. Well can’t wait to really get to know your dad aka my new dark evil world ending king!”  
“yeah….yay….do you need to talk? I mean like, a serious one, like you gave me when you learned...well...me”  
“nah I’m good!!!….okay maybe a little one, later. I need fresh air. And a nice walk to clear my head. Not here I mean, clearly, but this is my new life! Gotta learn how to understand and deal with it!”  
“yeah..fresh air...uh, hey let’s go to the surface and just sorta, do the fresh air and walk and help settle your mind”  
“sounds goooood!”

…………………………………………………..  
Toby and Jim had teleport back to the surface, they walked around a bit back to Toby’s home.  
“wow….this is like, SO OPPOSITE! it’s weird! Like suddenly waking up from some nightmare and still being half asleep so everything’s super weird”  
“right? How do you think I felt when I first came up top”  
“wow! it’s so….CRAZY! My mind still is having such trouble just...figuring it all out! Like, this place is so...solid, familiar, just...life! Then where we just were….so opposite! I just, I DON’T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT IN WORDS!”  
“exactly how I felt my first time. So, you got to experience the ‘Jim’ life for the first time. Whaddya think?”  
“my brain is mush and scrambling to figure out everything while not trying to melt in fear and excitement at the same time”  
“yeah that’s what I thought”  
“wow...i just...wow….it’s sorta disorienting, like spinning around and then suddenly stopping”  
“yep! You get used to it, and eventually it just doesn’t affect you”  
“i feel like I might vomit”  
“then do it, get it allll out of your system. I want you to be as healthy mentally and physically as possible. I do NOT want to ruin you. Well, anymore than I already have.”  
“clearly my mind is blown the fuck up, but I think I could get used to it...so...super evil trolls and magic and world ending. Fun. uh...so….well here we are! Uh first, let’s go talk to the perfect woman to help Nana...”

…………………………………………………………………..

 

“well of course that would be fine! I’m happy to help” Toby, Barbara, and Jim stood on her porch.  
“she’s okay by herself most of the time, just check in on her a couple times a day, she might need help reaching something or cleaning, but she can cook fine, surprisingly. Even with her bad eyesight she can still pull off great cooking!”  
“something I wish I could do, well it won’t be a problem at all”  
“here’s a spare key, just knock and say you’re coming in”  
“will do” a familiar voice was heard in the house  
“Barbara are we ready to leave?”  
“yes”  
“oh I didn’t know you had company, I hope they don’t stay for long” Jim smiled and looked at his well known ‘friend’  
“hi Walt”  
“hello Jim, hello Mr. Domzalski, how are you both doing this fine evening?”  
“good, so Walt, you both going out huh? A hot date? Well we won’t keep you” Barbara adjusted her jacket for the chilly night  
“how do you three know one another? It that’s alright to ask”  
“these two went to the high school I work at, I’ve also known Jim’s family for quite a long time”  
“oh? How so?”  
“personal reasons I’m afraid I can’t go into”   
“understandable, I won’t push”  
“speaking of pushing things, I believe I forgot my watch upstairs, I think it fell under the bed, do you mind if you would bring it here? I would like to remissness about our time together at the high school”  
“not a problem! I’ll be right back, you three have fun” and with that, she turned and headed upstairs.  
“fell under the bed huh Walt? Well, good for you”  
“i am a proper gentleman”  
“speaking of, Toby you remember Walt, Walt you remember Toby. Like he said, he’s been a friend of my family for a while”

 

“yes, I’ve worked with his father for quite some time actually, can’t speak of it of course”  
“wait….worked for...and...your family...and you...and the helping you come to the surface….and checking in on you, and helping you through the years...” the thoughts started to connect in Toby’s head. The gears turning and forming thoughts. His eyes went wide and his face was taken over by the expression of shock. Meanwhile Jim was looking into his eyes, wiggling his eyebrows.   
“mind blowing, isn’t it? Walt. He knows. About it. ALL of it. Except our...special circle. He doesn’t need to know. He’s sorta already freaked out about the rest.”  
“everything? Huh. I’m surprised your father allowed this”  
“yep! Toby’s even met him in person”  
“AND lived to tell the tale? Well he truly must be the luckiest human alive”  
“Toby’s important to me, I told dad, dad let’s him be with me. As my newfound slave and personal little ‘pet’ of course. Plus he sees my dad as the ‘world ruler’ and all that. He knows EVERYTHING. From day one of dad’s birth, to our plans, to every detail. Minus ‘us’.” Toby started to stutter  
“h-h-h-h-ow? B-b-ut he’s not a t-t-roll”  
“oh no, he’s not. He’s just a human, like you, who, well long story short, works for my dad, only he does up top. Kinda like a special spy. Just sharing news and sending it down below to dear daddy so he knows what’s going on up top. Well the important stuff anyways”  
“h-h-ow?! How did he start working for your dad?!”  
“long story you wouldn’t understand. Literally I mean. Well anyways yeah, Walt knows about you now, so no biggie!”  
“So...he’s just...a human...who’s a spy for your dad?”  
“yep! Nothing more nothing less!”  
“okay...uh...huh….wow...today my mind has just been exploding one thing after another. I think I really need to see a therapist now” Walt formed a look of concern for the poor boy, then started in a gentle tone  
“all of this is clearly hard on you. Very emotionally and mentally taxing. Meeting his Father isn’t something simple, that in itself can be very strenuous on one’s mind. Then having to go to the, well home, and then on top of that learning about me. I truly hope you don’t have a mental breakdown”  
“meeee toooooo.”  
“so how exactly did this come to light? Just out of the blue one moment?” Jim started to rub Toby’s back, trying to soothe his stressed out friend, then continuing the conversation  
“sorta, long story short, he found out I eat people. We talked about it, I ate some more, he asked me to eat someone, then he ran into Bular eating, he told Bular that he knew everything, Bular told him to tell me to talk to dad about alll of this. Bular told dad about it of course. Dad almost tried to eat him, I stopped it, they talked, and now here we are. A bit before you came, he asked Barbara if she could keep an eye on his nana for a bit, he has to go do personal stuff, she agreed, then you came in. the ‘personal stuff’ is because dear old dad said that Toby HAS to live with us. Just for, well, I don’t know. Dad didn’t specify. He just said he wanted to try and see Toby how I see him. he’s been trying to be a ‘better father’ and do what regular ‘human fathers’ do. So learning my best friend is what he’s doing right now. Everyone now, more or less, knows not to eat or hurt Toby. He belongs to me. So well, here we are, in this exact moment. Right after this we need to pack up some of his stuff, then take it back and have him get alll warm and cozy in my room”  
“well, that does sound like a whole lot. Would make anyone break down. I’m very glad you are strong Mr. Domzalski, I want you to know that. I do care about all my previous students, just between the three of us, I cared about you both a bit more. Jim, well you know, and you, well you have a very bright future ahead of you, or dark now that things have...come to light.”  
“I’m really really really trying my hardest to just...not snap! But I know I just need a liiiitttllee time to...adjust to my new life. Just overall knowing about all of this. Well, I mean, this is my life now! No going back! Nothing that can happen to prevent this! So, I just need to make it my new normal, not easy, but I can manage. Hey, they stopped making my favorite burrito, I lived, and I can live with this too! haha”

 

“yes….not as simple as food, but whatever helps you cope”  
“well, I have Jim! he’s my rock! And I’m HIS rock! So, we help each other! If I didn’t have him, I would have snapped!. he’ll help me through this and protect me!...right?”  
“Tobes, of course! I won’t let ANYTHING happen to you! Worse thing I do is eat you! Hahaa! We joke about that all the time Walt. he’s fine with it...right?”  
“yeah, more or less. I mean like, this is my life! Might as well get used to it! And it’s like joking about..uh..well...stuff I guess! Plus in a weird sick and morbid way, it is sorta funny! All of this actually! This total opposite of life, sudden massive shift of what’s actually been going on underneath us, and knowing about it! it’s just like if the illuminate existed!...it...it doesn’t right? There is no group or anything that secretly runs the world?”  
“Tobes, noooo no group or organization or anything that runs the world. If there were, then I’d tell you, the only things that exist are what I’ve told you. that’s the roof, no more going up, nothing else to hide to freak you out”  
“whew! Good to know! So all that is like, internet jokes?”  
“yeah! Duh! People are just messing with everyone! Besides, if it DID exist, I would have told you! And they def would be working for us! But no, there’s no such thing as any of that.”  
“WHEW okay! I honestly don’t think I could live with knowing everything was even more freaky! Now whenever I see someone or anything or daylight I totally don’t just have images and flashes of everyone dying and everything being destroyed! Nope!”  
“i can promise you. If everything in the world was destroyed, then my dad wouldn’t have anything to rule over. If you destroy all your toys, you don’t have anything left to play with”  
“y-yeah...yeah…just...most stuff...”  
“let’s not go there. No matter what, you will be fine. Just breathe, and let’s just forget alllll about it. it’s not easy, but you can, you can hold onto me no matter what, as long as you want, whenever you want, mentally, emotionally, or physically”  
“now I kinda...i just see everyone and everything dying...”  
“it won’t happen. I promise. When I have my own kingdom, everything and everyone will be nice and safe. Well...most everyo-doesn’t matter. Point is. I’m going to make sure everyone’s happy, and everything is nice and fun! I’m making sure the internet exists and TV shows and news and video games and burritos”  
“oh good! If burritos didn’t exist, I DEF would die!”  
“joking is good, it’s nice to laugh and make light of something, it helps”  
“you’re my rock. you’re my rock. I won’t have anything bad happen to me. Nothing no matter what.”  
“Always repeat that to yourself. Even if the biggest meanest evilest troll looks at you, it would be like them looking at me, they won’t DARE try to do ANYTHING to you. If they do, it’s high treason, and NO ONE, or like 99% of people, are dumb enough to do anything like that”  
“really does help me, a lot. Funny kinda, in a morbid way, if your dad really DOES come up top sometime during my life, or yours, well whatever, I have a golden ticket for survival. If we never became friends, I wouldn’t have gotten one! that’s sorta another funny part, even if he does or doesn’t anytime soon, it would have happened! At least now I know what’s coming, and of course I have my golden ticket. I don’t want to sound selfish but...I’m glad I have one”

 

“that’s not being selfish, it’s you feeling relief that you don’t have to worry about dying like everyone-how about we stop talking about this. The ‘end game’ is too stressful. Besides, always remember Tobes. We don’t know when it’s going to happen. It could be tomorrow, it could be 1000 years later! Or more! he’s been trying to break out for a really, really long time, even before I was born! And we have NO IDEA when we can, we don’t have any comparisons, or ideas as to when. we’ve all been walking around in the dark the entire time! So just breathe. Relax. Get it out of your head. it’s like war or disease or any other horrible thing happening right this second. Nothing you can do. Nothing I can do either! Well...technically...doesn’t matter. Just breathe, forget, ignore, pretend, enjoy the fun stuff! it’s not like they’re all just gonna suddenly vanish! Tomorrow is just going to be the same, new and scary, but overall the same. Wake up, eat, us hangout and go to school, play video games, and now have more ‘sleepovers’. And hey, at my place for the first time! lot’s of neat stuff I can show you! And none of it has to be about killing! I’ll make sure to clean everything up, make my place as relaxing and gentle as it possibly can get, and we have fun!”  
“okay...you’re right about all of it….although, since we’re just continuing on our regular friendship-”  
“exactly, nothing’s changed”  
“-i now kinda feel bad you’re going to change up your place so much just for me”  
“nah, you’re gonna be staying with me for who knows how long, so might as well get cozy! Roomie!”  
“i felt better. Then bad. Then better. Then worse, then horrified, and now back to getting better. All within, what, a few hours? it’s like, 8pm!”  
“extreme emotional shifts isn’t good. But, well, don’t want to keep repeating myself, so yeah!”  
“yeah!”  
“well, I guess we’re done here then, Barbara agreed, Walt and you know, and now we’re gonna get some of your stuff and move it to my place”  
“yep! let’s go! Uh, tell her I said by Walt”  
“not a problem”

 

Walt watched the two go across the street, Barbara walked over to him in the doorway  
“so sorry about that Barbara”  
“not a problem. I really didn’t take too long finding it, I heard you talking, I didn’t want to eve’s drop so I went around and did a few things. don’t worry, I didn’t hear a single word. I don’t want to invade on your personal life”  
“i believe you, and thank you very much. Privacy is of great importance to me. Oh and the two wished you a good evening before departing”  
“how sweet, well let’s head out”

………………………………………………..

Toby and Jim made a couple trips back and forth, but they moved plenty of Toby’s things into Jim’s room. Then cleaned things up and set them in. Jim moved the skulls, well as many as he could find, and put them in a few chests in the very back of the room, he didn’t need Toby anymore unnerved than he already was. Along with them, Jim put any overly morbid thing away, now it looked clean and pg-13! Instead of a hard M rating. Toby told his nana about him ‘going to stay over at Jim’s house for a bit, his dad wanted to meet him and they thought it would be fun to finally go over’. Nana was actually really happy with it, having Toby finally go over to another friends house. She even made a small remark as to him not being such a social looser under her breath. She said it would be nice for him to meet Jim’s family, she was also happy she would get to see her neighbor more often. Jim made a plan. A small one that would have a massive effect on the future. First, he needed to finish something important….

He needed to tell Kanjigar and Draal that he wouldn’t be around for very long…

He knew the perfect way to do so and prove his ‘innocence’…

 

Jim had packed up his nesting supplies and walked trollmarket, he needed to return them, get that little chore out of the way. Before heading inside, he dropped his supplies off. Then, began to sneak around. Until he found his ‘prey’. He made a growl, then a lunge. Right into Draal’s side.  
“well, I didn’t expect a sneak attack”  
“Hi Draal!”  
“hello Jim, how I’ve missed you” Jim was pulled into a hug, then Jim gave a kiss and purred.  
“I’ve missed you too. I’ve missed you so much….where’s your dad at?”  
“in the other room”  
“good, I need to tell you both something really important”….

The three sat down together after saying hello’s, Jim of course showed he still had his horseshoe and tapped himself, making both Kanjigar and Draal feel more at ease, even though they didn’t feel like they needed to...or at least, as much. Jim explained that his father had been feeling ill, emotionally and mentally suddenly, Jim didn’t want to leave his side for the time, help keep his father feeling good and overall better. Since both Draal and Kanjigar know knew he was the prince of the ‘Glorb’ tribe, they didn’t want him to feeling upset that he couldn’t be near his father in a bad time like this. Jim also said he was taking his friend Toby with him, he explained that he figured out a way how to, but THAT must still be kept secret. They were reluctant but understood and agreed to it. Jim explained that he’ll still follow his usual routine, he just will go to his actual home at night again, so it wasn’t like he was leaving for good, he’ll still visit them when he can. They were happy that he was happy. After dropping off his supplies, more hugs, and a kiss and nuzzle to Draal, he left. His heart screamed at him to stay, live, love, feel that warm fulfilling happiness he craved. He knew he couldn’t, he remembered the feeling of his fathers affection, the new desire to actually be apart of his son’s life! To WANT to try his best! ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER! His dreams and greatest want’s have FINALLY started to come true! Why would he give that up for….this life. Warm. Happy. Safe. Fulfilling. Loving. The cruel cold unloving family he had back home. The ones who ignored him all his life, or Blinky and Arrrg who tried their best but no matter what, worked for his father. The cold lifeless darklands, devoid of happiness and kindness, was his true home. He was a gumm-gumm no matter what. He didn’t belong in trollmarket, or any other place for that matter….

The last thing he did before he went back home was leaving a message on the ground under the bridge. It said only Kanjigar may read this. And was stamped and duck taped so it wouldn’t blow away…..

 

Jim breathed in that stale decrepit chilling air, home at last!. He and Toby just spent time together, doing what they usually would do, minus internet stuff. Toby complained, asking how Jim lived without the internet. Jim just laughed and said he was living in the stone age, LITERALLY! Cause there were stones everywhere!. Toby thought it was a dumb joke, Jim joked that he would eat him since he didn’t laugh, THAT made them both laugh. Eventually it was really late so the two went to sleep. Toby felt a bit uncomfortable, Jim asked if it was because they were sleeping in the same nest. Toby replied that it wasn’t that, if anything it was amazing! Not the sleeping together, but the fact that it was sooooo soft and warm and cozy! But the fact that it was...scary!. The noises all around them, very quiet and dull, but still eerie. Noises of whatever creatures lurked around them, the sounds of soldiers marching around, the occasional groan of pain, the wind blowing around in a way that made it seem like whispering. Jim said he’ll get used to it and even learn to ignore it. Toby trusted his best friend. He did wonder if they could somehow turn down the crystal light, it wasn’t that bright, but still. Jim told him they couldn’t, another thing he would get used to. Although he did give him a blindfold of sorts, so that helped block out the light at least! Then they drifted off to sleep….

 

Not long after Jim had left, Kanjigar decided it was time to start his rounds for the night. He left and the first thing he noticed was a letter on the ground, large enough so he could read it. The letter was in trollish of course. It was fairly simple

“we need to talk. No fighting, no weapons, just talking. All alone. 5am. In this spot. You might not trust me, but I’m telling the truth. You and me, a one on one chat. that’s it. No need for violence. It WILL come down to it if need be, however I truly hope it doesn’t.” -betrayer.

……………………………………………………………….

Jim now stood in the spot fully armored. The sun was so close to peaking it’s head out and ending the night once and for all. He waited for Kanjigar to arrive. Earlier, he had woken up, gotten dressed quietly, then touched his armor and teleport to the surface a half hour before their meeting time. There, he donned his armor and now waited patiently. He usually would have just donned his armor in his room, but he didn’t want to wake Toby up. Speaking of Toby, Jim would have to officially show his armor and sword to him. The portal to trollmarket now opened and out came Kanjigar, alone, and weaponless, as was instructed. However Jim knew he could just summon it within a second, so he truly was armed.  
“Good, you came trollhunter. I had a slight feeling you would have, except with your son. I’m glad you followed the letter”  
“I’m surprised you kept your word. Not a weapon in sight or a soldier to aid you. However they could just be hiding now, couldn’t they?”  
“that’s very true, but no one else is here.”  
“i need to know, but why this time?”  
“why do you think? It gives me enough time to talk to you while the sun comes up. Then I leave in it, knowing you can’t follow.”  
“smart.”  
“very.”  
“well, what exactly did you have in mind of us ‘talking’.”  
“Jim” Kanjigar’s expression turned serious  
“what about him?”  
“i want to tell you a few things first. Far far back when you let my father out, he was overjoyed, he could have his second chance! Then it turns out, he didn’t. Ever since then, our subjects have looked for clues as to how to break him free, even to this very moment in time. Through our searches and findings, we learned many things, many different capabilities, such as the doorways. One finding, and I think this is what’s going to interest you the most, was that we found a nice, small, cozy, tucked away kingdom. So few there, so unguarded, so...vulnerable. The Glorb king tried his best to hide, him and his two sons, along with the rest of his people. Fast forward to the last, hmm, 100 years give or take. We found a nice little omega half troll. So sweet, innocent…...Naive. He reminded me of myself when I was so so young. I didn’t want to hurt him. So I convinced my father not to just suddenly invade and slaughter them all, wasn’t easy, but I did. I told him that this was an...investment….why kill them, when we can add them to our own? It would be easy enough. So we did. Or TRIED to. So, throughout his life, we whispered rumors in Jim’s ears, spread information, gave him ideas, managed to convince him of many things. He was almost….perfect….however. He was a bit...uncontrollable, he was too free, too wanting to see the world. We couldn’t keep him under our thumb. So we decided to slowly replace him. Little by little. Piece by piece. However. It all came to a sudden halt.

Why you wonder? The answer is very very very simple……………………………………….You. He met you, or you met him, well, doesn’t matter. He began to grow an...attachment to you both. That wasn’t good for us. So we gathered information, piece by piece. Then you just haaaad to love him also. You just haaaad to grow a fondness, a want for him to be around. Then, you began to become paranoid, so I made you even more so, poking and stabbing at your nerves, seeing what made you the most upset, then we did so to Jim. All completely unaware of it. So much he thinks he knows, he jokes, he loves, all taught to him, or tried to at least, by us and our spies. Then, you made him stay with you longer, you protected him more. We had a much harder time spying on him, gathering information, following him, seeing how he interacts with you. Then using that to our own advantage. I’ve no doubt you’ve finally learned of something, and began to ‘follow’ that lead. Then, you ruined it. Our entire plan. Why? Because you caught our dam spy. Our idiot polymorph who just HAD to feed. His stupid addiction caused you to become even more suspicions. It threw a massive wrench into our plans. Our polymorph just couldn’t control his hunger, his dam need. We let him get away with it because he was able to slip away, be right under that nose ring of yours. Then, you caught him feeding. We tried to make sure he wasn’t near the real little prince, but no. his foolishness was the very final snap in our plan. Now, it’s all ruined. All of it. YEARS OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION ALL BECAUSE OF THAT FUCKING IDIOT. Our plans, we were SO CLOSE. Literally, days. Only days away from being able to fully replace Jim. But YOU HAD TO FORM AN ATTACHMENT. YOU HAD TO HAVE HIM WEAR A GAGGLETAG, YOU HAD TO CONSTANTLY CHECK ON HIM! And you caught out polymorph, and that was the end of that. So much time and so many resources, wasted.” Betrayer gave a heavy sigh

 

“well, that’s all I wanted to say. you’ve won! You did it! You ‘protected’ that dumb little prince. Believe it or not, but we didn’t know the EXACT location of their little kingdom. We searched and searched and whispered into his ear. no. he just wouldn’t openly say it. Well we give up. We can’t waste anymore time and resources, it’s not worth it now. Too much exposure. Too much ‘damage’ done. His little kingdom just isn’t worth enslaving now. And here I was, thinking we could finally have our investment pay off after all this time. But no. it’s all gone to shit. Our polymorph has been moved somewhere else, just to let you know. So don’t bother looking for him, actually DO bother looking for him. It would take more of your time away, and let us-well, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise. Yes actually, please use all that time and energy to look for him, and us! And me! I don’t care anymore. I made a big failure on my part, and now my father is going to punish me. If I wasn’t his son, I would have been killed. Well, that’s all I wanted to say”  
“why exactly are you telling me all this? Some gumm-gumm trickery?”  
“no trickery, just annoyance. Before I leave, I just wanted to know how awful you’ve been to our plans. Well, you got LUCKY you found him that night. Or else we would have had a much bigger army invading you right. This. Moment. Well, as you can clearly see, that plans gone to shit. No point in hiding anything now. No point in trying to salvage ruins when there’s nothing left.”  
“so that’s it? Leaving us and Jim alone?”  
“for the most part. We don’t care about him anymore. Go ahead and play with him, have your little pet around for the rest of your life. Consider it a spoil of war, a trophy of this victory. that’s all I wanted to say. I wanted you to know how much of a failure you’ve made me look. I knew you would feel happy about it. Although a part of me wanted to NOT say anything, let you keep worrying about our plan, distract you more. Well, no point like I said. sun’s up, almost over to you now. I’ll take my leave. Goodbye trollhunter. Enjoy your victory, for as long as it lasts. You and this world won’t be safe forever. Just remember that. I want you to have the most joy, the most fun, the most love. So we can just take it all away, one day, hopefully soon. Goodbye for good trollhunter, my brother still aims to kill you, I’m not allowed to. So don’t expect my blade to taste your death.” and with that, Betrayer turned around and just casually walked away into the sunlight.

 

Kanjigar didn’t know what to make of it. He could be lying, but...he could be telling the truth, EVERYTHING connected now, EVERYTHING made sense. Jim truly wasn’t this thing. He was just told and lied to. Convinced about things. He truly was innocent all along. Kanjigar was so relieved, knowing all those suspicions were wrong. Well, at least he managed to kill off their little plan from them, so perhaps it was a good thing. Now Jim won’t have to joke about that, about any of that. He won’t be told anything horrible. He is truly safe. Kanjigar couldn’t be happier in that moment. He was excited to tell Draal, along with Vendel…..


	28. Gunmar's new adviser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just another thing for Toby to worry about. well, pressure makes diamonds.....as well as rubble. 
> 
> Jim, your heart is changing.
> 
> Gunmar, your heart is changing.
> 
> Toby, just don't forget your books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just realized......my fics are almost just talking, isn't it? that's where the majority of chapters turn to 0=
> 
> ALSO my friend showed me this clip from some episode of regular show, like a halloween special? i haven't watched that show in years, ANYWAYS there's a part where a werewolf is on trial for killing a guy or whatever. and its sooo Jim XD
> 
> "Jim, where were you on the night of the full moon?"  
> "helping orphans with their schoolwork"  
> "oh? so you wouldn't recognize THIS patch of troll fur that was found at the crime scene, would you?"  
> "that could belong to any gumm-gumm...with my DNA"  
> "then there's this entry from your diary that same night.  
> 'dear diary, ate a guy today. this is not a joke. 'till next time, signed Jim"
> 
> it made me laugh so hard. i honestly had this idea (if this or my other troll fic) that Jim would get into trouble with, whoever, anyways, Toby is his lawyer and it's just a really dumb scene like in the show. although i was inspired more by harvey birdman attorney at law, than the actual episode

Jim had undone his armor, placing it all together, managing to have every piece touch his body at least slight, and then teleport into his room. He made a small growl in his throat, out of annoyance and fear. He truly wished the flash of light was blocked out by Toby’s blindfold. Jim gently placed the armor pieces down on the ground as quietly as he could, then slipped back into his nest, hoping he could get a couple more hours of sleep in before their day truly started. As he closed his eyes and mind slowly drifting off, he could hear the light breathing of Toby. A sign that he was still fast asleep. That put Jim’s mind at ease knowing he didn’t wake his friend up…..

 

An alarm clocked buzzed and beeped awake. The sound was a decent volume, but just enough to block out the ambient of the darklands. Usually with Jim’s sensitive ears he kept things quieter than most people would, it was just easier on his hearing. He didn’t have much of a problem with loud noises, but he just strongly preferred to have them as quiet as they could be. The alarm clock read 8:30am. Jim yawned and stretched, his fangs and claws coming out fully. From the corner or his eye he noticed Toby waking up.  
“well, good morning”  
“morning”  
“how’d you sleep?”  
“amazing! That was the BEST night I’ve had! This thing is sooooo cozy! It felt like heaven! Why do you ever leave your nest?! I’d live the rest of my life in this if I could, plus you having attendants, you could just get constant room service!”  
“huh, I’ve honestly never thought about that, good thing to note!”  
“so do you have some royal dresser that comes in and cleans you and stuff?”  
“nah, I do everything myself”  
“oh god. Jim, your morning breath”  
“haha sorry, yeah Troll morning breath can kill. Well I know Bular’s could. I’ll turn the other way. So, gotta say, you were a pretty great lover last night”  
“Jim. I know we’re best friends and all that, and we can joke about this stuff all the time cause it doesn’t mean anything, but please, don’t say that. It makes me uncomfortable when you talk like that about me. I’m the GREATEST lover ever”  
“ohh I’m so so sorry! I can’t believe I could ever think of anyone else better than you! You truly are the greatest I’ve ever had!”  
“Dam straight!” the two shared a good laugh before Jim’s happy mood started to die down. He whimpered a bit, sat upwards and rubbed a horn  
“hey, come on Mr. half troll. what’s wrong?”  
“i...i just had this weird dream is all”  
“oh? What was it about?”  
“just...sometimes I have super weird dreams, you know how crazy dreams are and they usually don’t mean anything except whatever….is... in the back of your head blah blah. It was just….something about…..being human.”  
“would be good to talk about it, if you want to” Jim nodded and took in a nice deep breath and let it out slowly. 

 

“It’s just….i see everyone around me talking and living and just being….together. A lot of the time it feels like I’m just the sore thumb sticking out. A rock in a river, the water just flows around it. Like, I’m HERE! I’m ALIVE! But….it doesn’t FEEL like it. Like even if I’m here, I’m not ACTUALLY here. Like I’m some guest that stays around, but doesn’t live there. I’m not apart of it all. I don’t contribute anything. No one ever openly goes up to me and talk or involve me in anything, and when I DO get involved, I just feel like I’m pushed out as quickly as I came into it. everyone’s….human. And I’m not. I’m never going to be. I’m never going to ever ‘fit in’ correctly. I knew that since day one of coming to the surface, but still. I usually don’t care, or I DO and I just push it away...but it’s still there….and...it hurts. I just want to BE normal. I want to BE there. I want to BE surrounded and just….be there. Naturally involved without there being some specific as to why I’m there. Like, I can just chat about a new movie with someone who’d just seen it at the same time, instead, people just avoid me or just try and move on as fast as they can. I get it, I’m scary, I look like I can kill and, you know dam well I DO kill, but still. I just want to look and seem normal. Not some weirdo half troll that everyone suddenly looks at and instantly tries to look busy so I won’t bother them, or make some excuse to leave. Or they gawk at me and steal glances when I’m not looking. I get it, my kind is pretty much gone from the world, but still….it would be nice to seem normal for once. I understand that we have our friend group and all, but everyone will always know that I’m, well, what I am, instead of just some regular everyday human guy. it’s the same with trolls too. Humans look at me with fear, trolls look at me with disgust. Like I’ve told you, my kind are just hated, unloved, barely tolerated. If my dad wasn’t, well, himself, I wouldn’t even be taken care of this much, I wouldn’t be ‘respected’ and ‘feared’.

 

EVEN THAT! A LOT of gumm-gumms still don’t see me as, well, me! They look at Bular and see ‘oh yep that’s the big burly killer troll, who’s ALSO a son of Gunmar!’ with me they just see ‘oh it’s the second son of Gunmar, the one that’s, you know, a half troll’. Everyone still, and will always, just see me as the mistake. The little weirdo that was just some universal fuck up that somehow manifested into something physical. The only reason anyone fears me is because I’m my dad’s son. If Bular wasn’t my brother, he would STILL be feared and respected BECAUSE of what he can do, and who he is. I know I can NEVER do what he can, or my dad, but...it hurts...just...being the weakest link in the chain. I’m not good enough to be a troll. I’m not good enough to be a human. I like to go up top and TRY to be a human because it’s….amazing….there’s so much, well actually now that you’ve seen my...this!” Jim gestured with his hands all around them  
“...you get how different it all is. I love my heritage but….humans are just so….everywhere! Trolls are predictable, and humans, for the most part, aren’t! Yeah I can tell who’s gonna do what, but you get it right? Like some random person can actually be super smart or great at something and usually you can’t just see it if you look at them, well if they didn’t wear anything that SAID or MENTIONED it. Meanwhile you look at a troll and you pretty much know them off the bat. How they look, act, talk, etc. they’re pretty readable. I really would love to just…..feel like a human. Not just the minor watered down version of what I feel. Well like I’ve said before….i think...i just live vicariously through you. you’re what I want to feel and see. When I see just, any human doing human things. I look at and feel myself from horn to nail. I’m just a monster, not good enough for either world. Sometimes I just want to curl up and cry and just lay in here until I turn to dust. that’s all I’m good for. that’s what would be best for everyone. Yes, I get it, you’re going to say it’s NOT good for everyone especially me, I understand, but you get the idea of what I’m saying.

 

My dad and brother didn’t even want ANYTHING to do with me! For almost my whole life! Literally! it’s only within the recent months they they suddenly have decided they want to be INVOLVED WITH ANYTHING! it’s what I’ve always wanted! But it just….feels so bittersweet…..like it’s almost out of pity...then...with...Kanjigar and Draal...it feels so….real...like...I’m actually alive. Not just a cold husk that’s filled with dark stuff that trudges onward in life. Like I’ve always wandered and then suddenly I’m somewhere...safe….warm...soft….alive...I’m cared for out of love, not out of duty, not out of fear, not because they HAVE to….but because They WANT to! Willingly! Without ANYTHING expected in return! Just…..love. Kanjigar feels like….the father I’ve always wanted. Draal feels like...the first person to ever love me for what and who I am, in a troll sense, you’re kinda a different feeling. He sees me as Jim. They both do. Not the son of Gunmar. Not the half troll. Just….Jim. They make me want to be there! Almost….more than here. I…...i think….if….Gunmar wasn’t my father….if I wasn’t this....gumm-gumm….i wasn’t a prince…..i would stay with them. For good. To just always feel that warmth, love, affection. Always. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep. I want Draal as my mate. I want Kanjigar as my adopted father. I want trollmarket to be my home….sometimes….i………..I’ve thought about running away…..living there….being….happy….but then I realize….soo many need my help. So many need me to save them. I have such enormous responsibilities that it’s hard to just...ignore…..when dad does….well….end game stuff…..this is gonna freak you out but, humans….well I would keep them safe….or...as many as I could…...they won’t be cattle to me, they’ll be my friends, the ones I love. Even if I never talk to every person, it’s still nice just to know I’m keeping them safe….well...for as long as I can. The same with cha-other trolls. And half trolls….I’ve never thought about them throughout my life other than a passing thought or two but…….i miss them….we really are about to die out...i...i want to FINALLY bring us all together. Somewhere, for the very first time in ALL OF HISTORY, that we belong. That we’re among each other. We don’t have to feel alone or scared in the world anymore. We have each other. We can finally feel….normal. With humans, half trolls, chang-other species of trolls, that would be my kingdom. It would be filled with happiness and fun! I would make sure it wasn’t dark and morbid like my brother would. I would have cities and trees and colors and fun stuff and movies and video games and well, everything! All the different types of food, and music, and people, and educations, and media, and just….everything we have. I would be the only one who can save it all. I can be the only one to preserve it all. And when I do die, which won’t be for hundreds of years, hopefully, I know for a FACT that my dad would preserve my kingdom, exactly how I would have wanted it. Because he knows I would want it like that. He does….love me….he wants me to be happy….he knows I really won’t live for very long. They all do. To them, humans are like a match. To me, I’m a campfire. To trolls, they’re full on fireplaces well taken care of and built. We just don’t last as long as they do.

 

Then THAT brings it back to full circle. Dad...my brother...my uncles….they love me, NOW they REALLY want to be in my life! I’ve wanted it for so so so long. Now it’s here! it’s actually happening! The greatest thing I’ve only imagined my whole life is finally starting! My dad and brother wanting to know me! My life! How I live! What I do! Everything!...then...Kanjigar and Draal….I’ve only known them for a few months, but they truly feel like a home to me. I...i want to have a kid with Draal. I want to live in trollmarket. I want to be near the heartstone. I want that warm gentle full feeling. The ONLY other time I feel that, is riiiight after I...recharge...but then it goes away….so suddenly…...i feel like I’d be so so so so so selfish if I just...left. Like...I’m a failure here, I’ll be a failure there. If I leave, everyone will search and hunt me down. Bring me back. Punish me for leaving. If I stay….i won’t feel that love and warmth anymore. I want it so badly. I want to keep it. If I don’t leave and stay here, I can do what I said, save everyone! Well, you get what I mean! If I’m not here when...it happens...plus my dad and brother are starting to open up to me! So it’s something I finally get to experience! Something that I can live with the rest of my life! I can feel their affection and save others and rule! And hey, you’d be by my side and we can be best buddies at the end of the world! I know for a FACT that dad will NEVER stop trying to break out. I feel like one day, SOME DAY, he will. And when it happens….well...yeah….so….should I just do some cold...long term love and duty, or just leave it all behind for the love I’ve always wanted to feel. Even if it’s just a tiny bit. I won’t be able to save the future….i would do it just for myself…..is it selfish to want to be happy though? Should my happiness come before the countless lives of-yeah. Like I said though, this new happiness is coming up!...still...it doesn’t feel...fulling….like the bitter sweet feeling….the pity love….not true loving warmth. Like walking into a cozy warm home after being outside in the cold for so long.

 

Wow. Okay. Wow. I am SO sorry for all this. I just….went off. I did NOT mean to say all that. it’s WAAAYYYY toooooo heavy to say this early in the morning. I haven’t even eaten you yet! How am I supposed to start my day without eating you!?” Toby started to laugh hard at that  
“yep! A balanced Toby breakfast!. Good to laugh! I really don’t know how to reply to all of that. But I feel good helping you! Letting you be able to talk to someone who GETS IT! You can talk to Blinky all you want but he won’t understand”  
“RIGHT?! that’s exactly how I’ve always felt! I know he tries so so so hard, and I love him for that, but he just doesn’t understand”  
“well you CLEARLY had that piling all up on your mind. And this dream and little talk finally just, knocked it all down and it came pouring out. I’m glad to have at least listened to you, even if I hardly understand how you feel, or not at all actually. I don’t know. Sorry, I don’t know what advice I should give you. I’ve never had to deal with any choices like this. Other than ‘should I jack off to this porn or this one’ or ‘what am I in the mood to eat’ or ‘should I buy this game? And would I play it? Or should I be responsible and play the pile of games I still haven’t finished’. I guess you can just chew on my arm for a while until you figure it out” Jim laughed and felt a lot better, getting that off his mind.  
“you really are the only one who understands. And can deal with me, well” Jim waved his arms across the room  
“ALL THIS! TOO! Not everyone could handle learning about this stuff and being around it”  
“that sleep really help me put my mind at ease. I think because all the dust has settled and I’m starting to be able to process it, annnnd cause this nest is just waaaaay to cozy to feel bad in” Toby scooted over in the big nest until he was hugging his best friends back  
“i love you Jimbo, not everyday you get to wake up next to your monster best friend in his bed/nest, whatever, in a horrible nightmare landscape surrounded by the trolls, who are plotting on ending the world. Like I said, no more boring life! Finally it can be fun! And the day I met you I thought  
‘finally! Some excitement in my life!’ AND NOW THIS?! Well, I’m starting to learn to like it. Also a need, since this is my life now, might as well get used to it and enjoy it. Plus, I’m buddy buddy with a prince, so I get to be treated royally toooo!...right?”  
“yeah sorta, as long as you don’t ask for much and always stand next to me or as close to me as you can”

 

“well, you said you NEED to pick a mate….and like you said, you can’t have Draal...even if he ‘turned to the dark side’ so is there anyway you could SOMEHOW work him into your life?”  
“other than going behind my dads back and boning him, no, or else I would have done it”  
“hmmm, well maybe you might find new love? I don’t know how it works with half trolls, or, trolls, but you’ve seen people move on and find new love all the time! Same with me! we’ve been everyone’s third wheel! Together!..which...does that make it a fourth wheel?...hmm….well, what matters is, maybe there’s some super gumm-gumm stud just riiight behind the corner! Pluusss you said you are getting your fams love for the first time, let’s just….wait and see! I guess? it’s not like you have to make some major choice in this conversation right now that will determine your fate and have you stick with it until the day you die! Not right now! Maybe one day, but not today!”  
“yeah….not today….that’s nice to know actually...”  
“yep! Enjoy one day at a time my dark prince of evil!”  
“hm. Yeah, see? This is why I need my human slave around, without you I’m pretty sure I would have died, or gone crazy, or both!”  
“haha! Same here!”  
“really are each other’s rocks”  
“i think my biggest concern right now is making sure your future troll husband doesn’t eat me”  
“hey! Only I get to eat you! I will make sure he knows! NO ONE gets to eat Toby, unless it’s me! Everyone should know that by now. So, don’t worry about some random troll seeing you and suddenly thinking ‘oh yum a snack! My lucky day!’”  
“well I am thiccc with three C’s”  
“OMG TOBY!” the two cracked up after that  
“ah, this is great, I’m so happy you’re with me”  
“me too Jimbo, hey I gotta ask, with your nails and claws, do you rip up your stuff?”  
“oh don’t even get me started! Not only that but I chew and eat things in my sleep sometimes, so I LITERALLY wake up with cotton mouth. I’ve lost so many good pillows that way, so many blankets and sheets and well, everything”  
“rip. We take a moment of silence for those who lost their lives to make sleep comfortable”  
“rip bedding, rip” Toby started to giggle then said  
“and they were roommates” Jim made a big smile and replied  
“oh my god they were roommates” the two cracked up again, Jim turned around after and completed the hug  
“thanks. I need you so much in my life it hurts…..wow that still sounds really really creepy”  
“hey at least you’re not stalking me like your brother did”  
“yeah….gonna have to talk to him about that….well….time to get ready! We got school in an hour! Our college project needs to be turned in!”  
“oh shit that’s right...huh….well...now I actually get the full Jim experience! From morning to night! Now I get to feel like a half troll evil prince!”  
“oh yeah huh! we’ll you’re gonna love it! Or be terrified!”  
“Jimbo I’ve been in that state since you brought me here. I’ve been mentally screaming for so long now it just feels like a white noise”  
“fun! But seriously...do...you need to talk it out? I feel good helping you just as much as you do me”  
“I think I’m good right now. And I just can’t really put it into words I guess? Like tension and fear and excitement and trauma and just literally being around doomsday and now LIVING IT. Not very ‘ow I stubbed my tow’ or ‘wah I lost my save file’. it’s truly ‘oh no the end of literally all life is right around me, literally down the hallway, I’m also in the hellscape now living with the guy who’s the son of the guy who’s gonna be the one to cause the apocalypse’. Only...actually not even been a full day! Still needs to settle and adjust!”  
“well, a good attitude is always best. Alright, you ready for a hot steamy bath?”  
“it’s always hot and steamy with you babe”  
“i wasn’t joking actually, my bath is hot and steamy”  
“oh...uh….well then never mind”  
“hey! don’t take back my compliment!’

 

the two got up and started their day, Jim going to his bath, while Toby prepared his cloths then came over  
“jeez Jim! I didn’t realize it was THIS BIG! it’s like a Jacuzzi!”  
“well Toby, look at my size, I need a bath tube that can fit me, AND not be cramped so here it is! And if you thought my nest was relaxing, wait until you try THIS out! Yes, it’s got different bubble settings toooo. Had it modified by one of my chan-troll friends, he REALLY hooked me up! Oh and just a word of warning. Towel off the SECOND you get out, you WILL freeze your balls off. Even I get pretty cold, and I’m used to this place! Anyways, I’ll let you have privacy, this is how you turn it on, and if for whatever reason you actually need cold water, it’s this. Alright, I’m outta here! I have to go do something anyways so enjoy!”  
“geez Jim! Why do you have soo many tubs of toothpaste?! You have almost as many as you do your soaps and stuff!”  
“yeaaahhh, a guilty pleasure is I sorta, loooove eating toothpaste, it tastes good! And it’s not like it’ll kill me, like, it LITERALLY won’t, troll body abilities and all that”  
“well, you always have wonderful breath at least when you do so!”

 

…………………………………………………………..

A nice hot bath, a change of cloths, brushing of teeth, and overall ready for the day! Both Jim and Toby had finished up and were ready to head up top!  
“Alright, before we take off we need to do two things”  
“so, what’s our little morning plan?”  
“first, this! hold still...” Jim grabbed a towel and rubbed himself onto it, then proceeded to rub it all over Toby  
“there, now you have my scent on you. If for SOME REASON, some dumbass gumm-gumm doesn’t know you’re off limits, they’ll recognize my scent and realize you belong to me. So, it’s like an extra layer of protection. Thought it would put you at ease”  
“okay! It does! can’t really smell you anyways”  
“yeah, it’s a troll olfactory thing. Our senses can pick up things humans can’t”  
“well makes sense, you always did say you could pinpoint things no one else in our friend group could, so like EVERYONE knows not to kill me?”  
“yep! Word should have spread to every corner by now. Usually doesn’t take but a couple hours for ‘telephone’ to be played, and messages and stuff. So no need to worry! okay! The second thing is we have to check in with dad, pretty much just tell him we’re leaving. Whenever I leave the darklands I always have to tell him, it’s no big deal, so just a quick walk there and we leave!”  
“Well we have everything packed, lead on to my new oblivion king!” (Toby doesn’t have athletics as a primary skill, get the reference? A fun cookie if you do!)

A nice little walk through the cold eerie darklands and the horrifying sounds of whatever monsters lurked down deeper into it, and they reached the throne room. Plenty of guards bowed as the two made their way past, even opening various doors for them. Toby truly did feel powerful, being right next to a prince! Although he did notice the occasional glace at him from the trolls. Toby was afraid his ‘human scent’ would drive them all crazy with hunger, Jim said they were trained enough not to, plus they’re all smarter than to just have one small snack and then have to deal with Gunmar. One small moment of bliss and then sentenced to death, and that’s only IF Gunmar was feeling merciful, something everyone KNEW he wouldn’t be. His son’s favorite pet, the thing everyone knows how much he cherishes and loves it, suddenly killed? Gunmar would blow a fuse. Truly endless horrific painful torment would befall them for the rest of their lives.

Jim elbowed Toby and moved his head towards a small patrol of units  
“hey, check this out. HALT!.” the patrol did so immediately after the word was finished.  
“all, bow” they all did.  
“nice right? Watch this. All of you. Spears ready! Face one another and prepare for combat to the death! On my order you will all slaughter one another for my amusement! The last one alive has the honor of proving themselves to me!” the soldiers readied themselves against one another, no allies, no friends, no family, only soon to be enemies. Jim whispered in Toby’s ear  
“want them to tear each other apart?”  
“what no!”  
“it’s pretty funny! And lots of gore and violence!”  
“Jim no! Please tell me you’re kidding!”  
“well...this time yeah”  
“you’ve done this other times?!”  
“oh yeah looooaaaadddsss of times. I’ve even taken the occasional champion to my nest~ a little token of affection for being the strongest and most loyal out of the rest. Just like you were told, everyone’s willing to kill one another on a single word. Dad makes them learn to do it. If you refuse, you loose your life. Maybe one day soon even you might get a little batch of soldiers to boss around”  
“okay that sounds sorta bad ass but please don’t have them kill each other!”  
“okay okay, no morning entertainment”  
“so, instead of TV, this is what you watch?”  
“yep!”  
“nice to know for what’s in store for my future”  
“oh I don’t all the time!, only really rarely, anyways” Jim turned to the patrol still readied to kill one another on command  
“Alright! You are all!…..dismissed. Go back to your regular routine. you’ve all done a great job of listening! Be thankful, my pet convinced me to let you all live for another day. Never forget, he means the world to me! Alright, get going funny boys!” and with that, they resumed their morning routine, as if nothing happened, although in a few of the soldiers minds, they were thankful for that little human’s words whispered into their master’s ear that spared their lives….. 

The throne room doors opened and many soldiers bowed along the way. Toby felt strange still, but good! Surrounded by highly dangerous trained soldiers bent on destroying the world, all bowing to you.  
“Hi dad!”  
“son”  
“hello mr. uh..”  
“his name is Gunmar”  
“Mr. Gunmar”  
“hm.”  
“well, we’re leaving dad! See you later!”  
“no. before you leave. I will speak to your human pet.”  
“oh uh, okay”  
“alone. Without you. You are to wait outside my throne room for him”  
“ohhhh uhhh okay….you’re not going to hurt him...right?”  
“no. I have no intentions on harming him. I merely want to speak.”  
“okay, uh, guess I’ll see you in a little bit Tobes” Toby watched Jim, his ONE PROTECTION leave his side. He felt vulnerable now, raw, exposed, he could be torn to pieces within seconds.  
“step forward.”  
“y-yes sir”  
“closer”  
“mhm”  
“come. Closer. I will not ask again”  
“this much?”  
“to the end of the steps. Good.” Gunmar gave a stare that Toby couldn’t place. What emotion?! What would he say?! Is he angry?!. Moments later Gunmars throat growled out softly  
“does my son hide anything from me?”  
“uh..what?”  
“i do not like to repeat myself. That is your only warning. I asked if my son hides anything from me”  
“oh uh, no? I really don’t know, like I said yesterday”  
“hm.” another uncomfortable silence.  
“you smell heavily of fear. Good. You know your place. You take orders from me, just like any other. You listen to me first and foremost. If I order something, you do so, even if it goes against my son’s wishes. Do I make myself clear?”  
“y-yes!”  
“hm.” Toby swallowed, he felt like that glare was like a hot sword slowly going into him.  
“always remember. you are only here because you bring my son happiness and joy. When you’re around, it’s far more than what I have witnessed previously. You do a good job. Keep doing it. This morning, how did it go? It must be uncomfortable for you to be in such a...place...such as this”  
“oh..uh...good? Scary..but..I’m alive! And good!...haha...yeah...”  
“hm.”  
“i...uh...if I may...ask”  
“you may”  
“why….did...you ask...about my own well being? I mean, I’m just Toby..the human...ya...”  
“that’s what fathers do. They ask about the current emotional and physical status of their whelps friends. Is that wrong?” Gunmar spoke with genuine curiosity. The tone, very surprising to Toby.  
“no, you’re right…..i mean...you gotta see it from my side...just...this big scary troll dude who’s gonna destroy and rule the world, looking at me, who’s just...well..me...and then asking how I’m doing...just….not what I’m used to. Worse I’ve had to deal with are annoyed looks from cops”  
“what’s a cope?”  
“cop, uh...its...hmm...the authority that keeps the peace, up top”  
“hm.”  
“yeah...”  
“did my son speak to you of anything this morning?”  
“uh, no? Why do you ask?”  
“do you lie to me already?”  
“nonono! I mean, he DID talk to me! I just thought it...wasn’t important enough to mention...is..all”  
“then I will forgive it. This time. From now on, any talk you have with my son, you will repeat it to me”  
“EVERY convo? Cause we talk about a lot of things you prob wouldn’t understand”  
“i don’t understand the words you’re using right now. My intentions are to learn of my son’s mental and emotional health. You are his pet to aid him in this, so you report to me if he’s in any kind of distress. Do I make myself clear?”  
“yes sir!”  
“good. Now tell me what my son spoke to you about this morning”  
“i will, no problem! Just...how did you know?”  
“a passing guard heard some of it. Just that my son is in emotional and mental discomfort from what he understood. I want to make sure that these issues he has are understood by me. I want to do everything I can to learn about my son’s life. That includes yours, since you’re so important to him.”  
“oh..uh...thanks!...well...uh….he started off with saying he had this dream….”

……………………………………………………………..

So, Toby explain the entire conversation, mostly, he left out the parts with Kanjigar and the more embarrassing ones. Gunmar listened intently to every word, as if he would a battle plan. Once Toby was finished Gunmar growled in his own throat, then gripped his throne tightly.  
“i see.”  
“you’re...not...mad at me...right?”  
“no. not you.”  
“is it alright if I know what you’re mad about?”  
“his emotions.”  
“oh…..”  
“my meaning is that he feels that way and I cannot help him. it’s not like I can simply rip it out of him like I could his spine. All of this, this is….difficult to understand and handle.”  
“yeah, trolls aren’t really the emotional type”  
“yes. And my son is. When my adviser first convinced me along with my son, to allow him to go to the surface world and learn about his ‘humanity’, I was agitated. My reason, simply because I knew the humans wouldn’t accept him. He should have stayed here where he IS accepted. At least by my loyal subjects. I do not want him feeling like this any more. I WOULD command you to simply send them away, but Blinkous has explained to me that these kinds of fights can’t simply be won in a single moment. You already are doing as you are supposed to, so I have no need to command you to do so. My son, Bular, has always told me about Jim’s frustration with not being strong enough, not being ‘good enough’ to be within my kingdom, my love. He has proved himself more times than he needed to. He still does. He pushes himself too far too fast. I don’t want him to kill himself simply because he doesn’t see himself as ‘good enough’. He believes he isn’t good enough to be a troll, I understood that part, but to be human? Hmm….that’s new to me. I had believed he was completely content with his human side. It truly isn’t as simple as I thought.” 

 

Gunmar took a pause in the conversation and tapped his claws on his throne with agitation.  
“turn to dust. Hmm. I do not want my son feeling the need to curl up into his nest and cry. You are a human, you know about emotions, HIS emotions. Advise me on what I should do. Blinkous knows much, however he doesn’t know what you know.”  
“advise? Okay uh...hmm….i...don’t know….it’s kinda hard to explain….i guess...just support him. Make comments about how much you love and appreciate him being in your life. Actions are better than just saying something though, usually doing things helps to really show that you mean it. Make sure he feels comfortable, and he has someone to talk to. Even if you don’t understand, it’s always nice to just vent to someone. Uh, vent means to talk about your emotions and what’s on your mind, help clear it in a way. Bottling things up and not facing them is really unhealthy, and dangerous too. Just show that you’re listening and WANT to listen to him. Have somewhere and someone to be able to talk to. Even if you don’t understand, just let him, ya know, talk it out. Saying something out loud typically helps and feels better than just saying it in your head, I just repeated myself but, well, it’s just to help understand it. Hmm...let’s see...what else….doing activities together is always nice, when I’m sad Nana usually does something with me, usually it’s really old lady stuff but it’s nice. She makes me things like pies and cookies and that cheers me up, plus I can’t really stay mad at her either. she’s the one who raised me, took me in, kept me safe and loved. So whenever I am angry, I just remember all the sweet loving wonderful times I’ve had with her, and that helps calm me down. The anger is just a small thing, the love is big and remembered. When you build up hate and bitterness, it’s really hard to get rid of. When you DO get rid of it, it feels good, but also somewhat empty, like you don’t know how else to feel because you’ve felt that way for so long, now you don’t know what to do. I know that you haven’t really been in his...uh...anyways yeah, I just wanted to say, it’s not too late. At all. He really is happy and excited to actually have you in his life for once HIS WORDS NOT MINE!. I don’t really have anymore advice, I didn’t have parents so, not good on that experience.

 

I know you won’t really understand the whole ‘human father’ thing, and honestly you DON’T have to. Well, not FULL human. Just do the basics. Like spending time with him, you don’t HAVE to do any one specific thing like a human dad would do, just do something you both want to do, bond over. that’s how he can be happier, just, time andexperience. Jim’s a half troll, both worlds mixing together and stuff. He just needs a balance of both, well I don’t really have to tell you that. He just needs affection, attention. After he starts, and keeps, getting it, he’ll fully register that he’s good enough to be your son, carry your blood and stuff. He just sees you and Bular and well, everyone else, be all big and strong and tough, and he’s just….not. So that covers his troll. His human, he just doesn’t fit in, he doesn’t feel like he belongs. He tries his best, and he has me and our friend group, but no one else really.”

“hm.” Gunmar seemed to relax a bit, moved his attention from Toby to his own thoughts. Then finally came back to Toby  
“you will be by my side more often. You will explain more to me about these kinds of things, along with my son’s health and well being. You will teach me what I wish to know”  
“you got it! Although, I don’t know everything so, just letting you know that I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll tell you what I DO know! Ohhh I know a great idea! You should read a bunch of dad books! Like, books about being a father and stuff, I can bring you son, if you want”  
“yes, do this. you will also teach me how my son reacts and….’interacts’ with things. I’ve noticed him behaving differently for a time now. I want to know why.” the conversation that Jim had with him about Kanjigar and Draal and all the drama  
“i guess it’s just because of his emotions and just what he’s been going through, and it’s not like he won’t stop changing and growing too”  
“that is exactly what Blinkous explained to me. Both of you must be correct then.”  
“if it puts your mind at ease, I can explain to you his little signals”  
“signals?”  
“yeah, like for example, when he’s starting to get stressed about something, he rubs his horn. If he gets REALLY stressed or anxious or stuff like that, he rubs BOTH horns”  
“i have noticed him doing that. You have done well. This pleases me. You may leave now to your colege”  
“okay, see ya! It was nice talking with you...uh...yep! I’ll just leave now OH! One last thing, a lot of times people don’t WANT to talk about their feelings or what’s on their minds. At least maybe at THAT time. So if he doesn’t want to, or says no, don’t push him. Just let him talk to you when he feels ready to talk. You CAN NOT force it out of him, let HIM have it come out naturally” Toby did an awkward smile and then ran out as fast as he could, the farther and faster he could get away from Gunmar, the better. At least now Toby knew Gunmar really DID want to keep him around! Being with THE leader, king, ruler, etc, felt kinda cool, if not nerve wrecking. Jim was squatting over his backpack, rifling through it, his ear twitched and he saw Toby leave through the doors and run over to his side

“Hey Tobes, what did dad and you talk about...”

……………………………………………………………

So they went to college, did their stuff, and checked up on Toby’s nana, who was doing well and currently having tea with Barbara. Jim and Toby left and then hungout at Claire’s house, talking about their day and what’s new. Eventually the subject of Toby’s neighbor came up and that she was taking care of Toby’s nana for however long while he’s away. He explained that he was staying over at Jim’s place, they DID find a way to go there safely, however only Toby is allowed over. 1 because he’s the ONLY human his father would allow, and 2 it’s very private hush hush personal stuff that literally NO ONE ELSE is allowed to know about. Claire understood, even though she was best friends with the two of them, she knew Toby and Jim had their own special connection and practically knew each other by heart, so she understood why Jim needed his support. She of course told Jim that she’s always there for him, to which he thanked her. Then the two decided to stay to eat a nice dinner, afterwords they did their quick teleport to the Darklands.

 

 

I couldn’t figure out what to write in the ‘day time’ and what they do next. What? YOU try having writers block and then looking up ideas then totally spacing out and forgetting why you did it in the first place. Then, of course, you have the PERFECT set up buuut you’re not able to write anything down so the moment you come home you forget cause you can’t remember shit. let’s not even get started with how much I procrastinate, like, WHY?! I WANT TO DO THIS?! Why tf do I do that to something I WANT TO DO!? I mean, I get when it’s math or some kind of study or trying to organize your life in general, but this?! I’m trying to take a break from the thing I want to do when I’m taking a break, instead I just watch videos, stuff my face, and listen to random ass songs I hear from various things like TV, and totally not paying attention so THEN you try to look up the lyrics of the FOUR WORDS YOU THINK YOU KNOW and then THAT leads you down a god dam rabbit hole for like, 5 hours because you look up one song, forget, then try another song which you forgot about because you listened the shit out of it until you were bored and tossed out the CD for the entire album, and the entire album

(btw it’s the strokes, this is it. The song I was trying to find and eventually found was: hard to explain)

Was from your middle school cringy years and then when you FINALLY manage to find everything, you start to remember all the super cringe middle school you and somewhat enjoy it and then feel sad because it really wasn’t that long ago when you were going through the hell that is the american education system and then remember all the horrible moments during it and everything you regret you did but the few fun things you did and miss, oh god now I’m remembering my Emo phase, god now I want to die, haha get it? Oh god now I’m remembering my Naruto phase and holy fuck don’t make me go down that pit of terror and cosplay and running around pretending I’m a ninja…... Then realize it was fucking 8 years ago now that you entered 9th grade, first year of highschool and then you have an existential crisis because you were 14 and now you’re 23 and you have no idea what you’re gonna do with your life, just finally finish highschool and then boom nothing, yeah okay community college wooo but then, what?! I don’t have any idea on what to do and I’m almost a quarter of a hundred years old and it’s freaking me out because I’m just constantly aging and youth is fading and I’ve never even done anything to truly remember my life and end my ‘youth’ on a POSITIVE NOTE. 

 

ANYWAYS YEAH GAY DUDES AND DICKS AND STUFF AND MAGIC LET’S GET BACK TO IT!

 

Gunmar was doing his usual. Sitting on his throne, being agitated whenever he heard of failure on someone’s part, whatever it may be. His second reasoning for his growing agitation was because his son had yet to come home. He knew how Jim was, always cutting it too close. Just close enough to where he ‘technically’ would keep his word, without having true cause to be punished for his actions, whatever they may be. His son was free and excitable, Gunmar understood, but it still didn’t soothe the small twitch and tick in his heart of annoyance that his spawn didn’t listen to his word. His command really. The noise would become muffled however, every time it worked itself up louder and louder, it would become dull and quiet again whenever he remembered WHO his son was and HOW he is. He needed time to himself, growth, change, ‘fresh air and plenty of room to stretch his legs’, all of them, requirements for proper and healthy growth. The end of those thoughts though…..it started to form an emotion Gunmar couldn’t place, trailing right behind the line of thinking, just far enough to where it became outside of his reach. He didn’t like that one bit. With learning about how his son TRULY FELT in all of its entirely, it made Gunmar growl in the back of his throat lightly, to know his child is suffering, right in front of him, and he can do nothing about it. Gunmar can’t swing a blade at it, or kill it with his claws, he couldn’t command it or send someone after it. It couldn’t end physically, which gave him no power or control over it, something Gunmar HATED. He hated this more than he hated failure. Gunmar had no way to help his child out of his suffering, his pain. The only way he DID learn, was to do the smallest of things, something he actually hated. Not that he HAD to do them, he enjoyed aiding his children, but the fact that he CAN’T do something BIG and just end the pain right then and there. Bular was so simple, so easy to tend to. He hardly required anything, and what he DID require, Bular could just handle it himself. Jim, well we all know how difficult Jim’s needs are. Gunmar wanted to have his children’s lives be full of happiness, and slaughter. To rule above all others, except himself of course. To own their own share of the world they would conquer. Gunmar hoped he could secure the surface world once and for all. Allow both their son’s to truly rule and roam freely. Most importantly however, was that Gunmar wanted Jim to be there. To experience it. To be apart of it. To live it. To aid it. His life was passing so quickly, he’s almost a full adult. At least within the next few dozen years or so. Adulthood, then becoming an elder, then the end. Two stages left. So few years compared to all others. 707 years left, and that’s ONLY if they’re lucky, AND if he’s healthy, something Jim’s not apparently.

 

Gunmar WAS going to start giving Jim more work, more responsibilities, more training, something he’s been lacking on, however his son doesn’t need any more strain, pressure, anymore work than he needs right now. He needs as much relief as he can get, no matter what it is, he’ll receive it. Every time Gunmar looks at Jim, he’s reminded of Victoria. Her looks, her attitude, her fighting capabilities, something Jim has yet to come close to. His mind would turn to the memories of them killing together, feeling the warm blood splatter and splash over them. They would share a cruel smile together. She was so efficient so deadly so...soft. The way she was, the way she could and would be, it warmed even his own dark twisted heart. She was so opposite of Bular’s mother, the being Gunmar once loved, then resented. The way Victoria smiled, the way she laughed, the way she knew how to eye him down and hold her place, one thing no one ever dared to do. He loved how she was, only truly defiant if things wouldn’t go in the best direction. She truly was brilliant in her tactics. When she revealed her pregnancy, Gunmar couldn’t have been more excited, proud, loving. His second son, yet another spawn to help conquer the world. To fight alongside his father, to be his second dark champion. Victoria was so happy, knowing they were going to extend their little family. So spoke of wanting a son, someone who could become proud and strong, but cunning and wise, just as she was. The ferocity of his father, and her clever mind and wits. She was so healthy, in such good condition, then her body just...gave out.  
When the day would come and Jim would have his own child, would his body give out like his mothers? She was healthy, he isn’t. Gunmar just threw those thoughts out of his head, he didn’t need to think and worry over something in the far future. The present is where he’s needed right now. Looking at Jim, the memories of Victoria, it was so bittersweet. He never got a chance to meet her, to see her smile, hear her laugh, see how easy she could kill. It always hurt Gunmar’s heart, his son had something so wonderful taken away from him literally at his birth. He deserved better. So, Gunmar will make sure he does get better, in every way. Gunmar truly was a terrible father. Jim’s little pet confirmed it. Gunmar should have been in his son’s life more. Gunmar just assumed he wouldn’t need to be as involved with him like he did with Bular. He truly was a terrible father, ignoring his son so much to the point where he was suffering. Gunmar promised himself he would be in Jim’s life more, from this point onward for the rest of his son’s short life, he was going to be there. Jim needed, no, WANTED him to be involved, so Gunmar will be involved.

 

Gunmar tapped with faster with more agitation piling on. Not even bloodshed and battle could cheer him up in his present state. His thoughts half ignored his report, he could just re listen to it later, or be given a brief summery by Blinky of only the most important parts. Gunmar’s mind tried to ignore the ‘bad thoughts’ and have them turn into what he will do with his son, how to be involved with him more. What DO human fathers do with their children? Spending time together, doing activities that they both will enjoy, being someone to rely on, and then what? Humans are so much more complicated than trolls. Gunmar had no idea on how to be a ‘proper’ father in the human sense, that was obvious and at this point he was just repeating it to himself. One of the few things that now gave him hope was Jim’s little human pet giving him the knowledge he needed. He didn’t mind having to rely on such small creatures, he was used to dealing with various pawns in his armies. This one was the most important one at the time though. Usually Gunmar would just have Blinky read things for him and give his thoughts on how to explain it easiest, not this time. This time Gunmar would be directly involved in learning, no matter how much he doesn’t understand. Well, he’ll just have the human explain things to him, even if the human has little experience himself, at least he was fully human was lived around these sorts of things.

 

The throne rooms doors opened up and his son along with his human pet walked inside.  
“-fuck you Jim! you’re not the boss of me! You can’t tell me what to do!”  
“right?! She didn’t need to be rude!”  
“then she just scarfs it alll down!”  
“and then hurls it up!”  
“she was in the bathroom for like, half an hour!”  
“well, next time she wants to hog all the wasabi, then I guess she can!” the two friends shared a laugh before Jim stopped to greet his father  
“hey dad, we’re home!” Gunmar wasn’t exactly MAD at his son, he was more...what?...he couldn’t place his emotion  
“what took you so long?”  
“sorry dad, we ate dinner at Claire’s house, uh, one of our other friends”  
“why did he speak to you like that?”  
“ohhh no no! Toby and I were just talking about this one girl who was being a bitch to us. So, just to make it short, Toby and I went out to this one place to eat for lunch after our classes ended, we wanted some sushi and we sat across from her who wouldn’t stop complaining about us. ‘being too loud, annoying, talking too much, yadda yadda’. So anyways, when this small plate of wasabi on it came, she grabbed it and was hogging it to herself, uh, keeping it all to herself. We asked her to hand it over so we could get some, and then that’s when she started eating all of it just to spite us. Then she hurled her guts out in the bathroom, I mean she was very ill and kept vomiting.”  
“hm. She should be punished for her insolence.”  
“i think all the pain she had from the wasabi was punishment enough”  
“what is. Shese, and the wasbe”  
“oh, it’s food. it’s from japan, it’s mostly rice wrapped in seaweed and has fish in it, it has a lot of different variety, My favorite are the salmon ones”  
“i wish to try these foods”  
“uh….you...do?”  
“yes. If you enjoy it, then I want to try it”  
“okay...uh...might...be a little problem with that”  
“what problem could there possibly be? it’s eating.”  
“that’s just it, thing is...it’s...really tiny. Bite sized, to a human. I can hardly have one, and with you and how big you are….i just don’t know if you could really taste it, but I’ll bring some home next time” Toby elbowed Jim  
“if he wants to try our food, why not give him a super double diablo maximus breakfast burrito”  
“NO. he can NOT eat that. I can’t! Let alone him! And I’ve been getting used to it since we were teens! And I have a trolls stomach!”  
“what can’t I eat? I don’t like when I’m prevented from doing anything.”  
“well I’m human and I can tolerate them”  
“Tobes you’ve eaten them waaay before I have! And built up a tolerance!”  
“I WILL EAT WHATEVER YOU SPEAK OF. I wish to try it to understand what you consume. What human food you enjoy”  
“okay dad...sure..uh...yeah….next time we go I’ll get you one, along with sushi and wasabi”  
“good. How was your….colge”  
“it was good, everything went well, my day was good overall too”  
“good to understand.” Gunmar felt a little relief knowing his son was feeling better. Or at least he hoped.  
“i wish to speak to your human. Alone.”  
“oh..uh...okay...he isn’t in trouble right?”  
“no. now leave. He will return to your side later, unharmed”  
“okay, bye Tobes I’ll see you later” Tobes became incredibly nervous. Heart started to race and his body felt hot. Jim easily noticed this and patted his arm, and quietly said  
“it’s okay Tobes, you’ll be fine. He promised, and his word is like, super important and meaningful. Just….behave? Just do what he asks and try to stay calm. Breathe. Remind yourself everything will be alright. After he’s done talking or whatever, you’ll come back to my room no problem”  
“please be right Jim”  
“i am”

 

With that, Jim left. When Tobes heard the door close behind him he suddenly felt like the silence was trying to harm him in some way. The darklands bitterness hung in the air around him.  
“step forward”  
“y-yes” and Toby did  
“more. More. More. Come to my steps. There. Tell me, did you bring my reading material?”  
“yep! it’s right here in my bag!”  
“retrieve it.” Toby tried not to shake as he dropped his bag, trying to open it and take out the books as fast as he could.  
“here, I uh, could only score 4 of them, but it should be enough for right now, I can always bring you more”. Gunmar turned to a soldier standing behind Toby  
“you. Take these to my private quarters.”  
“uh...i..don’t...know where those are”  
“not you. Him” Toby turned to see one of the guards, arm extended and hand open  
“oh uh, here, yep” the guard handled them as if it were a bomb, about to explode at the slightest shift in weight. Gunmar turned his attention back to Toby as the guard made his way out of the throne room.  
“you. What is your name again?”  
“Toby. Uh, sir”  
“to bay. You will be by my side.”  
“oookay, sir”  
“come.” Gunmar rose from his seat and walked past Toby, making his way out of the room. Toby had to zip up his bag and run at the same time, something he found difficult.  
“you. Bring his belongings to Jim’s room” a guard bowed and extended his arm, just as the previous guard had. Toby gave his bag to him, it was handled as carefully as the books were earlier….

………………………………………………………………..

Toby huffed and tried to intake as much air as he could, trying to keep up beside Gunmar. The two had started to walk around the darklands. Gunmar being quiet for most of it, however he would occasionally speak up and ask Toby a question about ‘human living’. Mostly the one’s about families and parental interactions.  
“h-hey w-wou-ld it be al-right if you cou-ld s-slow do-wn a bit? One of yo-ur steps is like, ten of mine” Gunmar just grunted and slowed his pace.  
“thanks Gunmar, I really-” Gunmar swung around and stomped his foot, Toby fell backwards and suddenly feared for his life  
“YOU WILL NOT ADDRESS ME AS SUCH. You might be something that pleases my son, but it is I who decides who gets to live and die. You will NOT be so ‘CAUSAL’ with me. You will always address me as your ruler. Do I make myself clear? One of the most hated things, is having to repeat myself.”  
“y-y-y-y-y-y-es!”  
“good. Good.”  
“d-do you w-want me to ju-st call you king or...”  
“i do not care what you call me. As long as you recognize me as your ruler each time you start speaking to me.”  
“you g-got it b-boss”  
“I’m going to assume the word ‘boss’ means I am above you as your ruler.”  
“yep! Boss means you’re in charge! The head honcho! The biggest of the big! The one at the top!” Gunmar suddenly went back to being totally relaxed and casual.  
“good. You are a smart little human. Now then, when my son left on the day of his birth celebration, what did you do with him?”  
“I-boss, I-m okay? L-like...no...killing me?”  
“no. you have learned your lesson. Correct?”  
“yep! You got it boss!”  
“good. Now answer my question. As well as get up off the floor.” with that, Gunmar turned back around and slowly walked forward, making sure Toby could keep pace.  
“well boss, I uh, well, we just hungout, did casual stuff, I did magic tricks for him”  
“magic tricks? How could a mortal human know magics? I’m curious”  
“oh nooo it’s just fake magic. it’s just for entertainment, it isn’t real, it’s just tricks and sleight of hand stuff”  
“hm...then you shall preform for me, I wish to see what entertainment you can provide. If my son enjoys it, then I will too.”  
“oh well, I’m really still not that good. I know a few tricks well enough but, I can’t figure everything out properly, but I’m always practicing!”  
“good. What you do know, you will entertain me with”  
“right now?”  
“no. later, when I choose so.”  
“you got it boss!”  
“now then, where were we?..hm..ah yes, so, continue explaining to me about this...watching of sports together...”

…………………………………………………….

Jim was worried. Toby was supposed to be back by now, except he wasn’t. Jim paced back and forth and shook his leg nervously.  
“Dad promised Toby would be alright! Dad always kept his word!...hmm...uh….okay...what do I do?...”

The door to his room opened and Gunmar was carrying a now practically passed out Toby  
“DAD! TOBES! Is everything okay?!”  
“yes. He could hardly walk any further. I had to carry him all the way back. Humans sweat so much.”  
“what did...you both do? What took so long? NOT THAT I’M ANGRY! Just….wondering”  
“i can hear the fear in your tone. Everything is perfectly fine.” Gunmar walked into the room and gently placed Toby into the nest  
“i wanted to speak to him, understand him as you do. We did not walk that far through my kingdom before he collapsed. He truly isn’t very strong”  
“yeah, he’s not the physical type”  
“i don’t want to break your human pet, so I brought him back here myself.”  
“thanks dad, that’s really...kind of you”  
“anything for my children” Gunmar looked into Jim’s eyes with a gentle affection. Jim didn’t know how to feel about his father suddenly being...gentle...he wasn’t angry, or even happy..just...surprised.  
“i will leave you both now.”  
“wait dad before you go...what...did you and Toby talk about?”  
“about human things. That is all you need to know. Human things that will improve me. Goodbye son….i love you” Gunmar hugged Jim close, causing Jim to shiver. Delight and shock equally consumed his body. He...loved it….but was so...just not used to it, he didn’t know how to feel. To truly think about it. His fathers body felt warm, strong, powerful, intimidating. Jim was used to being near Bular, but not being this close to his father. Bular had always had this deep power radiating from within, but this, this was on an entire, not even level, but something different in it’s own right. The only one’s to ever be this close to Gunmar were Bular’s mother, Jim’s mother, and whoever Gunmar ate. Now Jim had the privilege to do so.  
“why do you feel so tense my son?”  
“uh...just..not used to...this”  
“a failure on my part. I want to remind you, I plan on being involved in your life more. You mean a lot to me, you are my son, no matter what”  
“no matter what?”  
“yes”  
“what if I did something really bad?”  
“what could you possibly do that would take my love for you away?”  
“i...I’m just worried...I’ll do something, mess everything up, do something horrible.”  
“you won’t. I know you won’t.”  
“what if I did though?”  
“hm….That would have to be thought in those moments. What worries you that you might do this?”  
“ah...nothing...I guess I’m just worried about the future...everything’s just so….uneasy I guess….”  
“I’ll make sure it is easy and stable for you. I was planning on giving you more responsibilities, train you to know how to keep subjects in line, and how to rule for when we do conquer the surface world. However, for the time being, you will not need to worry about them. All you need to worry about right now is your own health and happiness, and I will see to it that you receive anything you desire to make you happy. You tell me, and I shall fetch it for you. Not only that, but you do not have to worry about choosing a mate. I don’t need you to worry about choices right now. You tell me when you’re ready, and then that’s when you will choose”

“n-no nana….don’t give the mailman another pie….he’ll sue the cats...” the two look over to a half asleep Toby muttering whatever he was dreaming of  
“your human is a strange thing. I will understand him, I will see to it.”  
“thanks dad...i...really do appreciate all of this...you...my life...”  
“like everyone has informed me, you are still growing and changing, little by little. I’m trying to understand this. I want you to understand that I will always be here if you need to speak. Even if I wouldn’t understand it. I want to listen. No matter where or what time, I will make sure we can speak. Even if it needs to be in private”  
“thanks dad..this...really does help”  
“Good. Good.”  
“I’m….really excited that you want to be involved with me more, you and Bular. You both make me so happy...now...you….want to know me more...” Jim started to tear up and sniffle. This really was what he always wanted. Being hugged by his father and given affection, in those moments, the thoughts of trollmarket, Kanjigar, Draal, all of it just completely vanished and Jim couldn’t care less about them.  
“i love you my son”  
“i love you too dad”  
“n-no...no more cats nana...the house can’t keep…..holding all of them...” Jim snorted and started to laugh, such a tender moment, suddenly broken by whatever ridiculous dream Toby was having. Jim couldn’t be happier in that very moment.

 

 

 

 

 

"the path before me changed and split. I'm sorry I couldn't walk both ways.

I tried to see down them as far as I could, both paths before me.

I could choose one, but not the other.

one path I chose, leaving behind all that I now knew.

one path I chose, leaving behind the life I thought I wanted.

Which would be which in the end?

At the time the chosen path looked best, was i fooled by what i saw before me?

maybe in the end, both would just be the same. 

both those lives, equally lived, i never forgot the other i could have had.

before i chose, a thought came to me. 

i doubted, if i should ever even walk one or the other.

perhaps in my choices, i found a third path, unknown to all, something even i did not expect.

Something that would end my life’s suffering. End it, in all ways but one.

Memories half remember, half forgotten, never wanting to look back.

Living in the present, just too difficult.

Remembering the past, too painful.

Looking to the future, too much fear.

When the choice is made, whatever it may be.

For ages and ages forward, all would know the choice.

The way it would change the world, from little to largest.

Everyone would know, in one way or another.

The world wouldn’t be the same.

Because Jim wouldn’t be the same”


	29. JIM! WORLDWIDE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A YUMMY TIME!
> 
> A TERRIBLE CRY!
> 
> A FUN DAY!
> 
> A FEARFUL MESSAGE!
> 
> A EMOTIONAL MOMENT!
> 
> A TIME TO BETRAY TOBY!
> 
> A WORLDWIDE SHOW!
> 
> A FINAL CRY!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay. i have to admit. i love hurting Jim tooo much XD.
> 
> my fav is, him eating, him crying, and him lovin Draal.
> 
> ENJOY THE CHAPTER!

Jim slowly ran his tongue across his palm and to the tips of his fingers. He moaned lowly and purred deeply as he looked down on his recent meal, hardly minutes old from death, oh the poor person, well maybe not. Jim always was judge, jury, and executioner when it came to these ‘encounters’ or more along the lines of having his meal. The man was scamming the elderly out of all their savings with false information presented to them online. Well, it wasn’t the most difficult thing to find out with a little help from his dear sweet sweet changelings. Jim didn’t turn to their help that often, he preferred to find out who his next meal was by himself, watching, listening, learning and of course, finding. Like a fun little hunting game, the only other competition would be his own brother, who did occasionally snag whatever food Jim wanted to eat. The difference between the siblings was that Jim almost always targeted the ones he deemed fit to die, while Bular just killed and ate whoever was unlucky enough to cross paths with him when he was hungry. When Bular went out to hunt, he always just snatched whoever he found first, and second, and fifths. However, Bular tended to hunt elsewhere, letting his brother have his fun with the prey that lived in Arcadia. Still, when Bular was lazy and hungry he wouldn’t bother to go far to catch someone, he would tolerate his smaller brothers annoyed protests and complaints if it meant a full stomach in exchange.

 

Jim’s eyes half closed, and dazed. The bliss saturating his mind and dulling out the world around him. It was nice and late, and honestly, at this point, only the idiots went out alone. Still, at least Jim was having his enjoyment on someone he targeted, and not the nice looking jogger down the street. At this point jogging should be legalized! Humans never learn though. Oh well, maybe that’s a nice little excuse Jim gets to have to not feel guilty, or as much, when he can’t find anyone he wants to actually chow down on. It really is their own fault they end up getting killed and eaten. Like with every feeding, Jim truly did wish the moment wouldn’t pass and move on. He wanted to stay like this. Practically drowning in euphoria and starting to feel sated. The feeling of the soft and tender meat being broken down with his sharp teeth tasted like ambrosia. He truly felt like a god. Powerful and able to take what he wanted, he practically could feel his blood warming up and calling out for more, growing more and more powerful with each bite. Licking his mouth and feeling blood trickle down his chin and onto his body, his eyes followed the small streams dropping off his face and back into the corpse. His eyes focused as he noticed his own body, glowing, almost deeper orange, almost tinted with red. He looked at his hands, the blood being lit up a bit from the glow in his own veins.  
“whoa” he muttered as he flexed his fingers and hands. He felt so warm, powerful, alive! If regular living was 720p, these moments were 4k. He wanted this to last. He wanted it to continue forever. Right now, he just wanted to drown in his food and the bliss is created. Violent, bloody, hungry. His entire body seemed to purr in pleasure in the consumption. Jim’s mind started to form solid thoughts however. First, his body glowed blue. Then it glowed orange, now it’s slowly turning deeper, reddish. Huh. He didn’t have a single ‘kind’ thought within him. He just wanted to keep killing, keep eating. Everything and everyone needed to be fed upon. He just felt his feral instincts overtaking him, demanding more and more. In this moment, it almost felt better than the pleasure he derived from sex. Close but not completely. His ear twitched as he heard someone talking nearby. He just lifted his head up and with half lidded eyes, looked and sniffed around, trying to find the source of the noise that was interrupting his bliss. Another jogger, different, closer. Jim didn’t care at this point who they were, he hardly even recognized them as an actual person, no details or deeper thoughts than food to be eaten. That he did. Letting his feral nature guide him, he stalked and lunged, a few hard bites into the throat and neck, covering their mouth as to dull their noise, and the simple prey went limp….

 

Jim somehow felt even more relaxed, two prey in one night? He didn’t care about any kind of repercussions he might face in the current future. Only the right now mattered. He continued with his bliss, biting and tearing into the second person. Hardly even finishing the first yet, he would come back to it though. It was like opening a new present, sure he just did the first one, but he was excited for the second! Sometimes Jim did wonder about human bodies. So different than trolls, trolls are just so much more simple. Human bodies and organs are so complex and varied. Jim had less organs than humans, but more than trolls. Jim occasionally wondered what a half troll might taste like. he’s tasted his own blood before, but it really didn’t do anything. He just didn’t seem to care, then again it was HIS OWN. A small thought was occasionally had, one he really enjoyed when it came across his mind in those moments of carnivorous delights. Him, feeding with his husband, sharing such a wonderful time together, it seemed almost intimate, like going to some romantic dinner. Well, technically that would be considered a romantic dinner with gumm-gumms. Him and his mate, playfully fighting over food. Jim purred louder and felt giddy, thinking that they could have sex right after eating. The smell of blood heavy in the air, the euphoria he was drowning in, combined with the intense high of sex, it seemed like paradise made real. He shivered when he imagined it was with Draal, he wanted to beg the universe to let this happen, somehow. The three things he loved the most currently. Sex, eating, and Draal, all combined at once? Jim imagined he could die and have no regrets after. Eating with Draal...mmmmhhpf~. Lapping blood off of Draal’s chest while riding him. Jim felt like he could orgasm within minutes just imaging that little playful scene. Draal becoming a gumm-gumm. One of Jim’s biggest wishes he mentally had. Even if it were never going to happen, it was always a nice fantasy to enjoy. Still, getting an actual mate, and forgetting about Draal, would be best for everyone. Everyone. For some reason, he had a hard time trying to convince himself HE was a part of EVERYONE. Instead, he just thought he was forcing himself into that place, not truly wanting to leave Draal’s side.

 

Jim closed his eyes and drank the blood pooling around his mouth. So sickly sweet, hot, fulfilling. One thing he did notice was that consuming blood gave him almost as much fulfillment than eating the actual body, not entirely, but it was still something to note. Especially when he was getting too full. A few handfuls, and he would be good to go. A nice little night cap for him. He was loosing too much time now, he needed to finish off his food and leave, a small whimper was made in his throat, knowing that he had to leave soon. He would stay like this forever if he could, or at least that’s what his brain told him right then and there. As much as Jim wanted to imagine himself getting fucked by Draal while filling up, or as he liked to joke, getting filled up while being filled, he had to ignore those perverted thoughts. Those naughty naughty sinful thoughts had to be ignored, he needed to go home to Toby. He truly didn’t want to suddenly just start to masturbate when his best friend wasn’t that far away. Jim’s routine would be to finish eating, going home and having a nice hot bath. He worried that he would wake Toby up, but when Toby said it was fine a few nights ago, he didn’t worry. Toby said he could fall back to sleep easily enough, AND it actually gave him a bit of relief, knowing Jim was safe back home, and not caught by whoever would have seen him. So, yet another night feeding was finished, almost both bodies entirely picked over by now, he really was having a growing appetite, something he didn’t know how to feel about. Just the other day, he hated himself that he had to eat, now, he felt like this was what he wanted to solely commit his life to. His usual teleport home, Jim trying to be as quiet as possible, a nice hot bath, and slinking back into his nest for his sleep…..

 

…………………………………..

It’s been almost a little over a week now of Toby living with Jim in the darklands. Toby had just finished getting dressed to start the day! His best friend laid in his nest, purring with intense satisfaction from his feeding only hours ago.  
“well, someone’s in a happy mood this morning”  
“mmmmhmmmm”  
“so, who was it this time?”  
“guy. Stole old people money.”  
“it wasn’t TWO people?”  
“...maybe...”  
“Jim”  
“...okay yessss!”  
“Jimbo.”  
“I couldn’t help it! I just loooooooooooovvvvveee eating people Toby! it’s sooooooooooo ggooooooooooooooodddd. It makes me feel soooooooooooooo goooooooooooooooooooood!” 

Jim’s body had recently gotten to the point where he now needed to eat at least a single person a day, the two were worried about it, and Jim was devastated when his body wouldn’t stop demanding more. He cried into Toby, desperately wishing that he could just stop and be normal. He doesn’t want to keep being a parasite. He doesn’t want to keep killing. He just wants to live. Now every night, Jim goes out and hunts. He tries his best to only take a single person. Sometimes he just….can’t help himself…like a junkie needing to get that little extra each time

“and yet it really wasn’t that long ago when you were crying into my chest saying you hated it, you hated yourself”  
“i know I know. it’s hard for me. Gumm-gumm nature vs my humanity. Not easy to just pick one.”  
“yeah, I get it. I’m sorry you have to play emotional tug of war constantly. What you are vs what you are. You loose no matter what”  
“ugh...yeah...let’s not talk about that. I realllyyy just want to enjoy myself~.”  
“alright, you do that. I need to go talk to your dad”  
“mmmhhmmm” Jim just started to purr and relax his whole body, feeling like he would just melt.

Toby had started to get used to his fun fucked up new fantasy life. It was easy enough. He quickly learned the inns and outs on what to do and what not to do. He still didn’t fully want to be near the guards, or anyone for that matter, for too long. Still, no one bothered him or even looked at him unless they needed to, which was very rare. Toby still had his anxiety, ESPECIALLY when he got lost. It wasn’t long ago when one time, he thought he knew his way back to Jim’s room. Toby panicked as he suddenly realized he was standing over a deep abyss of darkness and whatever monsters lurked within it, standing above one was pretty common, however THIS TIME he noticed.... there weren’t any patrolling units nearby. He back tracked as best he could. Getting lost was as easy as turning your head. There weren’t any indications as to where you were going, and Toby couldn’t just find anything by scent like Jim could. Eventually after walking for, he didn’t even know how long, Time couldn’t really be told here, not like there was a sun or moon to look up at. Only the faint collective glow of whatever surrounded the area. Toby stumbled upon a guard. He knew a lot of them didn’t speak or understand English, so he hoped this guard at least knew who he was. Almost everyone did, emphasis on almost. No, they didn’t try to attack or eat him, instead they thought he was some human that somehow escaped Gunmar’s ‘feeding time’. Thankfully they took him back to Gunmar, which he was actually happy to have happened. He’s been slowly learning how to navigate this horror story, which way led to where and such. But still, it was not easy, and he still hadn’t even completely memorized the very basic bridges and such.

 

He went to his now usual quick morning check in with the ol’ big boss man himself, talking about what’s been going on with Jim recently, how he’s been feeling, what’s he been thinking, that sort of thing. The same massive door opened, the guards bowed, now understanding of what Toby’s status was. Still NOTHING to even the most common low ranking soldier, BUT because of his importance to Jim, and Gunmar orders, he’s above everyone, to an extent. Not like he could order anyone around. Other than asking for directions, or to have them check the next corner to see if anything dangerous was around that would have ended up killing him, that was basically all he could do.  
“morning boss! Ready for my usual report! Morning Bular”  
“whelp.” Bular didn’t have any true feelings towards Toby. He was human and couldn’t be eaten, so that was annoying. However he did make his brother as happy as he could be, and also kept him from doing anything reckless. He was just some emotional support human, or something along those lines. So Bular just accepted his presence. Toby ALSO didn’t annoy or bother him either, so that was another acceptable thing. Toby even managed to prevent Jim from annoying him more with distractions, another positive note.

Toby walked to the steps, did a bow, or tried to. The very first time he bowed he almost fell forward and flailed a bit trying to stabilize himself. Gunmar asked if this was some sort of human greeting, Toby just replied that he was clumsy.  
“how is my son feeling this morning?”  
“he’s doing really good. He ate two people last night, and he’s pretty happy this morning. He hasn’t been upset since his little breakdown, he hasn’t thought or said anything either, at least as far as I could tell, which is saying a lot. So, yeah he’s good to go”  
“hm. Good. And how are you?” Gunmar had been reading the human parent guide books Toby had been providing. Occasionally Toby would bring more books to Gunmar, a sort of switch out for the previous ones. A couple of them mentioned that learning and knowing about their children’s friends and the people they’re commonly around a lot is a good step forward. So Gunmar now made it a habit to try to understand Toby, even if he didn’t. He tried. As any good father would.  
“I’m doing good, weekend so, that’s nice”  
“hm. What do you plan on doing with my son today?”  
“dunno. Gonna have to ask him”  
“hm. Enjoy yourselves, you’re free to go now”  
“thanks, bye boss! Bye Bular” 

 

A few steps outside of the doors he suddenly felt his shirt snagged  
“whelp, I want to speak to you about my brother”  
“okay, so, what’s up?”  
“you speak so casual to us. I would rip out your throat for that. However, I’m trying to do...nice...human...communicating...so as a good brother, I won’t. You always understand you are beneath me, so I won’t assume your tone ever indicates that you think yourself evenly to me” Toby still could never get over the fear Bular could impregnate him with. Those eyes, voice, and large figure, just never stopped being intimidating  
“y-yep! All that!”  
“good. Now then, you and I are going to speak” usually if it were one of his usual friends, Toby would have been a smart ass ‘we already are’ but always realized  
‘oh shit, there’s literally nothing stopping Bular from just killing me instantly, other than the future threat and consequences he would have to deal with.’  
“what do you need to talk about?”  
“my brother”  
“i uh...meant like, in specific”  
“today”  
“okay”  
“i want to join you on your activities”  
“okay, uh, sure….i mean, you’re good with me! Just, we need to talk to Jim, we still don’t even know what’s going to happen today”  
“no matter what, I will be involved. And you will aid me in convincing my brother to allow me to accompany you”  
“yes! I totally accept that and am fully aware of it!”  
“good little human. let’s go to him now”  
“yep! You got it!”

Toby had a habit to hum when he was nervous. Whenever he did, Bular/Gunmar would look over and ask him what he was doing, why was he making those noises? Did he need medical assistance? He just said that he hummed some songs he enjoyed when he was...not so calm. They ignored it most of the time now. Both truly did try to keep the human around, learn about him and see what Jim sees in him and all that. Toby was fine with it. Just. Being right next to two giant nightmare monstrosities. World ending creatures. No big deal!. During the walk, Bular would glance down over to Toby, who nervously smiled back. Bular tried to think of what to say. He needed to learn more! But how?! How do humans just...talk?!  
“Human”  
“yes?”  
“your name is….toba?”  
“Toby”  
“to be”  
“Toby, but close enough. NOT THAT I’M UPSET OR ANYTHING!”  
“i need to learn to pronounce your name correctly. You will be with us until the day you die. Which will be far far away from now. My father and I will see to it that you are by my brothers side for as long as possible.”  
“thanks, I really do love to hear that you both really want me around! Good to know that, well, I won’t be killed or eaten! By anyone! Except Jim!”  
“yes. Toby”  
“hey! You got it!”  
“hm. You will teach me human conversation. You will advise me like you advise my father”  
“oh uh, cool beans”  
“what?”  
“cool beans”  
“what is that?”  
“oh, uh, it’s just a saying, meaning stuff like ‘it’s nice to know’”  
“hm. Cool beans” Toby really tried to hold back laughing. Bular, well no need for a description at this point, saying cool beans, trying to learn how to say it ‘properly in human’. Giant monster trying to be friendly.  
“are you laughing at me? What do you find humorus?”  
“oh uh, n-nothing...just...”  
“if you enjoy laughing at me. Do so. Truly. I want to hear it.” Bular turned and looked Toby down. Looking as big and as intimidating as he could. The stare he used on everyone who would mock him or hold the slightest notion that Bular was anything less that their rightful superior.  
“i-m-i...o-only meant like….it’s just….such a modern term...and...uh...it’s just silly...and coming from you...this...well, huge scary dude, it’s well….kinda funny”  
“oh. hm. You are not mocking me?”  
“nope! Not at all!. it’s like...uh….hmm...how would I put it in terms you would understand….hm...OH! it’s like having a small child hold a sword bigger than they are, and trying to charge at you. it’s cute and silly, and something that usually wouldn’t happen….i think that’s the best way to describe it”  
“hm. Cool beans. Humans laugh with one another about things they find joyful and playful. Correct?”  
“y-yep!”  
“hm. More things you will advise me on.”  
“will do!”  
“now”  
“oh uh, okay...what specifically did you want right now?”  
“this. Human conversation. I want to understand….humans don’t kill one another for dominance. At least in...’casual’ moments….i want you to teach me how to do such a thing. Conversation”  
“oh uh, okay, sure. let’s first get Jim-” the two opened up the room and walked on a sad whimpering Jim. Crouched to himself in his nest looking at his hands. Toby knew this well. Going into supportive best friend mode, Toby went over to Jim and sat down  
“hey. You thinking about stuff?”  
“yeah….”  
“want to talk?”  
“i just….I’m just feeling like usual…..after everything died down, I started to think about stuff.”  
“go on, if you want”  
“well, every things adding up. So many, just….this week...i….i can’t stop...” Toby pulled Jim’s head into his chest and pet him  
“it does, what’s done is done. No point looking at that, can’t go back. Live right now”  
“i want to stop...”  
“i know you do. we’ll figure out a way. Together.” Jim whined and whimpered more. He naturally went to rub his horn, when Toby started to do it for him. It somehow relaxed Jim even more when someone else did it. With a soft firm grip at least. Toby picked up this trick a couple nights ago. Toby just tried to rub Jim’s horn, beating Jim to the punchline, and it surprisingly helped a lot. So now, Toby would do it for Jim when he was around  
“why can’t I just stop feeling broken.”  
“well, I’ll always be here to help pick up the pieces. You always do matter to me at least. You want to go do anything specific today?”  
“i dunno...I’m just going to hurt you like everyone else.”  
“true. But it’s alright if you hurt me. I’m here for you, no matter how painful. Kinda have to at this point. You won’t drive me away, now it’s my turn to clung to YOU like a tick. Only fair I return the favor after all these years” Jim snorted and giggled a bit  
“that’s true”  
“you’ll always matter to me Jimbo. Even when you kill me, I’ll make sure my ghost won’t be a TOTAL pain in the ass when I haunt you”  
“oh?”  
“you know daaaam well I’m going to haunt your ass”  
“well, at least I could get a camera or something”  
“ohh you could make a bunch of steam in a bathroom, then I’ll right ‘u suc haha’ in it” Jim started to laugh more now  
“oh?”  
“yeah, ‘fit me lil bith, 1v1’”  
“oh good, now I’ll get to get into a fist fight with a ghost”  
“we’ll get through this together okay? You and me, like it’s always been”  
“and it always will be”  
“the looser and the freak, the show!”  
“ohhh maybe we could get enough funding for our own movie”  
“just make sure not to turn it into cgi hell, you know too much of it just ruins everything” Jim did a few more whimpers and his mood turned sloppy again  
“i won’t fit anywhere.”  
“no. you won’t, and never will. you’re a freak that isn’t a full thing no matter what. But that’s good. that’s you. And no one and nothing can take that away. You will always be you. Nothings gonna change that. Hell the entire world could change into half trolls, no matter what, you’ll always be great though”  
“yeah….” Jim closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle strokes and pets his friend was giving him.  
“you know those moments when you sit someway for a really long time and it starts to hurt a little, but then you move and get up and suddenly it hurts A LOT, but then it stops. Well, you’re moving right now. You keep sitting in two different positions, and whenever you move, it hurts. Right now it hurts, but after, you’ll feel better. If you do LOVE eating people, or if you HATE it. you’ll always have your personality. You are always just yourself, even if you go into two different mindsets. Your personality doesn’t change at all”  
“yeah...it doesn’t….huh...”  
“which is proof of why you’re great! you’ll always just build onto yourself, even if it feels like you’re collpsing. Your default form is this, it isn’t because of one side or another. you’ll always love burritos, and have me, and gunrobot, and your toothpaste. we’re not going anywhere”  
“you’re not...hm...thanks Tobes”  
“feeling better?”  
“yeah, I’m sorry for that”  
“don’t be sorry, you need to feel these things to its completion. You always talk when you need it. You know I’ll get mad at you if you bottle it up”  
“yeah...you will”  
“I’ll ground you from going outside”  
“now THAT’S not fair!”  
“it is too!” the two laughed together, Jim moved his head and sat back up  
“so, feeling better?”  
“yeah, I do. Thanks”  
“so, I think we should go shop around for some stuff, spruce the place up. I know you’ve been wanting to see the new seasonal stuff at the mall”  
“yeah, okay, let’s do it. Maybe just...not the group”  
“okay, if you want us time, you’ll get it!”  
“you’re not getting sick of me?”  
“well THAT’S my line!” Toby pet him one last time then pat his head  
“Alright, get read mr. I’ll wait outside with Bular”  
“who? OH…..uh….how...long...were you….standing there for?” Jim tightened up, feeling vulnerable and raw. He usually only TRULY let out his full extent of his emotions to Toby. Now being in front of his brother….it just felt...weird. So just….not a thing that happened. Bular + emotions, just didn’t ever add up. It was almost like having a neighbor suddenly walk in on you unannounced asking for help to move furniture. 

 

Bular had watched every second of this….moment. He didn’t know what to think. He felt….bad. The negative emotions aimed at himself. Here, this...small...thing...healed and mended his brothers emotions and thoughts, far better than...he could EVER have! Toby said and talked about things Bular would NEVER have even thought of. How could he EVER compete to a….human!? A HUMAN?! Better than he was?! He could do far far more than BULAR ever could!? He looked weak. Pathetic. This creature, this food, showed just how inferior Bular was. Jim was his BROTHER. How could he not understand his own blood?! Bular understood, or tried to, that Jim needed emotional support, but THIS?! This seemed almost impossible to learn! Leagues beyond what Bular imagined he was able to do! How can he EVER call himself a good brother if he didn’t even know what to say when his brother needed it the most?!. Toby was going to teach him. At this point, it was needed, not wanted. When Toby dies, Jim will truly be at his lowest point, that much was easy enough to tell. Jim was currently upset because he...ate two people. That was practically NOTHING to be concerned about! One of the very first lessons Bular learned just then. Things that he wouldn’t even consider something to even come across his mind, Jim might not feel the same way. These….emotions….these human emotions...just proved how utterly foreign it was to him. When Toby is gone, SOMEONE is going to need to help his brother. That someone would be Bular. He will learn, master, perfect the art of emotional support! Only then, could he call himself a true brother to Jim. He had to learn everything about his brother, pronto. Swinging a sword was easy to do. You could see where it would go to. This? You couldn’t see this. You could only guess.

 

Bular watched Toby close the door, leaving the two alone in the hall.  
“you. What did you do?”  
“i helped him”  
“hm. How did you...speak those words?”  
“oh, well I just spoke about what Jim needed the most at that time”  
“how could you tell?”  
“it’s just something you learn. People need specific things in specific moments.”  
“hm. How do I do...that? With words. And the support”  
“it’s not like ANYONE can just do it easy. If someone else was upset, I really wouldn’t know at ALL how to help them! But I know Jim, I know what he needs, how he needs it, and when. One of THE most important things to say to him. Is that his emotions matter. HE matters. He doesn’t expect you, or even me, to be perfect at talking. When someones upset with a certain thing, well, you learn it, get to the heart, and mend it. With Jim, just then, it was him being upset that he was living in two different worlds, and he wanted to only FULLY live in one. And he can’t. He feels broken, lost, torn, vulnerable. When he gets like that, you have to help him ‘pick up the pieces’ in a way. He might be different if he were fully human, or fully troll, but no matter what, he will always be himself. And that’s what he needs to be reminded of. He won’t loose himself if he DOES somehow pick one side. He might change, sure, but he will always be here, not suddenly lost and totally become something different.”

“i have no idea on how to understand what you’re speaking of”  
“okay...hmm….to make it simple. Tell him you will do your best to understand. He MATTERS to you. You LOVE him and will be something he can go to when he needs it most. A safe place to cry. To feel himself break. When he’s feeling better, well, you helped him. Even if you didn’t do anything. Just letting him know he can have a comfortable place to vent. Remember to always tell him, there is hope. No matter what happens. you’ll always be there for him. NO, MATTER, WHAT. Okay? If you REALLY want to help him and REALLY help him. You need to support EVERYTHING. If he does something, support it. If he ends up getting hurt, let him learn. don’t yell and scold, he’s going to do that to himself already. Just be there, help him understand what happened, NOT BLAME, just speak of the situation and what happened. And let HIM come to terms. Understand. Learn. Grow. Tell him he can survive through EVERYTHING. Because you will be there to catch him if he falls. Heal him when he’s injured. Lift him when he needs help off the ground. No matter what, DON’T think you’re driving him away. Always ALWAYS makes sure he hears that, you’re going to be right next to him when he needs it the most. If he makes the WORST choice, the WORST mistake. Let HIM learn from it. Support him when he needs it, but let HIM learn from it.”  
“you sound exactly like Blinkous. hm. This is a lot to learn. Well, even with your short life, I will learn from you for as long as you are alive”  
“thanks...i..think...”  
“i still wish to attend you and my brother today”  
“okay. Well this is actually a good first lesson. no.”  
“are you-”  
“okay okay I KNOW I’m interrupting right now, and I KNOW I SHOULDN’T, but let me first explain. If Jim needs something, DON’T force ANYTHING onto him. If he only wants to be with me, because THAT’S what will make him feel better, then respect it. If HE chooses for you to come, then come. DON’T force ANYTHING onto him. ALWAYS remember that”  
“no forcing. I understand. I will let him make his own choices. If he does the wrong one, I won’t scold, but I will understand my best to aid”  
“YES! EXACTLY!”  
“hm. Easy enough.”  
“true, that was just the very basics, don’t worry, you’re going to learn his every in and out. Like his horn. When he’s upset, he rubs one, when he’s REALLY upset, he rubs BOTH. Before he does, IF he feels comfortable with it, rub his horn GENTLY like I did. You will know If he’s comfortable with letting you do it, if he let’s you and doesn’t tense up and tell you to stop. Niiicceee and gentle. Niiicccee and slow. Remember, HE matters in those moments NOT YOU. it’s what he needs most. Like how I told him, he can hurt me all he wants, if that’s what he needs. And if he truly needs to bite me or whatever. Then I let him. Actions and promises will be shown. Okay, hmm, okay example. If he’s frustrated, tell him he can hit your chest as hard and as much for as long as he needs to”  
“hm...i think I understand”

 

The door opened and Jim came out, looking cleaned up and fresh!  
“so, how do I look?”  
“like the most handsome half troll to ever exist!”  
“aww thanks Tobes”  
“so, you feeling any better?”  
“my head still hurts a little...but...I’m alright for the time being” Tobes elbowed Bular  
“Bular had something to ask you”  
“yes. Brother, I was wondering if, I could join you today on your...activities on the surface”  
“oh, uh, wow Bular I really didn’t expect you to ask….i...really would rather just….be with Tobes today...could we do tomorrow?” Bular remembered the words Toby said to him moments ago. He won’t become upset because his brother refused him. Jim needed something else. It was for Jim’s health  
“yes, I fully accept that and will not argue. This is your choice, I will respect it. I will await for tomorrow with...uh...glee?”  
“oh uh, thanks a lot for understanding! I really appreciate it” Jim smiled and hugged his brother. Bular felt awkward at first, but then slowly hugged back, still unsure how to do it ‘properly’.  
“yes, I am here for you my brother”  
“i really appreciate you wanting to be in my life. I promise, soon, we WILL spend time together, okay?”  
“yes” Jim let go and fished out his amulet  
“you ready Tobes?”  
“yep! As ready as I’ll ever be!” with that, the two flashed away, leaving Bular alone standing in the hall. Bular walked to the throne room, going over the words Toby had told him, learning every words and meaning, as if it were a plan for battle…… when he arrived in the throne room, his father was paying attention to Blinky as the two talked about the most recent reports. Bular fell to a knee at the throne, waiting Gunmar’s command to rise.  
“rise my son. Tell me of your activities”  
“father, I have just witnessed something I have trouble to comprehend”  
“oh? What might that be?”  
“the human, Toby” Gunmar sighed through his nose. Annoyed.  
“what has he already done?’  
“nothing like that. After he did his morning report, I followed and spoke to him while on our way back to my brothers quarters. He was...upset. I witnessed his human pet soothe him, speaking in a way I never would have even imagined that Jim would need.”  
“oh? Well this is interesting. What did he say?” Bular began to repeat every word to his father…..

……………………………………………………..

it was a couple hours later. The two were having a massive amount of fun! They walked around, talked, ate things, did random college kid stuff 

(I guess it varies? Well for me personally it’s just sending shitty memes to my friend and talking about dungeons and dragons and other shit. I am a very social looser XD I’m fine with it though! Well, long story short, I got some bad social anxiety, so indoors is wonderful! Anyways, nothing more to know. Back to the story!)

Toby and Jim came across a small new shop, an oddities and magic shop!. There used to be a place years ago that was similar, but they shut down. Now, another one has just sprung up! The two headed inside and explored the small shop!. Jim giggled and quietly talked to Toby about stuff. Pretty much all of it was fake, after all, he knew REAL magic, somewhat at least. Although ONE thing that DID interest them, was a tarot reading!. A woman led the two somewhere more private and closed off. Toby went first. They did a very simple set. The set of three

(I used to actually do readings! For fun on myself XD I fucking LOVE magic shit! So if something has fantasy, I swivel my head to check it out. Anyways…)

(okay, so the quick rundown is that the deck is talked to, cards shuffled, and then the top three cards are drawn. The first, telling about the past. The second, the present, and the last one, the future. I most likely am TOTALLY screwing up the ACTUAL thing to it. But whatever IT’S MY FIC! XD)

the first for Toby’s past: the magician.  
“using knowledge, resources, and will to create change in the world. Jim and Toby based that on when Jim came to the surface and Toby helped to ‘save humanity’. Later on they would talk about it aloud.

The second for Toby’s present: the high priestess.  
“something that can only be understood through experience” Jim and Toby wondered if it was about Toby learning about Jim’s ‘real life’ and Toby having to live with it.

Last. The third for Toby’s future: the moon.  
“A situation of flux and uncertainty, fraught either with deception or the revealing of important truths” Jim and Toby wondered what THAT would mean. In the back of Jim’s mind, he wondered if that would mean Toby would find out about the Janus order…..

 

Next, it was Jim’s turn! He was excited. He knew that scrying into the future actually DID exist. However it was very difficult to do and it was very vague.

The first for Jim’s past: the devil.  
“a choice, situation, or action that is contrary to your best interest.” Jim’s mind wondered if that somehow had to do with his ‘family’ and how it affected the present…

The second for Jim’s present: the tower.  
“and unexpected event that changes everything.” a lot of new things have been going on in Jim’s life that’s drastically changing…

the third for Jim’s future: the hanged man.  
“willing surrender to an experience or situation” Jim’s mind did panic a bit. The recent events were weakening his thoughts and true will to commit to one side or the other

 

Later on, Jim looked deeper into the meanings. The first, the Devil.  
“something that you have spent your life, resources, effort, into that slowly consumes you. The commitment to something all consuming that you cannot imagine your life without it. It started out life innocently and with the very best intentions, now merely exists to be fed. It gives nothing of use in return. It only consumes everything including you.”

That...didn’t sound good. It sounded too much like his childhood and most of his life except recently….

The second Jim looked deeper into, the tower.  
“while death is something that naturally ends, as all things will. The tower is sudden and destroys everything, changing your world entirely. One big event that will never let you be the same.”

Okay, that’s sounding too much like the present, with how he suddenly met...Kanjigar…

The third, the hanged man.  
“a change in view. Unable to fight it, you give in and see from a different perception. Perhaps a sort of epiphany. Expect an uncomfortable time. Let go of what you see currently to understand something different. View life with a different way of thinking.

Ooookaaayyy that’s scary. Being with Kanjigar and Draal has started to...change his beliefs...and it’s not exactly the MOST comfortable situation….  
HAHhahahhHAHAHAHA! It’s just dumb fun things!...right? Nah it’s just super vague! It could be anything!

 

Jim swallowed. He asked for another. Toby wondered why, but Jim HAD to do another…

the first, his past: the fool.  
“the moment before the first step is taken” 

later he looked deeper into it.

“to embark on a new journey that plays an important role in life.”

oooookkaaayyy that really sounds like when he first came to the surface.

The second card for his present: justice  
“the consequences of your actions are now.”

deeper into it

“your actions have created your situation. Measure your actions against your ideal. Your current actions will affect your future. Now is a pivotal time. Whatever you are considering doing in the situation has greater ramifications than you may have realized”

Ooookkaaayyy now that’s starting to freak Jim out. Whatever choice he makes, there’s no going back.

And the final one for the future: the lovers.  
“making a decision that makes your heart glad.”

deeper meaning

“pay attention to your heart. The opportunity to make a choice-to commit to something that could change your life. The importance of making the right choice. Make the right decision and experience is full of the same potent power of love”

OOKKAAYYY THAT’S TOTALLY NOT ABOUT HIS HEART RIPPING IN HALF OVER HIS LOVE OF DRAAL AND KANJIGAR AND TROLLMARKET VS THE LOVE OF HIS FAMILY AND LIFE. HAHAHAHAHAHAH OOOKAY THAT’S ENOUGH OF THAT FOR TODAY!

Jim felt queasy. And today he just wanted to have fun, not being reminded and even HEAVILY REMINDED THAT LIFE’S GONNA BE A SHIT STORM AND YOU GOTTA CHOOSE PRONTO! 

Jim thanked her and paid for the service. He was somewhat out of it for a while as he and Toby walked around outside and headed over to check on nana. Jim had searched all of it on his phone, having an even deeper crisis than before.

“-ah” Jim snapped out of his daze and turned to his friend as they finally arrived  
“huh? Sorry Tobes I wasn’t paying attention”  
“i said, you think allll that is REALLY what it’s about?”  
“i...uh...uh...i...really don-” the sweet voice he always perked up when hearing spoke his name  
“Jim” the half troll turned to the voice and his heart did a flip. Draal was standing there, a large smile on his face. Jim couldn’t form words, until he finally cleared his throat  
“oh hey Draal! What uh, are you doing here?”  
“i wanted to see if you were here this day, see if you would enjoy spending some time with one another once more”  
“ohhh yeah...uh...uh..OH! Sorry Draal, I’m spending time with Tobes today. Oh! you’ve never properly met, Draal this is Toby, he’s like, THE most important person in the world to me, he keeps me sane! Like my...emotional support human, I guess you could say that?”  
“hi Draal, Jim’s told me about you” Toby did a small wave  
“Toby this is Draal, he’s….” Draal looked into Jim’s eyes, a small twinge of worry flickered in his heart  
“what am I to you Jim?”  
“i...you’re...i…..” Jim rubbed a horn and took a deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly.  
“you’re a potential mate...i...really...REALLY...love being with you. You make me so...happy...fulfilled...like...my heart...just...feels warm and fuzzy and soft and nice and…..I….I’m so so so sorry Draal, but with my family and my life right now, things are crazy and hectic and...i….can’t...be with you….right now….god, I wish I could, really really I do! I’ve looked, and still am, for ANY way you can be in my life more, as an ACTUAL mate…..i can’t right now, and it’s cruel to make you wait for me….i….don’t want you to keep getting your hopes up….” Jim’s emotions started to build up, it was easy to hear it in his voice. Especially at the end. It was very clear to both Draal and Toby that it sounded more like Jim was trying to say it to himself. Draal gave a warm smile and spoke sweetly  
“i will wait for as long as I need to. You are the only one I’ve wanted for many years, centuries actually. you’re the only one who’s made my heart stir. If we can continue what we are doing, I would love that. I will wait for however long it takes to be with you. I want you to be happy, I am always happy, just being near you. Do not worry about me, I am more than happy.”  
“i…..that...i...we….” Jim was truly at a loss for words. He couldn’t form solid thoughts, emotions, and words. Everything was just a hot melted soup currently.

“i didn’t JUST come here to speak to you. Ah, here it is. I’ve brought you something. I found it and thought that you might enjoy it. Here, for you” Draal moved his arm out and revealed a small box. Jim was nervous about taking it, almost as if it were a snake ready to bite him at any given second. Jim’s arm shook slightly as he picked it up and brought it to his chest. It was a surprisingly nice and clean box. Slightly wrapped with a small bow on it  
“what...is it?”  
“open it” a small tear and gently pulling off the ribbon, inside was a small necklace. Simialr to the one Kanjigar gave him, only slightly different. A small sturdy collection of various stones and gems made the necklace, and at the center, was a troll symbol for protection, willpower, safety, something that sometimes was given to a mate to wish them safety while they were away. Something to hold onto and remember how much the other loves you. How they know that you can and WILL be strong enough to overcome whatever situation you’re going through. Luckily it was a fairly common symbol, so it wouldn’t really grab anyone's attention for too long. It was like the equivalent to a humans ‘good luck charm’. Jim looked at it. Inspecting it, feeling….he didn’t even know how to feel. It was like he was on autopilot and watched someone else control his body. He opened the necklace up from the back and put it around his neck.  
“i love it Draal. Thank you” Jim hugged Draal, the feeling of safety, affection, wamrth, fulfillment, and just...joy...overtook him. Wrapping around him like a blanket.  
“you are welcome. I am glad you enjoy it” Jim just kept his head under Draal’s, feeling the strong body. An alpha that could protect. Provide. Love. Tend to whatever you needed. To truly be loyal and honest. Jim felt his eyes tearing up. He didn’t notice that he had already started to cry.  
“are you alright Jim?”  
“y-yeah, sorry, just uh, a bit emotional today. Ever since this morning my emotions have been...crazy. Like I said, life’s crazy. I’m fine though, really. Plus Toby helps me” Toby gave a thumbs up  
“you got that right Jimbo!” Draal made a small ‘hhmmm’  
“Jimbo?”  
“yeah, it’s a nickname I gave him when we were both in high school. He calls me Tobes, I call him Jimbo”  
“nicknames? Interesting. Perhaps I should give you one Jim” Jim wiped his eyes and let go, backing away a bit  
“oh that’s fine! You really don’t have to”  
“i want to….hmm….how about….soft fur...no...smooth horns...no….i shall come up with something worthy of you!”  
“oh no it’s really fine! You don’t need to waste energy and time on me!”  
“i want to though” Draal suddenly kissed Jim, surprising him like a sneak attack! A sneak kiss attack! X2 sneak bonus damage!  
“ah, I think I’m beginning to understand why humans enjoy it. I am starting to enjoy the small gesture of affection”  
“yeah….me...too” Jim purred without realizing is. He felt so...well...what he’s been feeling!. Toby had to snap him out of it, this situation was…….not...good for Jim. At least right now. Jim didn’t need his mind anymore confused that it already was. Still, Jim did look and feel so happy!. Toby started to see just how difficult Jim’s choices actually were.  
“Hey Jimbo, we need to check on nana! Then go to a movie or something!’  
“...huh...oh….OH! Yeah! Burning daylight! Sorry Draal, we gotta go. It was really…….really…...nice to see you! I love this necklace...oh sorry I haven’t worn the other one! I sorta...lost...it...haha….I’ll find it! I think it’s somewhere in my nest, oh well, until then, I’ll wear this one!” Draal nodded and gave such relaxed eyes  
“i will leave you both, enjoy your day Jim, I hope to see you soon”  
“yeah….same….here” with that, Draal turned and left, meanwhile Toby had to pull Jim inside, Jim still being a bit ‘in his own world’. After they entered the home, the sudden feeling of a cat brushing up against his leg and meowing pulled him back into the real world.  
“oh, hey there little guy. Sorry but, I have my own issues, I don’t have time to feed you….okay...maybe I can at least pet you….soo soft...man, must be easy being a cat. Just lay aound, get pet and fed, taken care of, not a care in the world…..i guess I can TECHNICALLY have that life….mmmmhhhmmm...all the petting and grooming...ohhh I bet I could get like, a huge line of changelings! Ohhhhhhhhh how gooood it would feel...mmmhh….laying there, just...eyes closed...enjoying it….for a half hour at least….pure bliss…..dam I might actually have to do that….speak of the devil himself” Jim’s phone started to buzz. A call from Walt  
“hey”  
“hello”  
“need something? Or just miss my sweet sweet voice, no I’m not going to pet you”  
“oh, and here I was looking forward to it”  
“no not you! I’m at Toby’s house and his cat, now two, won’t stop meowing and bothering me. Now three. NOW FOUR!”  
“my, what a predicament you’re in”  
“the worst life has to offer. Sometimes I swear it’s a wonder that I can even bear through it”  
“i truly hope you never leave us so suddenly from the intense pressure and stress”  
“haha, okay, but seriously, did you need something?”  
“yes, I actually was wondering if you would like to have a chat with me. Or we could simply talk on the phone, either one”  
“uh, what’s it about? Is it gonna be long?”  
“no, not really. I was just going to ask you to come to our little clubhouse this evening, if you’d like”  
“ohhhh another invite, is it a surprise party? Aww you shouldn’t have!”  
“oh, if it were, I wouldn’t exactly be telling you and ruining it, would I? Actually, I’ve spoken to a few different people, coordinated with your father, and overall did a lot of checking and updating. To get directly to the point. we’re going to talk about you worldwide”  
“huh?”  
“well, everyone outside of Arcadia will finally learn about you. you’re old enough and strong enough now to be revealed to everyone. I’m more than sure all of our other friends would love to meet you”  
“huh, so finally make my name worldwide? Neat! I’m actually suuper down for that!”  
“as I knew you would be. Care to stop by around 7pm? We won’t be starting anything until roughly 7:30. but it’s always nice to prep”  
“yeah actually! Sounds fun!”  
“good, then I shall see you then, dress nicely! If everyone in our order is going to meet you, well I wouldn’t want their first impression to be...similar….to...how others were”  
“don’t be a big gross gory and sweaty mess like Bular, go it!”  
“your words, not mine”  
“of course! Alright, gonna be all nice and purrrty for tonight!. Jim! Worldwide! Woo! I can already feel the fame getting to my head! Inflating my ego and turning me into a super over the top bitch!”  
“interesting phrasing, well I’ll see you tonight, call if you need anything”  
“kk will do, byeeee”  
“goodbye”

 

Jim hung up and stuffed his phone back into his pocket and looked for Toby…

 

…………………………………………………….

Jim cracked his neck and stretched himself out as the elevator lowered. After Toby and Jim’s fun little day, and the last few hours, they went home, Jim got ready, told Toby he was going to talk to some gumm-gumm people, and left Toby with Bular who was SUPER HAPPY! (not sarcastic) to be spending time with him! He even took Toby out for a nice ‘friend brother bonding night out on the town!’! Toby begged for Jim to save him! Jim just said byyyeeeee and good luck! Toby threatened to kill Jim later. Jim said he would accept it!. So, after throwing his best friend to the wolves, he left!.

Ding!

The elevator opened and Jim noticed a LOT of his sweet sweet changeling hustling about, running around and doing whatever they were doing, as fast as possible. Jim smiled and waved at his usual ‘friends’ although no one gave a response, simply too busy to really notice Jim. He didn’t take it to heart however. Jim made his way to Walt’s office, avoiding the scrambling worker bees, knocking, and heading inside. Walt was looking at himself in a mirror, making sure each little part of him was as pristine as possible  
“so, going to wear that outfit Jim?”  
“yes! Going casual! Gotta give my ‘super relaxed super chill’ boss vibe!”  
“well that outfit will truly show your levels of professionalism". Jim’s outfit consisted of some basic shorts, a purple T shirt that said ‘troll twink’ on it in black letters. His new necklace and a studded belt with a belt buckle of an angry snarling gumm-gumm face.  
“i was thinking of wearing a nice collar~ really show my animal/feral/kinky side. But I stuck with the necklace”  
“and what a nice one it is. that’s new I’m assuming. Did you get it from your father? Or some ‘secret admirer’ who left it at your door”  
“ahhh THAT would be sweet~ having my own little fan. Nah, I got this as a gift from-well it doesn’t matter really”  
“oh? Why the sudden stop?”  
“well...okay it’s a little embarrassing. It was from this little store thingy, this person was, I think hitting on me? Anyways it was hard to tell. SO he gave me a nice price on this! He studies troll stuff and thought it would be PERFECT for a nice young cute half troll such as myself”  
“well, aren’t you finding true love in every corner”  
“ahhh the truest of dreams! So, why’s my little worker bees so buzz buzz busy?”  
“buzz buzz busy because we are having a MASSIVE amount of our kind gathering here under one roof! And trying to find parking, was hell. Thankfully I was able to just keep my car at the school. Still traffic is backed up like you wouldn’t believe. Well, not my problem at least. So, of course our nice big gathering is in a relatively new section we finished a bit back. it’s to house large portions of our kind at once. And with this many of us at once, well, trying to have mass organization isn’t the easiest of tasks. That on top of our usual work, combined with why suddenly many many people have just taken a vacation all around the world, along with helping our friends actually arrive here, rent a hotel room or so, and then have proper seating arrangements. Well its truly all one big mess.”  
“ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Well thank god I don’t have to do anything. This troll twink is totally free of any and all responsibilities except having to worry about my life and what my father plans for me and the ever consuming existentialism that is in my mind!”

 

“truly not the easiest of things, and I’m not joking. How is your father? I spoke to him a few days ago, although he isn’t the type to have fun causal chats with." "he’s, himself. Big ol grumpy butt. Although he and Bular are-” a knock on the door, someone opened it a crack and spoke to Walt quickly, informing him that the schedule has been pushed up so they’re starting early. Walt sighed and accepted it, nothing more he could do. Walt adjusted his cloths one last time and turned to Jim  
“we’ll have to pick up our little conversation later. it’s time the world found out about Jim the half troll omega son of Gunmar brother to Bular”  
“nice long title huh? Ohhh! I was also thinking of adding ‘endangered species’ to the list”  
“oh, well that would add a little extra flare to it”

 

…………………………………………………………..

Jim was purring heavily, a few changelings around him tried to hold back little excited gasps and giggles as they got to groom and handle Jim. He was waiting in a dressing room, one nice final inspection, one he really did enjoy. Riiight after he was finished and looked the PURRTIEST HALF TROLL he told them to keep petting and grooming him, he was looooooving it. They happily accepted it. They even took turns, Jim laughed and thought it was funny, he told them to go ahead! He didn’t mind! The more the merrier! Jim was waiting for his cue to come on out. The place was packed, the stage was lit, and a shit ton of cameras were live broadcasting to the entire world! On specific signals and channels for changeling eye’s only of course. Literally every changeling in the world was watching. Jim almost had a little anxiety from the sudden mass of EVERYONE IN THE WORLD looking at him, even if they weren’t there currently. Finally it was time….

Jim took a nice deep breath. Waiting for his cue.

 

“-finishing that work, was well done. Now then, THIS subject, THIS REASON is why we have truly created this event. No, it was not to give a mass report, although it was a good idea to do so. "you're all abut to see someone that will now be known to all of you. Someone that we've hidden completely, even to all of you, our very own. It is NOTHING personal, we simply could NOT let this secret escape in ANY way. I am in no way underestimating your abilities, no, not at all, but we needed to keep him as secretive as possible, a closely guarded secret that our very lives would be thrown at just to prevent this secret from coming to light. A secret that existed only within Arcadia and the slight surrounding ones. This secret has only known this area. This secret has only lived in this area. This secret is immense and absolute. Even those not attending today for whatever reason, will be informed right now. All evidence of this secret will be destroyed and 'forgotten' until further notice. This secret, is close to our lord Gunmar himself! a secret so immense, so powerful, so intense, that even our lord Gunmar demanded we keep our secret safe, protected, guided, and taught, and well, secret!  
our secret is someone who does not exist in the world outside of Arcadia and the surrounding area, complete unknown and hidden from the world. Now then. what is our secret? WHO is this somebody what does he have to do with our lord Gunmar himself?! how could this somebody be SO IMPORTANT that our lord Gunmar himself DEMANDED we keep silent in EVERY aspect?. This secret, this somebody is now ready to be revealed! so who is he? he is none other than the SON OF GUNMAR! LET'S GIVE A WARM FRIENDLY INTRODUCTION TO BULAR!" 

 

Everyone clapped and felt awkward, they mumbled out why their time is so...wasted on a joke. a long period of silence came from Walt as he simply looked at the reactions from the large crowd. 

 

"I'M KIDDING! THAT WAS A JOKE! A NICE FUN THING DESIGNED TO 'LIGHTEN' UP THE MOOD! HOW FUN! NOW THEN let's get back to business. Our secret somebody WANTED me to make this joke! this secret is exactly as i said is

a

son

of

 

Gunmar.  
Yes. Gunmar has had a SECOND SON! no this is NOT a joke! i mean it. he was not strong enough, not old enough to be revealed, but now, we can! now we may speak! we who are ruled over, we who serve, we who are protected and live for out lord, will now be Introduced to the second son! he who has lived for 93 years. His name?

 

Jim.

"why don't you come on out now" Walt waved a hand over to the side of the curtain. after a few moments of Jim calming himself and  
steadying his nerves he came. Jim came out and walked over to Walt  
"WHATS UP MA CHANGELIIINNNGGGSSSS!" 

Everyone gasped loudly and started to mumble. Walt raised a hand to silence them

"this is NOT a joke. He is truly a son of Gunmar. You didn't expect to learn of this secret. You didn't expect to learn of a second son. You DID expect him to be like Bular didn’t you?. A big alpha troll, a son of equal power to his own brother. No, this is Jim, just Jim. A half troll omega?! how?! yes, believe it or not, but EVERYONE'S reacted in the same way. 

"Its a long story. so, to keep it brief, long ago, a half troll rose up through the ranks, she was THE best of the best. So she had the privilege of working directly under Gunmar. After a short while, they fell in love, then well, the two love birds had Jim. Sadly, his mother died post birth due to unforeseen complications. Our little son of Gunmar grew and grew, learned and trained, then came to the surface and learned how to be here with us. now, hes old and strong enough to be shown to all of you. Hes a fun, kind hearted being who truly likes to laugh and makes friends, yes he can be....distracting at times but hes lovable and he usually never kills on sight and eats us like his brother does. you can take a nice deep breath when around him, usually, but NEVER FORGET that he IS a SON OF GUNMAR and will be TREATED AS SUCH. He might be friendly, he might be fun, but we WILL respect and DO AS COMMANDED AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. Just like Bular, we are to give him anything he needs or wants. Maybe he needs a place to sleep while away from home or the like, give him a nice place to be at for however long he wants to be there. Give him food, water, money, information, etc. He IS TOP RANK which means if he asks for ANYTHING, you are to give it to him mo questions asked. Jim, would you tell us about yourself?”

 

"well you said all the good shit!. Ahem, hello! I'm Jim! I like to have fun and get laid! don't really care for the rest of the world. I don’t hate it or anything, I’m currently just not interested in any of it. When dear old daddy comes up top, then I guess I’ll start visitn the grand canyon and the Washington monument...wait...that actually might just be ripped down and replaced by a statue of dad or something. Actually that will happen as a fact...hmm...well we got pictures and stuff...i guess I could just look it up online or whatever...oh! I got off topic, anyways I like to meet people, learn stuff, play with things, touch and eat things, I try not to scratch up the floors and stuff, annoying for all of you to buff out, yes I DO take in consideration of all of you! I love you! All my sweet little changelings! Unlike a certain brother of mine, don’t worry I’m talking about Bular, dads not having any other kids ever again...I think because he swore off mates...too painful...hmm...OH! anyways, yeah Bular is all terrible and shitty to you, I try not to be, you're all fun! well a lot of you anyways, everyone's different! anyways, I like to kinda just hangout around, maybe I want to just see things or whatever, maybe I want to rip one of your heads off, I looooove collecting skulls, those things are SO my aesthetic, maybe I’ll high five you, maybe I’ll kill you on the spot and dig into your carcass like I do humans, I prefer to think of myself as...chaotic neutral on the alignment chart! you never know what I’m about to do next! surprises are always fun! well, unless I kill you, then I guess its not fun...well for you anyways….unless you’re IN to that kinda thing, well I don’t judge, EVERYONE’S got SOME kind of kink......oops off topic! so, yeah, I’m fun and my brothers an asshole!. Yeah I said it! we all think it, we all want to say it, but  
I GET TO HAHA!. Anyways, to sum it up...i guess?....I’m fun and love you guys and want to protect you, keep you around, not kill or abandon you, you’re all my friends! well I guess the non asshole ones at least, oh and I HATE brown nosing, just be yourselves! that’s what I want! hmm lets see...that’s about it off the top of my head...hmm OH and I LOVE to be pet and groomed, it feels soooo niiiicccceee.

Lets see, I also love nice cozy things to add to my nest, nothing says cozy like nice soft fuzzy blankets and pillows! feels better when I invite some big burly murderous dude into my nest and just ruin me with-uh never mind that last bit! haha! uh....yeah...hmm okay that’s it for really-WAIT NO! wana see something super badass and cool? check this shit out!. cut the lights! No that one, no all of them, okay one’s still on, okay OKAY COOL! okay yeah, there we go nice and pitch black, okay watch! BOOM! I GLOW LIKE DAD DOES! pretty cool right?! Bular can’t doTHAT SHIT! HAHAHA. It’s kinda hard to use it, its like this power up thing i guess. I’m faster, have better reflexes, stronger, and that’s all I can do for the time being. I think I can control other peoples minds if I try hard enough..but...not sure...that would be SUPER FUCKING BADASS THOUGH!...hmm..maybe that’s just with dad-never mind! that’s a secret! oOOOJHHHH WAIT WAIT WAIT! I FORGOT ONE LAST THING THAT’S UUULLLTTTRRAAA IMPORTANT! LIKE, HOLY FUCK DO NOT MESS THIS UP OR I WILL TOTALLY NOT KILL YOU BUT TORTURE YOU FOR THE REST OF EXISTENCE, OR WORSE GET MY DAD TO DO IT! okay you can turn the lights back on, its hard to hold this and I’m starting to get tired. It’s like, suuuper draining to do this. There we go! anyways yeah! I know some people who can use magic to heal you to keep you alive while the torment continues endlessly!. SO with that in mind I will probably be creative with tormenting you. Maybe skin you alive, cut off limbs slowly, take out your organs juuust slow enough to where you DON’T die. You know that one greek story about that one guy who did whatever to Zeus or whatever, and his punishment was that he was chained to a rock and each day a vulture, or whatever, would come and rip out and feed on his liver or something, and then riiiight after, it would grow back and it was just sorta like, a daily thing. Anyways I could TOTALLY make that happen! I mean, not like, the vulture thing, although I guess I COULD make that happen. I really meant just like, the organs growing back thing so you never truly die...that sort of thing.

 

Anyways the SUUUPER important this is......IS.......IS..............................................IS! Toby!.

 

Okay so, I have this best friend, he’s human, and I love him to death, he’s the greatest friend anyone can ask for! he’s kinda like my emotional support human? Or something? Anyways I do NOT WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO HIM IN ANY WAY IF ITS NEGATIVE! so, yeah! treat him kindly and such. Do NOT give him some sort of ‘special treatment' for whatever reason. Treat him like a regular everyday person. Got it? he does NOT KNOW about all of you. He DOES KNOW ABOUT ME AND MY DAD AND THE GOING TO RULE THE WORLD. He DOES KNOW ABOUT WALT AND SOON Ms. NUMORA! Hi Numora!! Wooo! total name dropping! air horn noises!!! anyways, alllll he knows is that they are human spies for my dad to report on the surface world crap. Other than that, well...that’s it. Human spies. Everyday regular human spies. The janus order does NOT EXIST to him, and I want to keep it like that. He’s already freaked out and slightly traumatized from learning about my dad and, well, what I said. Oh yeah! and he met my dad in person! long story short, he got caught 'seeing something' he shouldn’t have, he saw Bular eating someone, idk who anyways he told my big bro that I told him EVERYTHING. Gumm-gumms, armies, ruling the world, etc. Bular was SUPER PISSED that I told a 'regular human' everything!. Sooo he told dad, and Toby had to meet him. Now hes....accepted...by dad, why? cause I love him and want him close and nothing to happen to him because he makes me the happiest out of allll my other friends. So dad wants to keep him around. He’s ultra important to me. NEVER FORGET THAT. Hmm yeah, now THAT’S about it. Well it was nice being here! and talking to all of you! well, not directly but, you get the idea." 

He turns to Walt  
"was that it? or what"  
"you may stay of you like, but you don’t have to, you've done your part"  
"okay, I’ll prob hangout a bit around. Anyways see you all...uh,..whenever! I try to remember faces! but I wont always, so just remember that! its nothing personal ever!"

from the silent room, Jim’s phone buzzed and was clearly heard  
“uh, wait hold on…….awww you fucking asshole! oops sorry about that, Bular's hanging out with Toby right now and he did some shit" Walt suddenly was shocked and looked to him  
"I’m sorry, hanging out?"  
"yeah! the two apparently went to go eat pizza and of course, Bular with his massive appetite, is eating everything in sight. So now they're in trouble and of course, Bular just wants to kill everyone in sight. Anyways now there's damaged shit and Toby doesn't have THAT much cash. eh no problem, one of you will pay for it and fix his mistake. like usual. Well now Toby’s kinda freaking out cause, how the hell is he gonna calm Bular’s crazy ass down? I told him to just tell Bular I told him ‘if he wants to hangout with my friend’s, he’s going to need to learn to control himself’”  
"I'm still not...fully understanding as to why this...event is taking place"  
"well, you know him, he thrashes around like an angry kid whenever he’s yelled at or talked down to"  
"I meant with young Tobias"

 

"OHHHH. yeah so, long story short, Bular and dear old dad are trying to understand my life better, and be more involved, SO they're both trying to learn and do stuff and since Toby is living with us, in my room in the darklands, yeah hes pretty...unhinged...then again he is only human, anyways so Bular wanted to spend time with him tonight to do, idk, whatever Toby thought of. Guess they went out for pizza just now. ANYWAYS Bular wants to get to know him and all that crap. And so it's going EXACTLY as you thought it would go. Like I said earlier, dad made it pretty much illegal for anyone to harm a hair on Toby's head. So dad wants to keep him safe so I’m happy and not horribly depressed because of my own emotional issues due to me being, well me! I mean, look at me! I’m a half troll! I don’t exactly ‘fit in’ anywhere. Yeah okay, I’m dad’s son and shit, but take that away and what am I? I’m not strong enough to be a troll so I can’t exactly pull my own weight. I ALSO can’t ‘fit in’ with humans and the surface in general since I’m just some watered down half human that most people are afraid of so I don’t really belong in either world, I mean look at you guys! YOU can be either fully troll or fully human whenever, meanwhile I’m forever in the middle ground. Hell I’m so rare I’ve never even SEEN my own kind in my entire life! So I don’t ever feel ‘normal’ and the ONLY reason I actually belong in the darklands is cause I’m dear old daddies son…….shit I prob shouldn’t have gone so deep into my own personal battles...ignore what I said AND DON’T GIVE ME ANY FUCKING PITY!……..ya know, now that I’m actually looking at it, wearing a shirt with ‘troll twink’ on it, probably wasn’t the best idea. I mean, I grabbed the first thing, and I thought it was cute and funny like ‘oh haha it’s such a casual dumb thing to wear at something suuuper important’...shit I’m rambling, okay I’m leaving! Bye! Bye! Think I might go eat someone….okay okay no more talking, goodbye!” with that, Jim turned around and left the stage.

Walt turned to everyone once more  
“Well, everyone, you’ve met Jim. I hope you’ve all gotten a nice understanding of who he is.”

………………………………………………………….

It wasn’t long after until it was finished up. Everyone left and the doors opened. A little across the hallway was a MEGA amount of snacks and such sprawled out on many tables. Most people stopped as they came upon Jim, who was currently having his head back, spraying whip cream in his mouth and on his face. Jim stopped and looked to them staring back at him, unsure what to make of the moment. Jim just froze up, then tried to talk but then had to swallow, choke, and keep swallowing and cleaning his face off  
“hey, how’s it going...i…..saw the whip cream and….yeah” Jim smiles with some whip cream still on his face….

…………………………………………………………

Jim was laying in his nest. It was about midnight now and Toby was fast asleep. Jim couldn’t. He had too much on his mind. No, it wasn’t about the changelings, he honestly didn’t care. It WAS about those….readings…..the meanings…...about Draal….

Jim went to feel the smooth kind troll symbol. The necklace was so….nice. It seemed like something basic that any regular troll would wear, but THIS had a LOT of meaning to him…..

Draal…..

How could he POSSIBLY be in Jim’s life?….

And for that matter….

How much longer?….

Jim shed a few tears silently….

 

He wanted to be held again by Draal….


	30. love shown, trailed by a shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has something to fear. Everyone has something to love. Something to want to accompany. started out with such love, only to have it turn sour and forgotten...for a time, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmmmmmm ready for some angst ( ͝° ͜ʖ͡°)
> 
> WOOOOO! 30 CHAPTERS!!
> 
> So a few things, for fuuun!
> 
> My friend and i talk a looot of shit to one another, totally fun!, anyways we smack each other with ideas, she inspires me, i kill her, fun!. so one thing we love is SU and fusions and stuff, so while we were talking about this fic and ideas and timeline and etc, SU was brought up (long story short, it involved shitposts and memes) anyways so we were talking about troll fusions and such. ONE idea we found badass was if Jim and Bular fused!. Just this huge shadowy dark evil thing that's glowing and has huge curled horns and stuff. like them saying in a big deep monster voice  
> "ARe YoU prOUD oF mE NOw faTHeR"  
> not like, sad but like :look how fuckin kick ass we are!
> 
> and Gunmar sheds a tear and is all giddy  
> "MY BOYS!" 
> 
> also stuff like 
> 
> I imagine if they went out into sunlight, it wouldn't kill them, but it would sting pretty dam badly like having a really nasty sunburn all over your body
> 
> also Bular feels a twinge of what humanity is. the peaceful passive side of Jim that enjoys life's little things. it makes him feel strange and he doesn't like it. Bular also  
> gets intense cravings like Jim often does for random shit but waaay more crazy like  
> "I WANT TO EAT A CANDLE INSIDE AN MICROWAVE DIPPED IN MUSTARD! NO NOW I WANT TO EAT A DEEP FRIED BICYCLE WITH CRAB MASHED INTO IT! NO NOW I WANT TO EAT A CHOCOLATE COVERED BALLOON SMOTHERED IN KETCHUP! AND COVERED IN BARBECUE CHIPS!
> 
> he also feels Jim's emotional side and he feels like its chaos and disturbing. also  
> "WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO HORNY!?"
> 
> THEY ALSO FEEL ULTRA MALICIOUS and crazy like  
> "I WANT TO KILL AND EAT THE WORLD! AND THEN GENTLY PET THAT FLOWER OVER THERE! IT'S MY NEW CHILD! STAY AWAY FROM IT!"
> 
> also if Jim and Draal fused, they would like, always want to battle with everyone, go on self dates, do fun 'human' things. although the evil in Jim would make them want to do evil stuff, but it's really watered down between Jim's humanity and Draal's kindness, well NON evil nature at least, you get what i mean!. they're glowing super bright blue and gold and huge horns and spikes and such. Huh now that i think about it, if they masturbate, would it be having sex? since they're pleasuring each other/themselves? anyways, just some fun thoughts i thought you might enjoy reading! anyways, enjoy the story!

Jim was going through another emotional crisis. He tucked his knees into his chest. He looked at his hands, as he had done more times that he could count. He looked at his nails, his legs, his claws, he ran his hands through his fur, he ran them across his horns. He wanted to stop being a monster. He wished he could just be a human. Or a troll. Anything to just end his pain, feeling almost dirty, sullied, stained. As if he WERE human, but his troll side was just weighing him down. Soiling him, making him impure and ugly. He was curled up under a large stone in the darklands. It was very late, he refused to go back to his room and wake Toby up. He just wanted to be alone. He knew he shouldn’t, he knew he should be by SOMEONE. He knew his brother and father were already awake, they finished sleeping hours ago. Jim was half tempted to sneak into his brothers room and lay in there. Feeling some kind of familiar comfort. The feeling of his older brother, protecting him like when he was young. When Jim could cling to his back, bundled up and curious. His brother was in no way soft and warm, but his presence almost always soothed Jim. The scent was familiar, the body was calming. His strength made Jim feel safe, like Bular was strong enough to fight and kill anything that might hurt Jim, or threaten him.

 

Jim hadn’t been in Bular’s room for years. He knew that his brother hardly cleaned up after himself. It was most likely he room had stayed the exact same way as it always had. Messy and cluttered. Bular wasn’t one to own many things like Jim did. Bular DID own things, and what those were, usually consisted of trophy's from a kill, rewards from a good hunt.

 

Jim whimpered and finally couldn’t take it. He hardly felt the cold, but he started to feel it, internally at least. He needed to be warm. Have that safety, like he always had. The strength to protect him, even from himself. Mentally and emotionally, Jim felt like if he was just around his older brother, he could feel it again. His mind wouldn’t hurt. His emotions wouldn’t run high. At least, that’s what he hoped for…..

 

………………………………………………………………….

Bular’s room wasn’t too far away From Jim’s own. So it wasn’t too long to head over to it. Jim looked at the two doors. Just like his own. Then again, it’s not like they had some genius architect to create things unique. The twin heavy doors were pushed open, and just as Jim thought, his room truly was the exact same. Swords and weapons covered most spaces. Either properly put away, or just laid bare on the floor, as if forgotten. Although knowing Bular, he was always just putting off cleaning and tending to them properly, similar to someone putting away their cloths.

(I always do that, like ‘eh I’ll do it later’ meanwhile 9 years go by XD)

The room was a tad stuffy, but it felt familiar and Jim could already feel that warm, safe feeling, start to grow from within and spread through his body. Jim closed the doors behind him and walked into the cave deeper. It was identical to his own in shape and size, only slight differences here and there. Bumps and rocks, crystal placements, that sort of thing. Jim bent down and picked up one of Bular’s weapons, it was heavy and sturdy, not sharp and elegant like Jim’s own was. They were used for brute force, something Bular focused mainly on, if not entirely. Bular’s twin jaw blades were always his favorite, his prized possessions, his babies. Jim remembers once as a kid, he stole one as a joke, hid it under his nest. He thought it would be funny to see Bular going everywhere to look for it. Instead, Bular practically was on a murder spree, demanding the culprit to step forward. Jim couldn’t hold back his giggling when he was in the same room as his older brother. Bular turned to him with murderous eyes. Jim told them where he put it. They found the blade and Jim laughed thinking it was funny and silly. Instead, Bular was furious and wanted to break his arm, since he couldn’t be killed. Gunmar honestly wasn’t sure if that was a fitting punishment. Blinky DEMANDED that they do NOTHING of the sort. Bular argued that he wanted blood! Justice!. Blinky spoke that it was harmless, nothing terrible happened. It wasn’t gone for more than 10 minutes, tops. The worst thing that happened, was it had Jim’s scent on it form being under his nest. Bular was still in a rage, NO ONE DARES TOUCH HIS BELONGINGS!. Jim WAS punished, but in a way a human child would have been. His toys were taken away, along with other fun things. Jim also apologized to his brother and even drew him a picture on a stone with chalk. It was Bular playing with both his swords and Jim next to him, both smiling. Bular took the stone and shattered it in his hand.

Jim wanted to cry. Blinky went to do his usual check up on Jim later on, to see that poor little Jim had his heart broken and was crying. He truly just wanted to be playful. Blinky told him that none of this would have happened if Jim never took what didn’t belong to him. That was one of the many days that taught Jim to harden his heart. That his family wasn’t like the stories he was told, full of love and magic and forgiveness and softness. No, his family wanted little or nothing to do with him. Cold, dark, heartless.

Back in the present, Jim set down the blade and looked at the other things. Bular’s hides, skulls, bones, teeth, and whatever else Bular could take as a trophy of battle. Jim stepped over a huge skull on the ground, some giant beast Bular must have slain far before Jim was born. Jim felt a few hides, some soft and warm, others tough and tight, some smooth and cold. There was an entire rainbow of types to be found. Bular really did love to skin things apparently. Jim’s exhaustion started to hit him. His family might have hardly need any sleep, but he did. He took a few of Bular’s favorites and bundled himself up in them. He made a little makeshift bed with a few others. He felt….cozy. The warm safe feeling fully blossomed within him. He hadn’t felt like this since he was a kid. It was nice. Jim missed it. Slowly he drifted off to sleep….

Jim woke up as he heard the door’s open. He felt like he was busted, about to get yelled at, threatened, thrown out, something that always did happen when he was a kid. He curled deeper into himself and tried to look as hidden as possible. He just….didn’t want to leave. He couldn’t. His body demanded he stay where it was safe. He didn’t want to go back to the vulnerable, exposed feeling. He heard Bular’s small grunts and growls, along with his usual irritated attitude. Bular closed the doors behind him and walked deeper in. he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Jim tried to hide more. He heard his older brother come closer to his spot and then stop. He was busted wasn’t he? His heart started to race and the fear he felt, was washing over him like it did when he was a kid. He heard Bulars low growls, before walking past Jim and going to do his own thing. It sounded like he sat down and started to sharpen his swords once more.

‘shhhing’

‘shhhhing’

‘ssshhhhing’

the repetitive noises relaxed Jim and set his mind more at ease, until he finally succumbed to sleep once more….

Bular was walking among the darklands. Listening to his usual reports from his own soldiers, watched them train and made sure they all were in tip top shape. His brother usually ignored his own, but he had a lot going on, and there truly were hardly three patrols worth, so it really didn’t matter. Jim’s soldiers did their usual training, so it wasn’t like they were slacking off. As Bular walked, he could have sworn he heard light whimpering and his brothers scent. He searched around for a bit, but figured it was just nothing but his mind playing tricks on him. Within their world, it was difficult to determine what was were at times. He came upon his room, only to discover his door was slightly cracked open. Someone went into his room. NO ONE goes into his room without his permission. The intruder would die within moments. Walking inside and scanning the room with his eyes, he shut the door behind him all the way. If the intruder wanted to leave, it wouldn’t be possible now with Bular inside the room. He moved deeper in, searching every familiar corner. His eyes stopped on a small bundle near his own bed. It was obvious something was wrapped in his various hides, trying to hide, but doing so poorly. He was about to go over and rip the intruders head off, only to stop when it was his brother. The tiny whimpers and breathing, along with his scent, was picked up. Bular wasn’t sure what to make of it. He was….happy in a way.

 

His brother never came into his room since he was a small child. There were a few times that he did because he sought his brothers company, for comfort. Some nights, Jim had a nightmare, so he would sneak in and try to hide somewhere and sleep, just so he would feel safe. Jim hadn't done this in years. It was nice, knowing his brother sought out his comfort once more, especially with what’s been learned recently. He smiled and felt good, he hoped he could bond with his brother more often. This showed he was doing good so far. Bular walked past the little bundle, seeing it try to make itself smaller. Bular just ignored it, mentally told his brother to feel at ease. One thing that always did put his brothers mind at ease, was him sharpening his blades. Blinky told him that certain gentle repetitive things helped ease humans in many different ways. One in particular was having a comfortable rest. So, Bular was happy to give aid. It didn’t take more than a couple minutes until he heard the slow breathing of his brother, a clear indication that he was finally asleep.

“sleep well little whelp. Your brother will keep you safe” Bular whispered

 

…………………………………………………………..

It was almost daylight. Bular didn’t want to leave his sleeping brothers side, let him feel more comfort that way. So for those hours, he did quiet things. Sharpen his swords, oil them, clean some stuff off a bigger slab of rock, in order to polish his trophy's and tend to his newer ‘fresher’ ones. The kinds that were still leaking blood and had skin on them. Paint a few things in blood 

(I’m pretty sure I mentioned this in the first chapter, but it is cannon! In the book of ‘the adventure begins’ or whatever, they explain that he paints with blood. It was like a giant mural on the side of a wall. It was him and humans and the bridge and his father. HE wanted to rule over humans as slaves while Gunmar just wanted to kill and eat all of them. Bular was staying in an abandoned auto place or whatever, Oh and Bular made himself a throne out of car parts! I was thinking of mentioning it or something, but whatever =p back to the story!)

He was honestly considering making his brother a small painting. A nice sized rock with an almost completely plat surface. His brother did love human blood, and maybe it would help them bond closer. He decided, he would! This would be great! It had to be nothing short of perfect! Now….what would he paint?…..and eating! Oh they HAD to eat together! THAT would be a great idea!. They hadn't done that in a while! They always did love to hunt and eat together. Jim was always sooo happy and satisfied. This would be another great thing to help them bond!…….although with what Jim’s been going through, maybe he wouldn’t want it…...oh! Even if Jim didn’t want to eat humans, absolute madness but like his human pet Toby said, JIM matters, and his feelings and choices!. So, next best thing? Try human food! Jim’s always speaking of it highly, so it MUST be good!. When he does eat it with his brother, they could bond over it! Compare food like when they ate human! Bular thought as hard as he could to think of ANY OTHER things they could do together! He remembered Toby telling him, Jim always needed to feel like he can go somewhere and have someone to talk to whenever he was upset, or just be near. Bular would tell his brother he would always be welcomed in his room, like how he felt now. Whatever it took to comfort him. Today was the day he was going to spend time with his brother. He had to make sure everything would be great! He can’t, how did Toby put it? ‘go out for pizza’ at the establishment from last night. Those humans were so picky, Bular was tempted to just start eating all of them. Have them stop yelling and agitating him. No, he forced himself to behave, this was for his brother not himself.

What else could they do?…..

Bular’s attention focused on his brothers sudden stirrings. He was still asleep, but adjusting himself. He looked cute sleeping like that. Bular got up, walked over, and gently picked his brother up and laid him onto his bed. It had some pelts on it, so at least that will be more comfortable than the stone ground. When his brother wakes up, he should feel more at ease. Bular pet his brother lightly, having him purr in his sleep. His dark heart felt warm. He had to prepare, he had to figure out how to make the day perfect! So, the big brute quietly, or as much as he could, open the doors and walk out, closing them tight so no noise would be heard from the outside world. Or at least, as minimal as it would allow….

 

………………………………………………………………….

Jim yawned and stretched. He wiggled around and wanted to fall back asleep. It was still the weekend, he COULD sleep in. would Toby want to? Not like they hadn’t done it before...he opened his eyes to look at his clock. No clock to be found! He turned around, maybe he just slept differently. STILL NO CLOCK! Then he remembered. He was in his brothers room...and….now...on...his bed. He wasn’t sleeping there before...was he? No, he wasn’t...wait so...Bular...put him there? Jim sat up and remembered how he felt last night. How he couldn’t sleep so he silently left, and went into some little corner to cry and feel miserable. Then decided to come in here….  
“sleep well little whelp?” Jim gasped and turned around to see Bular sitting silent while painting in blood on a stone. Dipping a claw into blood from a stone cup, then dragged the claw gently over the surface.  
“did….uh…..you’re not mad I came in here...right?”  
“no”  
“huh….really?”  
“really”  
“…..really really? Like nooo grudge or anything?”  
“not one bit of malice or ill thoughts.”  
“huh….oookay...did...you...move me onto your bed?”  
“yes”  
“….why?”  
“to make you more comfortable”  
“so you KNEW I was in here? And didn’t kick me out?…..why?”  
“because I love you and I wanted you to feel comfortable and safe. I always want you to know that you are welcome in here at any time. Think of this as a...hmm….safe space for you. Somewhere to rest when your head aches from the rest of the world.”  
“okay this is clearly a dream”  
“no dream”  
“whyyy are you being so nice suddenly?”  
“do you not APPROVE of my sudden kindness?”  
“i….do….uh….are you Bular?”Bular gently blew on the stones surface and put it down on a stone slab, used as a large table. Making sure it faced the opposite of Jim so he couldn’t see his little present.  
“yes, I am. Is it such a surprise for your brother to love you” Bular got up as he spoke, walked over and gave Jim a hug  
“oooookkaaaayyyyyyyyyy this is weird”  
“do you not want me to give you affection?” Bular let go and then started to pet Jim.  
“this IS real life?...Ooohh...that’s nice….”  
“yes it is. Have you forgotten of what I said? I want to be involved in your life more. I want to know you. Every bit of you. You matter to me and I want to really drill it into that skull of yours that you know this fact.”  
“mmmmhhh...ookaay…..” Jim purred and felt such warmth. It was like the feeling of safety, only timed a dozen.  
“come, we should get you back to Toby”  
“mmmhmm…..wait aaannndd...Oooohh…..aaannndd you’re calling him by his actual name?!”  
“yes. He is your friend. He matters to you, so now he matters to me. I honestly don’t see why all of this is so absolutely unthinkable”  
“oooohh….well, look at it from my point, you go from angry and mean, to suddenly wanting to love and care and know me. I just…..ooohhh…..i just...aahhhhh~….it’s hard for me to just be used to this. it’s all soo opposite of what I’ve had my whole life”

“exactly. Which is why I’m going to be in your life from now on, like I’ve said many times. I want to make sure to love you and support you as long as it’s good for you. I want to look out for you and keep you safe. I no longer want to be seen as the cold heartless brute who resents you. I want you to see that I care deeply for you and am willing to put my words to actions”  
“mmmmmhhhhhmmm….i love this….well, I’m really….feeling uplifted from all of this” Bular stopped and pulled away, causing Jim to miss the touch and whimper a bit

“you will receive as much affection as need be. Now then, let’s have you prepare for the day. You did promise me today would be our day together”  
“oh...yeah huh...”  
“you DO plan on keeping it, right?”  
“yeah, I am...it’s just so….polar opposite. 93 years of being...well...not exactly ‘involved’ with anyone, then suddenly for the past, what, 4 months or whatever, I’m getting attention from everyone. Just….weird….uh, yeah, anyways, let me go get ready….i...sorry just coming in here last night...”  
“nothing to forgive. I want you to feel like this can be a safe place for you. it’s a bit funny. You used to sneak in here a few times when you had nightmares. You wanted to feel safe. So you wanted to be by me, or at least where I am”  
“yeah...i remember...i just felt so cold and scared….and you were so big and strong….i always just felt safe when I was near you…..i remember wanting to come in here and curl up next to you”  
“and I hated it. But now, I will love it. Would you like to take a hide with you to your room?”  
“uh……..o..kay….can I take this one?”  
“yes” Jim wrapped it around himself like a blanket and got up, he started to walk, Bular trailing behind him. Jim felt like shivering, just from how….unusual the situation is….  
“last night, where you somewhere upset? I thought I noticed you somewhere”  
“uh….” Jim didn’t want to tell him about his little ‘hidey hole’. He knew that next time he goes there, Bular will just come and get him  
“yeah….so I walked around a little...and then...i just…..kinda felt like coming in your room...i felt….warm and safe...”  
“good, I’m glad you did. I want you to always feel that way around me”  
“okay, I’ll make sure to remember that”

a little walk, silent and a bit…..Jim didn’t know. This sudden change, plus what’s been going on inside of his head. He felt ill. A hot slush of a head. Everything blending together and making a hot bright orange glow that numbs his mind.  
“Bular...i….i know you won’t understand...and….that’s okay...i just….I’ve had a lot going on in my head for a while. I don’t know if it’s my humanity or my troll..manity? Or something down the middle. But my head isn’t okay. It hurts. And I just want to get better. Every time I lean one way, I suddenly am yanked the other….hmm...how do I make it so you understand….okay...imagine being on a boat. there’s a rocky storm. It keeps tossing and turning. The ship is slippery and you keep being violently thrown in one direction. Holding onto whatever you can so you don’t slip and fall off the ship and into the stormy ocean. Then a massive shift throws you to the other end. that’s like how my head is. I’m really trying hard not to fall into the waters. it’s really hard though. I don’t want to keep eating people. I love it, I really do. It makes my tummy starve and mouth water. But…..my humanity is fighting against it. Those are people. They have lives. Families. Years and years of experiences and memories and living. Then suddenly in just a few quick moments, all of it, gone. Just snuffed out while we eat.

My gumm-gumm side keeps pushing me to eat, eat, eat. My humanity is trying to pull me away from it. I feel like a parasite. Like some little disgusting half troll clinging onto others and eating and taking and not giving anything back. I just ruin things. I don’t want to keep feeling this way. I want to stop, but a while back ,i don’t know, but suddenly my body is just...DEMANDING I eat. I feel HORRIBLE if I don’t. First it was hardly ever felt, then suddenly it just shot right up. It was only a month, then a week and now, it’s almost every single day. I can feel myself getting hungry, not the hungry for regular food, well that too, but hungry for people. It started when I cut my ties to trollmarket and brought home all that heartstone. Before I did, I ate a lot of it. I mean, like A LOT. Not dads, but just straight from the tap. Directly from the heartstone itself. It felt AMAZING! I mean, it was like...like NOTHING Iv’e ever felt before! It was SOOOOOO much better than eating people! And I just kept eating more and more and more

I just couldn’t help! It was the greatest feeling in my entire life! Then I just...felt...horrible….i looked around at the huuuuge pile of dead stone around me...it was the worst feeling I had. Weirdest thing, after that, I glow orange now, not blue. Also it’s a lot easier for me to use dads blood. Ever since then, my neeeed to eat has just skyrocketed. what’s even weirder, was that I NEVER felt like I needed to eat this bad. Like, AT ALL. And I didn’t even feel ANYTHING for heartstone. A while back when dad and I trained together, he told me to use my power, I did, I passed out, then the next day he gave me this hunk of his own. I actually...ate it. The energy inside of it. Then...my body started to react strange to heartstone. Back when I had to meet Usurna, when I was just NEAR the heartstone, my body was like...on auto pilot. It was REALLY hard to control myself from going near it. AND WHEN I DID MY BODY GLOWED! Like, my glow just crept up my hand and arm and just my entire body. I didn’t even DO ANYTHING to make it happen! It just happened by itself! Then blah blah later on, then I ate a tooon of heartstone, then I glowed orange. And now...i don’t know…..

Isn’t that suuper weird? I NEVER experienced that before….now that I’m saying it out loud...i think….THAT was what’s caused me to go into...i don’t know...hyper drive? Ever since I ate dads….my body…..do you think...i somehow made my blood TOO strong or something? Or dads hunger like, infected me. Maybe it was too strong and then it just...worked it’s way into my system. Maybe it never would have happened it I never ate it” Jim was suddenly stopped and Bular turned him to look him in the eyes  
“you need to tell father this right now. Come, you must speak to him”  
“is it really needed?”  
“yes. That isn’t natural. he’s the one with the power, you have his, you need to speak to him about it. If it’s literally ruining your body, you are going to speak, right now.”

…………………………………………………………………

Toby yawned and stretched. He heard the alarm clock go off. He did his usual taking off his cloth blind fold, rubbing of eyes, more yawning of mouth, more rubbing of eyes, then a nice greeting to Jim.

“how’d you sleep Jimbo? I slept pretty goooood, like usual. Had this funny dream though. Remember that one place we went to a while back? The one with the AMAZING cupcakes? In my dream we went there except the-Jimbo?” Toby noticed his half troll bestie was no where to be found.  
“Jiiiimmm!” Toby called out. No reply was heard. Toby shrugged and just assumed Jim went to go do something. The nice hot bath, the fresh clean cloths, the brushing of teeth, the ‘looking at the mirror and checking yourself out to make sure you look perfect and not a total slob especially since you’re in your best friends nightmare realm and want to look your best to impress your dark troll despot so he REALLY wants to keep you around and not throw you to a bunch of starving angry trolls even if you KNOW your best buddy will protect you’. Just his usual morning. It was the weekend! So they had allll day to just hangout and chill! Screw the work! They can worry about it last minute like any true college kid. Toby waited around a bit longer for Jim, then decided to just head out. It wasn’t like Toby wouldn’t see Jim again, he was Jim emotional support human! They would take him to Jim the second Jim went looking for him.

Toby really did try and know the guards, or at least the ones who took him everywhere. They didn’t talk, or maybe they didn’t understand english, no wait they did because Jim spoke to them in it...hmm...maybe they can’t SPEAK it? Or maybe they took an oath of silence like those british dudes?. Well in any case, Toby tried to be friendly and nice, see if he could get the same reaction out of them. It never worked, they just didn’t pay attention or give ANYTHING in return. Still, Toby always thanked them for the help. Even if it WAS their job, it was always good to be polite. The guards opened the throne room door and Toby walked inside, chipper as can be! He finally, well like 93%, accepted that he was helping the end of the world and that was okay! he’s alive, he’s okay, and he doesn’t have to think of the horrid abominations that will rule the world.  
“mornin boss!” Toby announced as he walked into the room. He stopped as he saw Jim and Bular speaking to Gunmar.  
“oh hey Jim, hey Bular. Beat me to the punchline getting here huh?” Jim opened his mouth to speak, only to stop when he noticed Toby giving a weird look in the distance  
“you okay Tobes?”  
“huh…..i didn’t know fire flies lived here”  
“what? Fireflies don’t live here”  
“then what are those little crazy lights?” Toby pointed upwards above all their heads. Gunmar, Bular, and Jim followed the direction until they saw them. Pixies, flying with haste towards them….

………………………………………………………………..

Earlier...  
………………………………………………………………..

Jim had just finished explaining things. What he’s felt and how it was connected. Gunmar growled, upset, mostly with himself.  
“this is my fault. Once again I’ve pushed you too far. Your body couldn’t handle my blood. I forced it into a new stage, I forced it to become far more intense than you could handle. I am sorry my son” Jim’s eyes opened wide. His father….apologized?! Gunmar NEVER apologized to ANYONE!. Bular being friendly, now this?!. Today certainly was….different.  
“it’s...uh...okay….dad”  
“no. it is not ‘okay’. I have ruined your body, pushed it father than it could handle….hmmm…..i think I might know a way to help stabilize you...”  
“like, with heartstone?”  
“perhaps. Although the one’s you’ve brought have been used long ago.”  
“ah. Well, I noticed that blood helps me, almost as much as eating...like….if eating was a 10, blood is like a 7-ish.”  
“then perhaps you should consume more blood for the time being. When unable to eat. Your body needs to adjust, become more used to this power. When it does, then you won’t feel as if on the verge of death any longer.” Gunmar closed his eye.  
‘his son might die so suddenly, all because of HIS actions. He wanted to train Jim’s power, bring it out more. He wasn’t ready. Gunmar knew, yet he did so anyways. He had to make things right…..he thought of some ideas that might work….counterbalance his son’s constant need….help his body adjust as quickly as possible. it’s literally burning itself to death. Gunmar’s abilities were not weak or simple, Jim’s body was though. Something needed to be done as quickly as possible, if not even sooner than that….  
“My son. I understand you have difficulty, but show me your powers right now”  
“now now? Uh, okay sure” a few breaths a few thoughts, Jim’s body lit up.  
“good. Now I want you to try and lower it as much as you can”  
“l-lower?”  
“yes, minimize it as much as you can. Feed as little into it as possible.” Jim swallowed and nodded his head. He tried his best to somehow ‘lighten it up’ but he had no idea. He tried NOT to fully cling onto it, although he just felt awkward and stuck, like a light switch being only moved a little, an awkward half light. From that, the glow of Jim’s body dulled, only a tiny bit, but it was noticeable  
“good my son. Now feed into it as much as you can”  
“g-g-grow it? O-okay” Jim took a few uneasy swallows once more and tried to somehow ‘push’ himself forward. It was...easier….too easy...he felt that burning inside of him again, too hot. It hurt. He was glowing intensely though. Bright as a light. He strained himself as much as he could.  
“Stop. You have done good. There, relax just like that.” Jim let out a huge breath, his body went a bit numb and….uneven? Elsewhere far above their heads, little lights seemed to flicker on and descended from a small crack in the ceiling watching the bright glow and started to move towards it, as if a moth attracted to a flame...

……………………………………………………………..  
Back in the present  
……………………………………………………………..

“how the hell did pixies come here? QUICK COVER YOUR! AH” Jim shouted, only to suddenly get his head hit from behind. He rubbed his head and turned. He was on the surface. Everything on fire and pitch black smoke covered the sky. Jim looked at everything, horrified at what he saw. He heard the loud steps of his family behind him.  
“dad, this isn’t what you promised! You said-”  
“SILENCE” Gunmars voice boomed loudly, to the point where Jim’s ears trickled blood.  
“dad i-”  
“am a failure.” Gunmar finished for him in a voice seething with rage. Jim started to panic and cry  
“no I’m not!”  
“yes you are.”  
“please no! I can do better! I can pull my weight!”  
“SILENCE! I never loved you, and even if I did, why did I EVER waste my time and effort on you? You pathetic useless thing. You don’t deserve love OR attention for that matter. You don’t deserve to live.”  
“no! I do! I promise! I can train more! I can do better! I just-”  
“am too weak to live. don’t worry, daddy will put you out of your misery, just like your little toys.” Gunmar pointed to Jim side. He saw everyone he loved and cared for, in a mangled heap. Dying and groaning out for Jim to protect them. Groaning out  
‘why did you fail us? This means that even WE were better than you are.’

“no...nonononono!” Jim started to cry and gripped his horns. His attention turned back towards his brother and father, hearing Bular’s blades unsheathe.  
“father. May I?”  
“you may.” Bular snarled and slowly made his way towards Jim  
“nonononono please Bular! Please!” Jim backed up, only to trip. He looked in front of him. It was Toby’s corpse.  
“nononon Toby!”  
“failed to even protect him brother?”  
“nonononon this can’t be happening”  
“hold still, and I’ll make your death, speedy and painless”  
“please Bular! I thought you said you loved me!”  
“HA! Like I could ever love such a weak and worthless abomination such as yourself. You don’t belong ANYWHERE! Like you could ever be apart of our family. you’re hardly fit to be a servant! Let alone, a son of Gunmar! I SHOULD HAVE HIS BLOOD! Maybe if I drink it from your corpse, I will finally Have my wish granted! HAHAHA”  
“NONOOOOOO!”

………………………………………………………………

the pixie shot itself into Jim’s long ear. He suddenly started to cry and stumble around. He was muttering and being hysterical.  
“w-why is Jim freaking out so much?”  
“BROTHER! Whelp, cover your ears! Pixies!”  
“what’s a-” Toby stopped. He felt a massive headache. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. When he opened them. He noticed tons of soldiers, surrounding him.  
“uh….g-guys w-what’s”  
“Toby.” he looked in front of him to see Jim standing up, back straighten out, looking as tall as possible  
“Jim, what’s going on?”  
“we are. Bye Toby.”  
“w-what do you mean bye?” Jim slowly made his way towards Toby. Toby tried to back up, only to be shouted at from behind and have a spear jabbed at him. He backed up and bumped into Jim.  
“w-wh-”  
“what’s going on is that I’m not your friend.”  
“what? b-” Toby had to wind knocked out of him and he fell on his back. He gasped and tried to focus once more. He was now at school, he was a teenager again. Everyone surrounded him. They all laughed at him and threw things  
“like ANYONE would waste their time on you! you’re just some pathetic fat looser! You don’t deserve ANYONE in your life! Hell, your parents probably died simply because they didn’t WANT YOU!”  
“n-no that’s not true! They died be-”  
“actually, nana lied to you all these years. They just dumped your sorry ass and your nana only took care of you out of pity! Hell, I wasn’t even your friend! I just felt bad for you! Well, my time was wasted. Thanks for that!”  
“no! I didn’t! I promise, I’ll be a better friend! I’ll do anything!” everyone started to chant  
‘looser looser looser’ Toby curled up into a ball on the ground and started to weep.

………………………………………………………….

Now Toby was freaking out. He backed up and mumbled and stuttered. He cried and tried to speak something but he kept covering his face with his hands. Bular covered his ears but felt a sharp stab from behind. He grunted and wheezed, he stumbled forward and turned to see his fathers sword had cut into his back.  
“f-father w-” he looked to see Jim sitting on the throne. Being cooed at by their father  
“aww, look at you. My precious little gumm-gumm. Unlike that filth that WAS your brother  
“hey look! he’s right there!” Gunmar and Jim laughed as they looked at him  
“look at my precious son. My ONLY son. My little Jim. Bular’s perfect replacement  
“no father! Please i-”  
“SILENCE. Pathetic worm. My Ex son. You were always weak. Always a failure. Which is my I had Jim. Aww, look at him, being a REAL SON!.  
“Bular, we always knew this day would come. I mean, LOOK AT ME! I ACTUALLY HAVE DADS BLOOD! What use are you to us?”  
“No! I am useful! I promise, I’ll train harder, I’ll be stronger! I can prove myself worthy of-”  
“SILENCE. Jim is my ONLY son. Shall we taunt him more? Or should we end his weakness”  
“i think you should have the honor of killing him dad, he is-WAS, excuse me, your son. he’s been disgraced looong enough. Well, every second he lives just brings shame to you”  
“that it does Jim. Now, why don’t you be my cute little gumm-gumm and sit on daddies throne while I end this filth's life once and for all.”  
“you got it dad!” Bular gasped and gripped his heart  
“please father! Brother! Brother I’ll love you more! I’m sorry I was never there for you! I promise! I can be a better brother to you! Help me brother! I DO love you! I swore I would be here for you from now on! I can show I’m worth BOTH of your time! I can be a better son! I can be a better brother! I can train and learn and grow and-” Gunmar held his sword in hand and charged.

……………………………………………………………………….

Gunmar used his arms to cover his mouth, ears, and nose. He felt pain, watching his son’s fail about and stumble around in agony. Both his son’s spoke his name. Both his son’s spoke each others names. Meanwhile Toby only spoke Jim’s name, but that made sense in a way. Gunmar watched as the pixies flew around, thankfully his guards were doing a decent job killing them, still, a few of them fell to their dam spell. Gunmar looked as one pixie went around his head, searching for anything it could use. Then suddenly stopped and shot at him. Gunmar had one opening. His eye hole. He tried his best to prevent it by moving his arm, but it was too late.

 

His son’s suddenly stopped. They were calm now and walked towards their father. Gunmar started to feel relieved their suffering ended. He fell down as he noticed his throne had suddenly vanished without a trace. His attention moved back to his snickering sons. Both standing directly in front of him now  
“wow. How pathetic, huh Bular?”  
“Agreed. Look. What once was a great gumm-gumm, is now just like another bug, lying in the dirt and mud.  
“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO YOUR FATHER THAT WAY!”  
“father, what father? I don’t see one. Do you Jim?”  
“nope! I only see a withered, old, worthless fool.”  
“you did not add a poor excuse of a father”  
“ahhh how could I forget!”  
“easily done. Well, at least we no longer have an attachment to him”  
“wow. Here I thought I really should have tried my best to please him. All I wanted was attention and love, was that SO much to ask?”  
“he truly is an absolute failure in every possible way. He wasn’t there for you. He wasn’t there for me. He won’t BE HERE much longer. Look old half blind fool, look at how everyone’s turned against you!” Bular waved his arm, motioning all the soldiers laughing at him. Slamming their spears down in unison.  
“hey Bular, do you want to kill him? Or should I?”  
“good question dear brother. Hard to decide”  
“Well you ARE the eldest, you truly should have the honor!”  
“oh but you tried the hardest for love! He truly did fail you! He failed me, he failed his kingdom. He failed Victoria! If he were stronger, he might saved your poor mothers life. Now look at his weakness! He deprived you of your mother!”  
“And it’s all his fault. She would have loved you so much, far better than he ever could have.”  
“93 years, and he hardly lifted a finger. He doesn’t even know what my hobbies are! Mom would be so disappointing in him. He broke his promise sooo many years ago. I bet if she were alive, she would have abandoned him years ago for someone better. First he never loved her enough, then he couldn’t prevent her death, then he couldn’t raise me like how she wanted him to! Now look at me! I’m practically killing myself just to please a worthless fool!”  
“as am I dear brother. Ah, but he never made a promise to MY MOTHER to keep me all bundled up and safe, never unloved or abandoned, like he did yours”

“Victoria...i...i kept my promise! I kept him safe an-  
“he abandoned me just because I reminded him too much of my mom. Well, I guess I would like to rot away and crumble to dust in my room. I can’t believe a human is FAR better than he is! And he isn’t even a full adult! Mom really would have approved of his treatment. dad CLEARLY never loved her enough to keep a simple promise! The most basic of things! No, he had others raise me instead. I can’t believe Blinkous was a far better father than he ever could be. Than he ever CAN be! And Arrrg too! Well, at least their loyal to YOU now big bro”  
“HA his greatest hound, abandoning him, just like he abandoned your mother. Blinkous, raising you better than he ever did”  
“i WILL be here from now on! Victoria! I’m so sorry! I didn’t abandon him! i-”  
“DID abandon me. You don’t even know what I DO every day! Well, it IS believable that YOU spent more time with me Bular, hell, even STRICKLANDER was more of a father to me than he was!”  
“at least I’LL keep my promise dear brother. I’LL be in your life. At least Victoria would approve of MY actions! A mother, a brother, and a son. that’s all we would need”  
“when I have MY OWN child, will YOU promise to keep us safe and loved?”  
“of course dear brother! I’LL make sure to keep you both nice and comfortable. A single day won’t go by where you feel unloved! Or even have to break yourself just to prove yourself to me!”  
“oh good! I was worried I’d practically have to kill myself just because I thought I didn’t matter!”  
“no no, you will always matter TO ME at least, never feel so awful and ruined to the point where you felt like you didn’t matter”

“hello little one” Gunmar heard her voice. Victoria's. He turned his head to see her. She had her back turned to him. All around him was pitch black and silent. Above her was the only light shinning down on her. Gunmar saw in her arms, little baby Jim.  
“Victoria? Is that you?”  
“look at you. You look so much like me”  
“Victoria, I’ll come! Stay there!”  
“I’ll be here for you my little Jim, unlike your father” Gunmar tried to get up and walk over. She only seemed to get further away.  
“my son, my little Jim. Mommy will always be here for you”  
“Victoria please! I’m coming”  
“I’ll keep you safe. I’ll keep you close”  
“I will too! I’ll keep you both safe!”  
“Gunmar. Do you remember our promise? The day right before he was born”  
“yes!”  
“we both promised that we would love our child no matter what. Keep our child safe and in our hearts, have them never forget how much they would mean to us. Gunmar, You let me die, and failed to keep our promise. I thought you’d be better than that. Failed me, twice in a row. Failed our child. The last thing left of me, He’s all that I had left in this world. I gave up my life for him, and you ignored him, left him for others to deal with. Abandoned our son, all because you didn’t want to think of me. Well, isn’t that the complete opposite, isn’t it?”  
“i didn’t abandon him! I kept him safe! I kept him close!”  
“do you REALLY believe that? He never had a mother, now he never had a father.”  
“I’ll be here! I swear!”  
“your word means nothing now. it’s too late. He’s already gone.” Gunmar watched as she slowly turned to ash and crumble. Baby Jim looked at him in the eyes innocently one last time, before he turned to ash with her. Gunmar’s body shook as me finally managed to get to them. He fell to his knees and tried to scoop up whatever ash was remaining, into his arms. Suddenly he felt a pain in his head.

 

He snapped out of it and back into the real world as he saw a guard headbutt him and then crush the pixie.  
“forgive me my dark underlord...it was...the only way to free you” Gunmar’s breathing was heavy and unstable, his chest rose and fell drastically. His heart beat as fast as it ever had. He just waved the guard away. The guard bowed and left back down the stairs. Gunmar looked out, seeing the rest of the pixies dead, along with a guard helping his son stand back up from his legs being unsteady. Bular was standing as still as a statue, and Toby was shaking and looking around as if this was the first time he’s ever seen the throne room. The flashes of the vision dotted his mind. He tried to push them away, remember they weren’t real. However, he knew they were. Or at least the meanings of them. Jim rubbed his face with the arm that wasn’t clinging to the guards own arm  
“oh god, my head feels like it was split in half, and my horns pulled downwards from it, like a purse.” Toby slowly walked over to Jim, wide eyed with horror, he whispered out  
“Jim, we’re still friends...right?”  
“always Tobes. I’m NEVER letting anything happen to you” they both shared a look of horror with one another, remembering what they just lived through. Bular was blinking, his mind still reeling from what he saw. He didn’t want to move, as if with a single twitch of a muscle, he would be sent back into his waking nightmare…..

 

…………………………………………………………………

The four of them were still uneasy. Jim and Toby had decided to go back to Jim’s room. Before Jim left, he asked if Bular still wanted to spend time that day, Bular agreed almost instantly, almost in a begging voice. Bular and Gunmar looked at one another, an uneasy feeling shared.  
“father….i….”  
“no...need to speak...go...to your brother and..prepare...i will...be...within my private room...” Bular nodded and slowly walked out, his muscles twitching from time to time. After watching the others leave. Gunmar took a few deep breaths and steadied himself. He couldn’t let anyone see him like this. He got up and left, making his way to his bedroom. He told a few guards to fetch Blinky, tell him that he will be handling things for the time being. Their dark underlord needed rest…..

Gunmar stood in his room, trying to think of ANYTHING, to take his mind off of things. He still couldn’t, everything just replayed in his mind. He NEVER cried, he always held back his emotions. He wasn’t a human, so it’s not like it ruined him or ate him alive. This moment, this one was painful. The tears came down heavy. He couldn’t shake those thoughts and images from it. He intended to keep his promise. He wouldn’t just be a better father to Jim, but Bular as well. He was going to become more involved with both their lives. It was time he started to act like a true father…...

……………………………………………………………

Jim and Toby sat awkwardly across from one another. Unsure what to say and how to say it. Bular’s hide was rolled up in the middle of the two, almost like some sort of barrier. Finally, Toby had enough of the painful silence.  
“alright. Jim, we need to talk. That thingy that just happened. That weird ass nightmare. We need to talk….”

……………………………………………………………..

Toby had explained his. Jim had explained his. The two hugged and promised to ALWAYS be in each others life. Until the very end….

 

Toby’s biggest fear: Abandonment. Not being good enough for others to want to be around or involve in their lives.

Jim’s biggest fear: Failure. Unable to protect the ones he loves and be worth love in return. To show he wasn’t a useless monster.

Bular’s biggest fear: Weakness. He couldn’t be strong enough to prove himself, show he was worthy of his title, his fathers attention, affection, as well as his brothers.

Gunmar’s biggest fear: Loss. The ones he cared about, all gone, all because of his own actions. Thinking only of himself. His selfish attitude caused everyone around him to die as well as betray him.


	31. Bular the brother 2: THE BROTHERING!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RATED R  
> STARTS RIGHT NOW
> 
> Bular, brother dear brother how much you try! truly want to be deeper in his life! truly willing to become different! all for him! all for Jim!
> 
> but at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, few things.  
> 1, niicee and long! sooo much was supposed to be said, believe it or not, but i actually cut out a LOT of it XD shorten it.  
> 2\. a few people have asked me 'why do you write Toby and Jim like that? it's weird' well my answer to that is it's based off my own friendship i have with someone (you know who you are!) he's an awesome dude, we can always joke about stuff cause it doesn't matter! we love each other and have been in each others lives for years. we share everything and are open about everything! and Jim and Toby's relationship was similar and i was like TIME TO DO THIS THANG!
> 
> 3\. about the entire concept of eating. it's not a sexual thing at all, I've just always found it fascinating, so taboo so dark and creepy. why does it make us feel like that though? we don't feel the same way about chickens or fish. it almost has this mysterious undertone don't you think? it's in so many different cultures, each one has their own take on it. so it's just really interesting to me. also just the idea of feeding off of something else, it's life itself! consuming something else to stay alive. so, with trolls eating others to keep them alive, its another thing to be interesting in! fun to write it! also look up ringing bell. it's a movie made in 1978. it'll fuck. you. up. think along the lines of watership down and plague dogs
> 
> 4\. okay, so oh, my fucking god. my friend told me that I'm making a troll version of queen eclipsa.  
> both royalty  
> both have responsibilities  
> both use dark magic (i mean, who TF doesn't want to?!)  
> both adorable deep down  
> both run off to marry their monster boyfriend and have a bab (again, who TF doesn't want to?!)
> 
> 5\. My friend brought up Gunmar learning dad jokes. i laughed. so. fucking. hard.  
> Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? Great food, no atmosphere."
> 
> What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta.
> 
> How many apples grow on a tree? All of them.
> 
> Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind it's tearable.
> 
> I just watched a program about beavers. It was the best dam program I've ever seen.
> 
> Why did the coffee file a police report? It got mugged.
> 
> How does a penguin build it's house? Igloos it together
> 
>  
> 
> "hey dad guess what I'm gonna be with Kanjigar now and work with him so we can kill you"
> 
> "Did I tell you the time I fell in love during a backflip? I was heels over head."
> 
> "hey dad, mom is back from the grave and is going to help us kill you"
> 
> "What's brown and sticky? A stick"
> 
> "hey dad, Bulars gonna help us now also"
> 
> 6\. my writing process if anyone wanted to know.  
> me: woo finished this chapter!...now what...oh! i can write another one!...okay started...gonna take a little break...wait it's been 3 days now? wait 5 DAYS?! okay I'll do it today!...riiight after this game/show/video....okay maybe in the next hour...oh fuck it's 10 pm!? okay I'll do it tomorrow" then i finally get my ass in gear to do it. meanwhile throughout the entire thing, I'm constantly thinking of ideas and getting inspired  
> "OH! THAT WOULD BE PERFECT!....I'll write it later"  
> and it's an endless cycle

Bular had ‘changed’ into something more...casual?. He just wore some basic leather. Leaving his skulls and swords behind. Make him more...approachable. At least that’s what he assumed, going off what little he knows. Humans don’t like to be intimidated, they like to see….eye to eye….whatever that means. Bular imagined it might eye contact, thinking he would have to basically crouch all day just so the humans on the surface didn’t ‘freak out’ when they saw him, or at least, a lesser amount. Right before he left his room, he took his little present he made for his little brother, growling at himself for almost forgetting it. In a small way, he felt anxious. ‘what if this wasn’t good enough for his brother? What if he won’t like it? Would that hurt his already tiny ‘good’ reputation? What if this just pushes him back to zero. Well, only one way to find out. As Bular made his way to Jim’s room, he slowed down as he noticed his brothers door was open just a bit. Enough to where he could hear Toby and Jim’s conversation. Or at least, a little bit of it. He didn’t want to eavesdrop...but….he NEEDED to know what the current situation is. If HAD to involve him, wouldn’t it? After all the entire day is dedicated to...brothering out?….Jim said that once...Bular assumed it meant to enjoy each others company from the context clues.

It was Toby’s voice that spoke currently.  
“-ath. I know you think you’re a monster. And you know what? You ARE a monster! But you’re my monster. I know I’ve already said this stuff already, but I’ll say it as many times as I need to. You matter to so many, maybe not the entire world, but you matter to the people who do count! We don’t see you as a monster, yeah we KNOW you are, but what matters to us is who YOU are, not WHAT you are. Your brother and your dad love you, well, they don’t HATE you anymore. They really are trying. Bular wouldn’t have done what he did today if he didn’t care about you. If your dad didn’t care about you, then why would he let me be around? He DOES care about your happiness, which is WHY he keeps me around. He knows I make you happy. That dream of yours is only your biggest fears! It WON’T come true. How do I know? Well, I told you MY biggest fears, and you said you would NEVER abandon me. So, why would YOUR fears be real? Come on, no need to whimper. There, see? doesn’t that make you feel better? Me petting and holding your head, rubbing your horn, I’ll always do this anytime, never a hassle to me”

“i just...can’t...get over that dream….”  
“i know, I still am freaked out by my own. But you just being here, talking to me, reminding me that I DO matter to you, it’s helping a LOT”  
“thanks Tobes for...everything”  
“no problem Jimbo. I AM your emotional support human” Bular heard the two share a small laugh. Afterwards, Jim let out a large shaky breath.  
“i do have to say though, I’m surprised that me abandoning you is your biggest fear, not me eating you”  
“Jimbo, you eating me is like the concept of death. Nothing you can do to prevent it, I mean yeah technically you don’t HAVE to eat me, but still, it’s going to happen. In a very morbid way, I kinda...want it? Not like some weird sick kick or anything, just knowing that even after I’m gone, I’m still going to be helpful. Hey, none of this is normal, and I think it’s cool. Normal is boring! This is horrifying! But not normal! This is WAY BETTER than regular life! I mean, compare this to doing homework and thinking about what to eat and go home, to...well...THIS! Which makes it fun! I know how you’re going to get when I’m gone. I can already tell EXACTLY how you’re going to feel. You really won’t be the same. Sure there’s going to be plenty of friends to be made in the future, but you’ll only ever have one Toby. I know, hearing that hurts, but it’s true. And that’s another reason why I want it to..happen. Like, I guess, I’ll always be with you? I think? I don’t know, you get what I mean though, right?”

 

“yeah I do. I know what you mean. All that does make sense and it’s true. Although I don’t think I like that you know me so well”  
“i CAN read you like a book Jimbo”  
“i don’t like that someone knows me so well, I think I might have to eat you right now so all my secrets don’t get spilled”  
“well, I guess technically I’d be considered comfort food, although studies do say that stress eating isn’t healthy, and sometimes makes it worse”  
“Well dam, now I really have to find other comfort food. Thanks a lot, now I actually have to go out of my way to get some. Honestly, sometimes you’re the worst”  
“what can I say, I like being a pain in the ass” more laughter and relaxed breathing.  
“I love you Jimbo”  
“i love you too Tobes”  
“best friends till the end…..Aww man, I just realized, we never made friendship bracelets!”  
“don’t worry! When you’re dead, I’ll make one from your bones”  
“See! Helpful till the end!”  
“and you’ll always be with me! Actually, I might do that”  
“well, I guess we’re never old enough to make them”  
“no I meant make something OUT OF YOU. I could always have you with me, and whenever I feel alone or stressed, I can just remember our friendship”  
“knowing you, I don’t want you to remember for too long at any time”  
“why?”  
“because I know you’ll just get depressed when all of the thoughts and memories and feelings start to really flood your head. you’ll remember that we can never have that anymore. That I’m just in your head, and that’s all, never getting to see me, or hear me, or just...be around me. Our jokes and laughs and hanging out and...well...all of this! And we still have sooooo many more people and burritos to eat! And video games to play! And memes to experience!”  
“dam. There you go reading me again”  
“like a pro. Alright, now that we’ve had our one on one and cheered you up, I’ll leave so you can get ready”  
“thanks for everything Tobes. Do you ever feel like life is just one kick in the balls at a time?”  
“oh yeah all the time. And nooo problem! Anytime! Legally, that’s my job”  
“well, I’m not paying you”  
“i guess I’ll just be an intern then”  
“not true, a lot of them get paid, depending on the job”  
“so, will I get paid then?”  
“nah”  
“always soo selfless”  
“i try to be”

 

Bular heard steps approach the door, he went wide eyed and backed up so it seems like he just started to come.  
“oh, hey Bular” Toby greeted him with a friendly tone  
“hello...Toby...how are things”  
“alright. Still kinda shaken from that dream thingy. What about you? How are you feeling?” Bular wasn’t really sure what to say. Very few times has he been asked about his own emotional status. It felt….strange…..someone wanting to know how hes….feeling….  
“i am….unsure”  
“what did you see? Mine was pretty freaky”  
“mine was...disturbing”  
“yeah, greatest fears and all that, what could you be afraid of though? Look at you! All big and strong and intimidating, and you’re Gunmars son too!” Bular heard these words and let them sink into him. It felt like something adding weight to what he already felt.  
“everyone fears something….even I do”  
“like what? I mean, you’re all ultra buff, nothing can hurt you! Jim said you survived through pretty much everything! Wish I could do that” all the moments of Bular’s life suddenly blurred his vision. Every painful moment. Every sacrifice, every loss, every failure. The cold loneliness he endured countless times. The constant fear of weakness, failure, and disappointing his father, followed right behind him like his own shadow. He always was trying to stay one step ahead of it, making sure it can’t keep up. Yet it could never be shaken off.  
“training takes time and endless pain. Even I suffer to this day, training and growing stronger”  
“yeah, I can see that, I hear about it all the time from like, movies and TV shows and video games and stuff”  
“ah. I don’t know what those are, but I am going to assume it has to do with what we’re speaking of”  
“yeah it does. what’s that in your hand?”  
“this? Oh it’s uh...” Bular was thankful they changed the conversation subject to something less painful to think of. Yet now, what was he going to say? If he says it’s for Jim, it would spoil the surprise….right? There really is no point in lying either, it really isn’t something important enough to lie about.  
“it’s something I created. It has some secret importance for today. Do not repeat any of the words about this. You said you can be trusted. So far, that has been proven correct. So I am still going to hold you to your word”

“thanks for trusting me. don’t worry, I won’t. Back to the dream thing”  
‘dammit.’  
“if I tell you mine, will you tell me yours?”  
‘no.’  
“why does that matter?”  
“just so we can understand one another better. We are going to be in each other’s lives a lot, like you said”  
‘dammit. My own words reflected back to me. Hmm...this would be a perfect opportunity to bond...get more credit...show Jim how much I want to involve myself into is life...’  
“i would rather hold the...larger more detailed parts to myself”  
“i get it, no problem! I’ll still tell you mine, If you want to hear it”  
‘wait...the whelp still wishes to share?! With little to nothing in return!?’  
“that is….something I do wish to hear” Bular listened with intent. Somewhat understanding the meaning and importance of it. He truly meant a lot to Jim, and Jim him (haha rhyme)  
“-and well, that’s what happened. it’s kinda dumb...”  
“feeling the need to be wanted is….not foolish...everyone...more or less….wishes to be involved with others...and others them...”  
“is that what you fear?”  
“...to an...extent...”  
“i won’t press you if you don’t want to talk anymore”  
‘huh. He doesn’t demand anything in return…..on his own free will…..huh.’

Jim opened the door and came out, looking ever so fresh and clean.  
“alright, let’s go out in some surface world sunshine! My fur still needs to dry and I didn’t want to have to make you wait for like, 20 minutes”  
“i would wait for however long you need my brother...oh...i have this..for you” Bular walked to Jim and held out his stone  
“oh, a stone?”  
“it’s more than that. it’s a token of my affection. I painted on it”  
“ohh now that makes sense” Jim took it and looked it over. It was a simple design of an angry gumm-gumm face on it with sharp fangs and horns. It still strongly smelled like fresh human blood, but it was almost entirely dried at this point. Bular was feeling a little sheepish about it. Was it good enough fro Jim to want it?.  
“huh. Reminds me of the stone I drew for you when I was little, before you crushed it I mean” Bular lowered his head in shame. He now resented his action. If he could go back in time, he would have.  
“i don’t expect your forgiveness for my foolishness, and I do resent how I acted. You were a mere whelp. I never considered what you felt. I only was selfish. Driven by my anger. If you do not want this, I fully understand”  
“oh no, I love it” Jim said with a grateful tone and smile. Bular’s uneasy feeling lightened. He looked at his brother in astonishment  
“you….do?”  
“yeah! This is amazing! you’ve never made anything for me before, I love it! You were always so talented at art” Bular swore he felt that feelings humans do, the one where their faces change colors. Plushing? Was that what it was called?  
“you do?”  
“yeah! Like I said, it’s amazing! I think I know the perfect spot for this, so every time I wake up, it can be one of the first things I see” Bular truly was astonished. This was the kind of feeling he rarely felt. Hardly anything exceeded his expectations or surprised him. He dearly hoped his brother would accept it, but this? This reaction wasn’t even imagined

“why do you look so shocked? I’m surprised you feel that way, why wouldn’t I lovingly accept what you made JUST for me! This is one of the best, if one of the few, things you’ve given me!”  
“i….uh…..” Jim hugged his brother who was still having a hard time letting this all permeate. He hugged back and experienced an emotion he really wasn’t used to….familiar love? Something he certainly never received from his father. It was…….one of the greatest thing’s he felt. As if his loneliness just started to fade. The warmth touching his heart, if just a tiny bit. The hardened shell he developed to prevent himself from experiencing emotional pain started to chip. He was almost afraid of what he might find inside.  
“Bular would it be okay if...Toby came with us today? I really do want to spend time with you! And it’s not that I can’t do it alone, I just….the dream I had freaked me out and I really want Toby near me” Bular looked over Jim’s should to see Toby silently mouth ‘say yes’.  
“yes”  
“thanks! I really really appreciate this, all of this” another huge, another plush feeling, another chip.  
“alright big bro, you ready?”  
“yes”  
“alright, let me run into my room real fast and set this sweet baby down and we’ll be gtg!”  
“gtg?”  
“oh, its just a short way to say good to go”  
“ah, then we shall be gtg” Jim giggled. The large cruel huge cold brute, son and spawn of humanity’s bane, just said gtg. As Jim ran into his room once more, Toby gave a smile, thumbs up, and a nod of approval…..

 

………………………………………………………………

The three currently walked around, chatting and doing casual things, well, Jim and Toby were. Bular mostly looked around and listened in on many human conversations, thinking it might help him understand the ‘human casual mood’. Although, he honestly could hardly make anything out. He did understand the general ideas. Speaking of meeting one another in specific locations at specific times. Speaking of what to consume to fulfill their hunger. Speaking of their activities from a previous time. Speaking of what activities to do in the current moment. Speaking of what they had recently done with their occupation, sometimes speaking while drinking water together on a break. Bular wondered who they broke in battle before taking a respite. The areas the three walked in had more than enough shade to go from place to place. A few moments Bular’s tail had left the shade for a brief few seconds, burning Bular and breathing through his teeth, holding back a grunt of pain and endured it. He wouldn’t do ANYTHING to interrupt and ruin his day. This day had to be perfect! No anger, no fighting, no blood thirst, no roaring, nothing...him. They did have plenty of others looking at them. Usually with Jim, it was just ‘oh hey! Look, it’s that one guy’ instead of what originally was ‘HOLY FUCK WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING NEXT TO THE CHUBBY KID AND THE GOTH CHICK!?’. Right now, it was ‘whoa, what the hell is that giant thing!? Is that some troll?! he’s like a living nightmare! Time to stay the fuck out of the way and be as far away as possible’. Bular’s attention came back to his brother as they stopped at some place with many humans  
“do you?”  
“huh?  
“do you want to try coffee?”  
“is that what that smell is?”  
“yeah, it’s good! Or at least most people like it. So you want to try some?”  
“yes, I would enjoy to try everything you put in your mouth and consume. Although I...do not wish to...pressure you into this...i would….like to eat with you...”  
“ohh eat, like OUR eating?”  
“I’m assuming what we feed together on”  
“yeah that. Okay, I promise, we can have our own little bonding night of hunting and eating. I miss that too. When I think of us, and how tasty it is, and how yummy and warm and just also, spending time with you, it feels nice and I want it….but then I think of the actual...’food’...and...it makes me confused and sad...well I don’t want to talk about that right now. So, yeah! Coffee!. Do you want to stay out here or...come inside? Plenty of room for a troll, even for your size”  
“i will...attend” Bular’s senses were suddenly overtaken by the inside. The chattering of humans, the talking of ‘orders’, the sounds of the machines, and most importantly, the smell. So many different things could be smelled, most of them Bular didn’t understand, simply from never experiencing it before. He knew Stricklander consumed this, so he just assumed it was something low rate thing to feed on. If Jim likes it, it must be worthy of the first son of Gunmar.  
“-lar”  
“huh?”  
“lots of new stuff huh? Go uh, stand over there, we’ll place our orders and then get it after it’s made. I’ll pick something out you might like best”  
“Ah”  
“just relaaaxxx and experience things. Coffee is pretty small to a troll, so don’t expect a bunch of it”  
“understood”

So, Bular did just that. Experience. One of Bular’s most hated things. Was waiting. He always was impatient. He expected everything to be done within moments. This? This….human waiting….it wasn’t very thrilling. Or enjoyable. This day was about Jim. He won’t ruin it simply out of annoyance. Speaking of annoying things….there was a small whelp, staring at him. Right next to him. The child just suckled from some thin object from his cup and looked at him directly. Bular never liked being gawked at. He wanted to threaten the tiny weak pathetic creature. No, he had to hold himself back. Bular closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Calming his nerves.  
‘focus. don’t be so angry from something so small. A son of Gunmar shouldn’t be so concerned by something so insignificant. Something so sm-’  
“are you a troll?” the little human whelp spoke it it’s tiny voice. Bular just stared in disinterest as the human boy continued to suckle.  
“are you?”  
“yes.”  
“why?”  
“because I am.”  
“i mean, why are you here? Do trolls like coffee? My mom does, she says it’s the only thing that helps keep her awake. She says it’s not healthy to always be drinking it. So she tries not to. Sometimes I drink it, although most of the time I don’t like it. Sometimes I do though. I only like it when it’s sweet with whip cre-” Bular closed his eyes and tried to ignore the human whelp, thinking to himself  
‘is this whelp really speaking to me? Why is it droning on and on and on. Ugh. Just like how Jim was when he was a whelp. Maybe that’s just what whelps do.’  
“-hen she said no, and he said yes, and she said nuh uh, and he said yah huh, and she said nuh uh, and he said yah huh. So I was only standing there thinki-”  
‘I’m not even listening. Why can’t it understand that. I clearly have no interest in communication. Yet it still rambles on’  
“-of course, I mean, she did get hit in the face with a shoe and then his bird pooped on him. I think it was fair play. Then again, it’s hard to really take into consideration and understand the global economics of the playground. Even we have a hierarchy, at least at my school. Then of course jua-”  
‘what in fathers name is this thing even speaking of. I’m clearly not paying attention to it. This is my punishment for giving it recognition in the first place.’  
“-succumbed to the atrocities committed. When we forget about the past years, we cannot move forward. Well when the baseball bat broke I thought my day couldn’t-”  
‘why won’t this whelp stop?! If I rip it’s head off it will! no. no. we are not doing that. Calm down. Lashing out and giving even more attention to this….thing, just shows that I’m weak enough to be focusing on something so small.’

 

“-bramble. Humble. Cannonball. Things faster than a truck. Things that started with H and ended with T. blueberry smoothies could be used as another answer. Although, I don’t think I was ever good at algebra 3. Fun fact, did you kn-”  
‘WHY WON’T IT STOP TALKING?! Breathe. Calm down. Ugh, THIS WAITING! HOW MUCH LONGER?!’ Bular cracked an eye open just enough to lookk around, trying to make sure it didn’t look like he was about to start paying attention to the little boy.  
‘Wait where did they go? Did they leave me here?! no. my brother and Toby wouldn’t.’  
“-hydroelectric. But many things could be used as a proper symbol to represent something. Although when I do think of the Tudor era, I usually only consider-”  
‘IF THEY LEFT ME HERE, TO BE FORCED TO LISTEN TO THIS...THING DRONE ON AND ON. I WILL TASTE BLOOD! Wait is this some sort of test? To prove myself today?”  
“-since the birth of Karl Marx. Although Mrs. Judy didn’t let Sam chew her gum, so she put it behind her ear. She still got into trouble because her dog barked. That actually reminded me of this one story about political philosophy-”  
‘fine. I’ll play your little game. I WILL prove I can be better. No matter how difficult. I’ve overcome worse things that this. Why am I letting such a tiny thing get to me?’  
“-then she said yah huh, and then SHE brought up the last Government shut down. Weird right? Well, we ARE in 3rd grade. So I guess that made sense at the time. Now back to Danny INSISTING that he had the full comprehension of parliament-  
‘how long will they make me take this little test? no. I do not need to question that. I will take as long as is needed. I WILL show them that I can pass ANY test they give me!’  
“-and then I said it was JUST tapioca pudding. Then he was like ‘uhhh yeah’, but he JUST was saying how the only instinctual obligation of housing the ones related to the Mariana trench-”  
‘are they somewhere watching me? Where I can’t see them? I can’t seem to find them. I think they are watching me. Trying to see if I’ll fail in even the slightest form. No, I will not show them that, I will show them how best I can be!’  
“-but that’s just me. So then Bruce was playing fortnite. I told him, if he wanted to be able to truly recognize the current situation, he was just going to have to face the mortality of his pet goat. So that’s my life and my personal will I’ve written up. Hopefully Gabe can mail the letter. You’re really quiet. So Bular’s a cool name” Bular quickly focused the second he heard his name  
“what?”  
“well, you’re really quiet”  
“where did you hear my name?”  
“from them” the boy pointed to Jim and Toby laughing and getting the drinks and then walking over  
“sorry for the wait Bular”  
“HA! I passed your test little brother!”  
“uh...what...test?”  
“the test”  
“uh...can you be more specific?”  
“you tested me to see if I could truly be able to be-there was no test?”  
“nooo….no test”  
“then what took so long?”  
“well, Toby had to go to the bathroom. Their bathroom was pretty much a mess. Sooo we went around the corner and asked to use this other places bathroom. Before I left I asked little Jacob to keep an eye on you while we were gone. Then we came back, grabbed our drinks and here we are.”  
‘how...did...i not notice my brother...’  
“So Jacob, how was my brother?”  
“pretty chill”  
“good to hear. Alright, ready to leave?” Bular was just blinking and nodded. He made a deep sigh and walked out. As he walked past Jacob, he said  
“Bular! don’t forget what I told you about your dads radish farm!” Bular stopped and turned around. Jacob gave him a thumbs up and left the other way. Was this how every human shop was like?…

………………………………………………………..

Bular had sucked his coffee and then ate the cup. It was….strange….it left a tingle in his mouth. The next hour or so was roughly the same. Visiting places, eating, drinking, talking, walking. It wasn’t bad...but...it was too...mundane. Bular did like corndogs though. That was a nice discovery he made. Toby and Jim stopped. Jim pointed and smiled  
“hey Tobes, its the place where we got our future told” Bular leaned in and looked closer at the shop, joining the conversation  
“future?”  
“yeah, we got a reading. It was neat”  
“you had your future told to you?”  
“sorta”  
“how could any human have the capabilities to divine the future?!”  
“well not really, it’s more for fun…..hey! You should try it!”  
“my future told to me?. You enjoy it. I will do as you suggest.” Bular always did have a slight fear of magic. It was a secret he always kept hidden deep. You can’t swing a sword at magic. You can’t kill something you have no control over. It was…..spine chilling. To be so weak, so vulnerable to something you couldn’t defend yourself against. Toby and Jim said hello, introduced Bular and asked for a reading. He was becoming more interested, along with his fear growing right along side it. So, He walked with her to the back, thankfully there was enough room for him. She said that she’s had a few other trolls wander into her shop, mostly by accident, thinking it was something else. They enjoyed it though, so she didn’t complain. She explained to him what would happen. Jim made it...easier for him to understand. Meaning he simplified it. Bular felt a type of anxiety he only ever felt when his fears started to unearth themselves. He was about to partake in an event that would literally tell his future. Such magics are truly terrifying. How do these little cards know when Bular will die or not?! Jim explained once more it was mostly just for fun to soothe his brothers fear. Still, Bular believed in it too strongly. Although he tried his best not show it.

Bular’s past: The hermit.  
“retreating from distractions to determine your own truth.”

Bular’s present: Ace of cups.  
“an opportunity for an emotional experience or growth”

Bular’s future: Ten of wands.  
“carrying a large burden or many burdens”

The hermits deeper meaning  
“a time to ignore others opinions and decide what you think is right and true.”

Ace of cups deeper meaning  
“a time to experience a deep emotional connection, either giving, receiving, or both. A few fleeting moments. Act swift, or it will quickly fade away”

Ten of wands deeper meaning.  
“a time of burden. Possibly not a pleasant experience. Do not be distracted, there is nothing simple about it. It is of your own design. Look at how your actions brought you to this place. You may not be thrilled with the present, but make good use of it to ensure your future is more to your liking”

Bular was unnerved by what he heard. The past made sense to him. How he felt, and how he lived, truly was alone with his own thoughts, pushing out all other opinions. The present made a LOT of sense! It clearly meant about him and Jim’s relationship! To strengthen their love and brotherly bond! It said he needed to be swift, it is fleeting. Just like Jim’s life. The future? He felt VERY uneasy. He had no idea what it meant or might mean physically.  
‘I can use this knowledge to make my future more to my liking. Did that mean my growth with Jim? If so, then why wasn’t that the present? Unless it was AFTER Jim’s life’ This thinking hurt Bular’s head and made him worry. Jim told him it could mean anything. It was just for fun. Bular just expressed to him that he would move on, meanwhile mentally, he would fidget with those thoughts for a long time….

……………………………………………………………

The three had decided….to go to….the mall! Bular’s never been there, so why not experience it now! Bular, unsurprisingly, didn’t know how to feel. It was crowded and loud and so many different things happening all at once, it was almost giving him a headache. More food and walking around, more talking and enjoying each others company. He wasn’t ungrateful! He was just….bored out of his skull. They took a break so Toby could use the bathroom. Jim and Bular were alone together for the first time that day. Bular wanted to do a human conversation, he still didn’t know how! Well, experience isn’t gained by not trying, so he started it up anyways.  
“brother”  
“yes Bular?”  
“uh...how..are you?”  
“good! I’m really happy to be with you today! Even if Toby’s with us, I just really need him right now, my dream freaked me out pretty badly. It just makes me feel a lot more comfortable being near him right now. I promise, one day soon, it’s just going to be me and you. Our own day, and don’t worry, we don’t have to do ANYTHING like this. I know you’re bored out of your mind. I can tell. it’s the same look you have when you watch soldiers fail at fighting. Nothing interesting happening”  
“i….am fine”  
“don’t lie. Admit you’re bored”  
“i do admit that I am in fact, bored”  
“well, days not over just yet! We still have a few good hours…..sooo….uh….i...was wondering….it’s alright if we don’t talk about it...but….when the whole, pixie thing happened...what...did you dream about?”  
“uh….” what should he say to his brother?  
‘i dreamed you took the throne, dad loved you more, then you and dad decided to end my life’  
“nothing of….great importance….what did YOU dream about?” Jim’s mind tried to come up with SOMETHING!  
‘oh hey big bro, I dreamed that dad got out and killed everyone I loved and then called me weak and a freak. Oh yeah and you killed and ate me’  
“nothing of...importance”  
“now that makes me think something did happen”  
“Well that makes ME think something did happen to you”  
“perhaps it...had.”  
“same…..we don’t need to share details but...did it involve...certain individuals who may or may not be close to you that end up….doing certain things”  
“is this about...what we talked about before?”  
“nooo nooo not him. I meant...uh...” Bular somehow knew it was going to be him  
“me.”  
“….maybe”  
“what about me?” Bular genuinely wanted to know. He already figured it wasn’t anything positive. He didn’t blame Jim for thinking of him in that manner.  
“okay...let’s make a promise...you and me….go full on, no holding back, no withholding any detail, even the smallest one, and explain our visions….deal?”  
“no hidden details?”  
“yep! Just to...well...break the ice I guess...I’ll...start with mine...”

The brothers listened to each other closely.  
For Jim. He was surprised. He really…..meant that way to his brother? I mean, yeah, failing dad made sense but….him….being like...that? His brother really was…..sorry.

For Bular. He wasn’t shocked to hear how Jim saw him. Or their father for that matter. If wasn’t like it was difficult to understand, everyone already knew it, maybe not that sever, but everyone knew how Jim felt about himself. Although the eating his brother part was surprising. They made jokes, but it wasn’t too much different for any other joke they made. Killing is just...natural to them. Bular chuckled and did make a joke about maybe he should take a few bites out of Jim, see if he really can get dad’s blood that way. Jim chuckled about that too, which meant it still was something to joke about without any true pain or fears. Toby came back and was ready to go! Before they left, Jim had a fun little idea for his brother…  
“Bular, you said you could pass any test, so I’m giving you one. Over there, is an ice cream vendor. Ask for 3 chocolate ones, cones, and then give him this money. This is going to test how you can keep your cool when dealing with someone else who you are equal to. Yes, you are equal to that human woman over there. Now get to it!” Bular would have smacked his brother in the back of his head for even making a joke about being equal, no. not this time. This time was something that meant something. Bular took the tiny piece of currency and did as instructed. Toby was asking what the they should do next. Jim wanted to visit a couple more shops before leaving. Toby started chuckle  
“why not take him to mini golf?” that made Jim laugh hard  
“my brother? Doing mini golf?! The little club looking like a toothpick next to him. Him gently bumping the tiny ball into the tiny windmill then roaring in victory when he had a hole in one. That would be THE fucking funniest shit ever”  
“well, I bet your dad doing it would top that”  
“oh god, family day out!”  
“all those wonderful horrified faces”  
“hey! We would end up getting our own time! No lines or waiting time!” after the laughter died down. Jim reached for his horn. Only to stop mid way as he looked at Toby who raised an eyebrow  
“okay okay okay, no stressing out! Stop reading me so well!. The whole ‘family outing’ just made me think”  
“of how distant everyone is?”  
“well that too, but mostly...about...me eating….” Jim had explained the morning. What finally connected and was learned. Toby actually hugged Jim and said this was wonderful!  
“did you...not just hear me?”  
“i did! Which is why it’s great! You can just drink a bunch of blood to tide you over for a while, then go out and eat, and then go another long period! This is the beginning of getting you off of it! Or at least making your body NEED it sooo much! A lot less deaths now means a lot less stress on your mind!”  
“huh...i...guess you’re right….yeah….that’s true….now I just need a shit ton of blood….i think I know where to get it too….hahahah! Guess I’m a vampire now!”  
“a half troll gumm-gumm vampire”  
“a half troll omega son of gunmar gumm-gumm vampire”  
“hey! that’s perfect for a business card!”  
“well, beats needing to constantly explain!...oh my god…..since we’re on the subject of them doing ‘regular human’ things. If Bular vaped, I would loose my fucking mind.”  
“OH MY FUCKING GOD JIM. He would totally do vape tricks”  
“he would MASTER vape tricks” Bular came over with the ice cream, seeing them both smile. He was a bit….annoyed. He missed out on a chance to laugh and smile and be merry with his brother! BUT he passed their test….wasn’t easy...even on the most basic of things….but this just proves he can and WILL overcome everything. All for his brother. A perfect way to prove how much he means to him!

…………………………………………………………..

 

 

Bular hated Jim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bular wanted to kill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His brother would pay with his life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe he really would eat his brother!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There they were. Standing in….some store, Bular didn’t even bother with learning what it’s name was or what they were there for. He watched Jim smell different candles. 

For 

 

A

 

Half

 

Hour

 

Just….standing there…..smelling candles and mumbling about which ones he wanted. Jim was doing this on purpose just to annoy him, right? It wouldn’t be the first time his brother had always done little things just to piss him off. This must have been some test. It had to be!. Bular snorted and once again, walked back over to Toby, who was just looking at…..hats. He doesn’t even wear hats!  
“oh hey Bular”  
“yes. Hello. Again.”  
“yeahhh, Jim does this often”  
“often!?”  
“yeah, not just to candles, but a LOT of other stuff, honestly, YOU try being with him when he’s trying to pick things out for his nest. it’s like, you practically need to bring a camping tent and a sleeping bag” Bular snorted and growled deeply  
“hey hey! it’s okay big guy! While we wait we can...uh….huh...hmm….what does a person like you want to do...hmm...”  
“hey guys I’m ready to leave” they both turn to a slightly bummed looking Jim.  
“hey Jimbo, so, you gonna get something”  
“nah, I decided not to” Bular took in a quick angry breath  
“you spent all that time...for nothing?!”  
“caaallllmmm down. Yeah, I did, oh well, no big deal”  
“you HAVE a LIMITED amount of time in your life! You just spent a portion of it doing nothing!”  
“well when you put it like that yeah it sounds bad, but I was enjoying myself” Bular’s started to try and calm himself. Jim mattered. Not him. He said he enjoyed himself. that’s all that matters. Toby read Jim’s face. He clearly had a sad feeling about something. He needed to talk to him. How the hell is he going to distract Bular….  
“hey Bular, buddy”  
“yes? You called me your ‘buddy’”  
“that means were starting to be friends!” Bular perked up. He was doing good! Another step forward!  
“so I had a little test for you”  
“oh? I will pass it”  
“i know you will. Here, see that stand aaallllll the way down there? Waaaaay past the people and stores. That vendor has a specific lollipop that we like. Your test is this. You take this money, here you go, you go down there, and buy 3 of them. A nice little test to see if you can pass through large crowds without being angry, and deal with someone else again. Now, the kind is called ‘swirl’. Now, there are two types. One, looks like a spear. Long and spiraling. The other is large and flat, in a circle, like a shield”  
“i know shapes”  
“right sorry, just making it easiest to understand. Now, to sum up, make it there, be calm, order 3 flat swirls. Pay the money, leave the rest there saying its a ‘tip’. And come back. Simple” Bular walked out of the store and started his test!

 

Toby patted Jim on the shoulder  
“okay what’s wrong buddy?”  
“huh?”  
“I’m reading you. Somethings up”  
“wait did you give Bular that ‘test’ to get him to leave?”  
“yep!”  
“crafty. I’ll have to remember that little trick. I’m fine by the way”  
“no you’re not. Now spill”  
“fine...maybe I am just...a little bit bummed….”  
“what happened? Run out of your favorite brand of candle?”  
“that was a dark day. No, these...other people were checking out the same kind of candle, talking about it, I thought maybe it would be nice to say a few words. So I did, but they just smiled awkwardly, thanked me and then left.” Jim frowned  
“I guess it’s my fault. I just forced myself into the conversation”  
“well, I think it’s there fault”  
“How? I’m the one who interrupted them and send them away”  
“that DID happen, buuuuutttt it’s there fault for judging you just based on-” Jim lowered his eyes to the ground  
“what I am.”  
“technically yes, but I was going to say-shit I guess I was going to say that. Well I was going to say ‘judging a book by it’s cover’ and stuff but, well yeah. Aww don’t look like that, Bular’s getting you your favorite kind of lollipop” Toby took Jim’s head and put it into his chest so he could pet Jim.  
“mmmmhhh...yeah, that’s nice~. I just wish I could have conversations with others and just….be apart of things without….being a freak, some outcast. Funny, usually the support animal is the one being pet by the human, but I’m being pet by my support HUMAN”  
“I’m your support human! Of course ima give you teh pets! They make you feel good!”  
“this is so reversed. Usually the human is the one being supported”  
“just one more amazing special thing to add to our friendship that no one else gets. Freaks stick together. Plus you know daaaaam well how many people would loooove to be with you, in ALL ways”  
“how do you know that?”  
“have you not SEEN the internet?”  
“okay yeah you’re extremely correct. How am I supposed to make friends with people like that”  
“chat rooms”  
“ugh god.”  
“yep!”  
“i can already feeeeeel the cringe happening”  
“hey, online friends can be cool!”  
“i know that! I meant all the creepers and pervs and cringe and anime waifu shit”  
“didn’t YOU have an anime cru-” Jim put his hand over his mouth and laughed awkwardly  
“hahah! Oookay 10th grade summer doesn’t count! I was still getting used to the surface hahaha! let’s not go there”

 

“plenty of monster lovers out there”  
“okay let’s talk about something else”  
“plenty of friends”  
“true...okay even if I DID make friends with people who would love me...maybe a little too much-”  
“you do looove to be pet”  
“i don’t know where those hands have been and I don’t feel like getting stalked and end up finding out someone has a god dam shrine dedicated to me or some beautiful mind room for me specifically. Eli already does that!, well not for me, but you get my point!...anyway it’s not gonna be easy to just ‘hey btw I’m going to bring the end of the world, wana meet up someplace before then?’”  
“Well yeah, buuut it’s not going to be like, in a while!...right?”  
“eh….yes?”  
“wonderful to know. OH! We can totally get you a super edgy username! Oh oh oh I got one, something like blood raven, or or shadow wolf, oh! Oh oh! like fallen angel or god of darkness or demon lord or or or unholy spawn or like nightingale or like jet black storm shadow”  
“so happy I never had to do middle school”  
“it truly was a ‘dark time’ huh? Huh?”  
“Toby come over in that ‘dark corner’ where no one can see while I eat you”  
“awww! Come on! You love them!”  
“okay, let’s say I make some blog on some shitty social media thing. I what, put pictures of myself and have others creep over it?”  
“what? don’t like the internet”  
“no, because I’ve BEEN ON IT. I know what goes down. God dam teratophilias going to harass me, I don’t want to do feet pics or anything else for that matter!”  
“are you mad because you are one? Also technically they aren’t feet, they’re like...paws”  
“true, but that doesn’t count! I’m not a human!...wait….then if I’m turned on by humans...what the hell does that make me?”  
“reverse furry?” the two just burst out laughing, causing a few people to look their way, well, more than usual for Jim  
“oh god you did not just say that”  
“you meet some and they’d love you”  
“yeah that’s true. Plenty of nice people too” Bular came over holding three lollipops, he was clearly holding back a snarl  
“here. For. You.”  
“you okay big bro?”  
“yes.”  
“clearly not”  
“there was a woman in front of me who wouldn’t stop talking. She and the food attendant wouldn’t stop talking and move on. She kept going on and on about her son being an honor student and how her son is playing soccer and how she’s running the PTA whatever that means. Then she starts babbling about how her husband is a ‘stay at home’ one, which she called….modern? Up with the times? I had no idea what that meant. She was the one who ‘acquired the food and brought it to their home’. Then she started to compare her child to others and said that they are being raised wrong and how she’s right and how her children will do well in life but not the others. Then she made some jest about her needing….wen? To get her through the day. All the while this tiny creature wouldn’t stop barking at me while it was being carried in her bag on her arm. She acted like it wasn’t even making noise or being a problem. They just looked at me, first in fear, which was good, then with disgust. Like I WAS THE PROBLEM!. Then they resumed talking! I almost wanted to rip her blonde head off. Then I remembered you. Then I finally managed to complete the test and come here.” Toby and Jim looked at each other and sucked air through their teeth  
“a ‘can I speak to the manager’. Not easy.”  
“what is that?”  
“terrible person sometimes, anyways let’s go before you blow a fuse. Meaning roar out in anger. we’re done for the day, it’s almost sunset”

………………………………………………………………

They saw, if you do not learn about history, then you are doomed to repeat it yourself. Or some shit like that. Anyways, The gang had been spotted all hanging out being dumb together. Toby at least wanted to say hi, which was somewhat uncomfortable to debate since, well, the problem was right next to them. Well, why not try again?.  
Before they went over, Toby pulled Bular aside for a moment.  
“Hey Bular, buddy, let’s just say a few tiiiinnnyyy quick words, okay?. First, when you go over there, I want you to not look so…..sour. You irritate easily, I understand, but just relax. Loosen up. I want you to give me a niiiccceee big smile. Okay?” Bular did as instructed. It wasn’t very friendly looking, as you would obviously know.

“oookay, how about you close your mouth a little bit. Okay that’s...better….well I’ll give it to you straight...uh that...mean’s I won’t lie or try to hide any details….no matter what you are still, and always will be….you, so...you’re not exactly all fluffy and cute and huggable. Well you already know that so why am I saying it? That was rhetorical, just to...let you know. Uh, okay, well, let’s make you more friendly! can’t really do looks, buuut we can do with attitude! See, with humans, and half trolls I guess, when we start to know someone and become close to them and get to know them, we don’t really think of what they look like, but what they are on the inside! Not blood and guts, but emotions and personalities. 

Like, when I first met and saw Jim, I saw him as just a half troll. Now, now I see him as an amazing best friend where appearances and race no longer factor in. THAT is the ticket for you! When we get everyone to know you and how hard you’re trying and how much you want to love Jim, they’ll start no longer seeing you as...you, but the you who wants to care for Jim. SO with that in mind, let’s make a nice impression with attitude! Rational and calm, like you’ve been all day of course...uh...imagine this as a more...powerful opponent. All the other activities from today were just weak basic people, THIS ONE is the REAL DEAL. Kinda the...leader? I don’t know how to compare, my point is, this is the tough part of the day. So, let’s do it to it! I believe in you big guy!”

 

Everyone had the same exact expression as last time, maybe a little less shock, only a little though. Meanwhile Eli was as thrilled as ever. His eyes opened wide, as if a new trailer for his favorite movie series just came out.  
“everyone this is my brother, bular, you all remember him from...yeah....that wasnt a very good first  
impression. hes...better than that....or i trying to be…"  
“hes back! hello your royalty...highness...troll prince!!"  
"eli shut up! sorry for raising my tone, but remember. silence. no pics, no talking. nothing."  
"right sorry sorry"  
"you don’t want us killed, remember?"  
"yep! i don’t want you killed!" Jim then turned to Bular and explained in troll what Jim had explained to the group after he left them the first time. Bular just grunted in understanding. Eli practically hopped over to them and was already touching all over Bular yet again.  
“ahhhh! Sooo amazing!” Bular once again found it mildly amusing to watch such a tiny thing practically worship him, all on it’s own free will. He must truly be that great, although what doubt could their ever been when compared to a measly human. Bular smiled and bent down to eye level and darkly said

 

“I’m very tempted to eat you, i think it would only take two bites"  
"ugh, your breath...haha very funny" while Bular did have a twinge of desire to do so, he knew that if any of Jims friends somehow wound up in his stomach, Jim would truly attempt to kill him, or go to their father who would severely punish him for making Jim unhappy, which he himself is trying to avoid. Instead Bular chuckled. He was also a bit impressed on how this tiny, little, small human, was smiling at him, not crying out of fear to him. Such a small thing so able to even make eye contact with him! Not even the strongest of trolls dared do it. Jim cleared his throat and gave Bular a hard glare  
“what? I was saying a joke. I was being humorous to your friend. I know I’m not supposed to eat any of them”  
“hahaha! Very funny Bular! That was another joke. don’t worry….uhh...everyone, you...remember….Bular. My older, full troll brother. Older by like, 1100 years or something, probably more, right?”  
“i stopped counting after the bridge” Eli rubbed and patted the stone plates on Bular  
“what bridge?! Is that some cooooool troll term!?”  
“no. it isn’t. It was a battle wh-”  
“HEY BROTHER, let’s NOT go there. K?”  
“understood. Tell your….friend….to stop touching my tail...p...please”  
“Eli hey let’s stop groping my big bro alright?”

 

Toby was being whispered to by the others. Claire was the only one truly bold enough to be their ‘representative’ to the question asking. Toby had explained what’s been going on so far since he’s pretty much been with Jim, leaving out the more personal stuff of course.  
“-so I’m pretty much his emotional support human. Which is awesome”  
“so you and Jim have been...sleeping together?”  
“yeah, what’s with the face? we’re not spooning or anything. We have a good amount of space in between us, not that we’re trying to purposely not touch or anything, it’s just cause his nest is huge and holy crap is it THE most comfortable thing in the world!” Jim pull Eli away, who begged to at least keep talking. Bular said he would enjoy that as well, just no more touching. Jim rolled his eyes and let them. At least Bular was trying, like he said he would. Jim accepted it and walked over to his whispering friend group. Marry giggled and asked in a hushed tone  
“is your brother dating anyone?"  
"no, why, you're not into him are you? trust me, that wouldn't be...best"  
"what? ew no! I’m not into trolls, i was just wondering, since you hardly talk about your family"  
"he’s not interested in ‘dating’ anyone right now, he will sometime in the future, as in like a few 100 years from now. time is very little to trolls since they can live for thousands of years, so hes really not looking or being involved right now. He doesn’t care, he has more important things on his mind, or at least important to him"  
"what about you?"  
"well...kinda? life’s crazy and I’m not in the 'best' position right now. I do but....I dunno. one of those 'love yourself before you love another' kind of thing. its nothing bad about myself, its...hmm....a troll thing. its something i cant really explain. humans and trolls take it differently, i mean in the troll sense. if i could explain it, i would. Yeah we both plan on having kids too in the future, me far fast of course, I mean not like, right now! But maybe in like, a couple hundred or something”

“awww we don’t get to see how cute you babs would be!”  
“actually about that….i….well a while back, I learned that I can’t have more than one, my body can’t physically handle it. So, I have a single chance. that’s if my body is healthy enough to support it too. I mean, yeah I AM, but I’m just saying. Guess I’m a little paranoid, since my mom died giving birth to me without any real cause. And she was HEALTHY AS CAN BE. So….yeah, you get my point”  
“wow that’s heavy...I’m sorry for bringing it up”  
“nah it’s fine. You didn’t know, none of you did. Hey HEY!” Jim growled as the group saw Bular pick Eli off the ground by his shirt and start to snarl, which made Eli as scared as someone possibly could get. Jim yelled at him in trollish to put him down, and then berate Bular for what he did. Bular argued back that Eli was annoying him and wanting to talk about things he didn’t want to talk about. Jim told him to just be polite and change the subject. Eli ran over to the group and was held close to Steve, asking if he was alright. Eli was actually shaking but smiling, saying this was more scary than on a roller coaster ride! He was scared for his life but it was interesting!. Jim and Bular’s argument finally heated up to the point of breaking. Jim switched to English by accident mid conversation from his temper without realizing it…

 

"really. you REALLY want to bring up 93 years of brotherhood?! now?! right now!?" Bular snarled back  
“why not!"  
"i can’t believe you would be doing this!, oh wait, actually, I CAN!"  
"I’m trying to FIX IT and YOU'RE not letting me! you wont let me into your life and I’m trying my hardest and you don’t appreciate it!"  
"i DO appreciate it but i DON’T appreciate when you threaten my friends and let your anger get to you! Oh but of course that always happens anyways”

everyone was hiding behind Toby, knowing he was some sort of troll shield since he was the one most used to this. Claire couldn’t be silent, she had to know what was going on. Toby groaned out  
"yesh...i guess all that unsaid tension is finally making them break"

"-and then you never did that day did you?! that’s why the bridge broke and those goblins started to sword fight with the crystals! oh and don’t even get me started on all the good meat! nooooo you have to be selfish and hog all of it!"  
"those goblins made their own choice! they were fully grown ones who could decide for themselves don’t even try to blame me for the bridge! we both know daaam well it wasn't the hockey stick! or the CD player for that matter!-"

“uh Toby...can you translate?”  
“i...honestly can’t. A lot of that I have nooo idea about”

"-and then you didn't even give the book back!"  
"i said i would borrow it and return it!"  
"you cant even read!"  
"i wanted to look at the pictures! you know i always enjoy it!"  
"you lost it!"  
"if you would stop pestering me about i maybe i wouldn't have 'lost it'. besides, i simply misplaced it somewhere in my room"  
"for 15 years?!"  
"yes!"  
"i offer to help clean up your mess of a room!"  
"well i LIKE how my room is! i know where my things are!....most of the time! Oh and to add to it-”

 

“Toby...do they....always do this?"  
"no. this is the first time I’ve seen this, they've had tiny word spats, but this is the most intense in all the time I’ve been with them”

 

Bular pounded his fist on the ground, making the group shake a little  
"-and then you have the audacity to 'borrow' my sword that one night!"  
"you said i could have it because i traded it for my crystal that looked like sagral the killable!"  
"i said no such thing!"  
"yes you did! i can even get Blinky to say so! he was there!"  
"ohhh now you're bringing HIM into this? he ALWAYS agrees with you!"  
"not always! Only when I’m right, which is, oh yeah, right now! Yes they-”

“I’m not sure what to do guys, I reaallllyyy don’t want to get in the middle of this. Plus I don’t know how to really deal with this since I wasn’t there for...any of it”  
“what are they even talking about?”  
“their past ‘history’ I guess”

"-Then YOU wouldn't let me eat the frog statue! Whelp!"  
"It's because you stole it from that cop car!"  
"i replaced it!"  
"yeah! but no one wants your bull skull with a crystal jammed into the nose Bular!"  
“you take that back! Like YOU-”

“just to uh...translate what I can, this is all troll stuff...so...human sibling fights aren’t exactly the same...so...let’s just stay right here, no sudden movements and out of the way”

 

“-those are my favorite and you know it whelp! i 'called dibs' on all of them from now until all of time!"  
"you cant call dibs on eternity!"  
"i can!"  
"no you cant!"  
"yes i can!"  
"no you cant!"  
"yes i can!"  
"no you cant!"  
"yes i can!"  
"oh fine, then i 'call dips for all eternity' the narblethz sword polisher!"  
"no! i use that on my favorite weapons!"  
"ohhh so suddenly I CAN'T CALL DIBS?! LIKE THAT-"

“I don’t...really know what to do right now. This is...sorta good? Well, at least their getting everything out of them and letting it in the air. Speaking about things bottled up is healthy, especially for Jim. Unhealthy to bottle stuff up, ya know? When we’re alone, I always try to be a good outlet for Jim, listen to him and make sure he’s...well...happy. Make sure I’m always able to let him talk to me about any and everything in private. Be his rock in the storm of emotions I guess. it’s really helpful. I really do want to keep him sane, in a way, you know? I've been around him for years, i can tell how hes feeling, usually. you learn little details about him, like when he's cranky he makes a certain little face and chews on his tongue. when he's feeling really emotional, or just out of habit, he rubs his horns. one  
if it's moderate, both if its severe. Petting him of course helps to calm him down, I know how to calm him down perfectly. His brother….i don’t usually even want to be near him if I don’t have to. He really is trying to be in Jim’s life more, try ‘human’ things so he can understand. Like today, the three of us hungout and went places, show Bular what we do. He was really good! Except...now.” 

 

Eli breathed out  
“I’m sorry. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have kept bothering him so much. You guys were having such a good day, and here I am ruining it” Steve kissed his head and said  
“yeah, you kinda did” Toby and Claire looked at Steve with an angry scowl  
“what?! I’m just saying!”  
“well you shouldn’t have said it like that at least!. Well Eli, it sorta is good? Since they finally broke and can let it alllll out. I hope all this really helps in the end. I do think it will, or at least, it’ll help Jim”

Bular and Jim had practically come to a total stop. Both breathing heavily  
“-and then. You ate. The last. German. Fruitcake.”  
“you said. I could. Have it. Bular”  
“i meant. SOME. Of. It” the siblings now just looked at one another in the eye. Finally realizing what they’ve been doing.  
“I’m...sorry brother...”  
“Bular, let’s just...stop talking for right now...” Jim started to feel like he was blushing heavily as he finally noticed his friends all staring at him. He swallowed, and rubbed his horn  
“oh...uh….forgot...you guys were there….”

…………………………………………………………

Jim and Bular were tired, emotionally drained. They had to make one final stop. They needed to check on Toby’s nana. It wouldn’t take very long. Night had almost fallen. The last fleeting bits of the sunset started to be extinguished and replaced by darkness. Bular and Jim stayed in front of the house while Toby went inside. Neither speaking, which added to the already intense awkwardness currently. Both would occasionally notice the other one slightly look in the others direction, wanting to say something, but loosing the courage to do so. Toby had come through the back, taking out some garbage before heading back over to the brothers. After closing the lid a shiver went up his spine when he heard Draal standing a bit away behind him  
“ah, hello Toby” Toby turned around and made a huge nervous smile. Knowing that just on the other side of his house was JIM AND BULAR!  
“oh...uh...hi Draal”  
“i was walking through the forest and looking at the river stream when I noticed I was close by, I was hoping to run into you and Jim. Where is he by the way?”  
“he’s...uh….in the front” Draal nodded and started to move in that direction  
“WAIT! Wait, uh….I’ll go get him! So it’s more of a surprise! so...you stay right here...and be as quiet as possible! Actually, go behind those trees! he’ll like the surprise!...ahaha...” Draal nodded and turned around, giving Toby to speed walk through his house and out into the front.  
“heyyy Jim...i...need to talk to you...real fast...inside….now!” Jim raised his eyebrow and turned to head inside. Bular made a slight noise like he was finally going to say something, only to stop and pretend he didn’t…

“okay Tobes. what’s up?” Toby closed the door and spoke through his teeth  
“ral en ack”  
“ral en ack?”  
“no...d.r..a...in...ck..”  
“drainck? Are you saying drain kick? What, you want me to kick your rain gutters? I mean..sure?”  
“no...Dr...a...llllll….in...ba...cckk”  
“Dra-” Jim’s face dawned in horror as he finally understood. He whisper shouted  
“he’s here?!”  
“can...your brother...hear us?” Jim quickly pulled Toby through the house, waved to nana, and into the bathroom. They both still whisper shouted  
“he’s here?! And now he can’t”  
“yes! he’s here!”  
“like, now now?!”  
“yes! Now now!”  
“oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck”  
“what the hell are we going to do?!”  
“do you think I know?!”  
“no!”  
“oh god...okay...fuck...uh...okay..”  
“OH! I told him I was coming to get you so it would be a surprise, quick, get your half troll ass out there and see him before he moves! I told him to wait behind some trees! Ill distract Bular! Ill lead him away to...i don’t know! Just further away!”  
“I’ll lead Draal further away” they nodded o one another and quickly went in opposite directions…

………………………………………………………

“Draal?” Jim quietly called out, he hoped to god Bular couldn’t hear him. Some trees shifted a bit, a little part of Draal’s horn was sticking out. Jim smiled and thought it was cute, he really was trying to hide from Jim.  
“gee, I wonder where that handsome blue bull troll is” Jim hoped into a tree and quietly went deeper. He got a good amount of distance In the air. He hopped around from tree to tree, watching Draal look up and try to spot him. Jim wanted to be playful, he felt warm and happy inside, he wanted this sooo much! Especially after what just happened! Draal always made him feel so loved and happy and warm. Jim giggled and shook a branch, looking at Draal’s sight move in his direction. Jim silently moved around and then dropped down behind Draal. Sneaking up on him until he was crouched down next to his right side. Draal quickly looked down at him and they shared a smile  
“boo I found you”  
“not very fair, you’re far to silent in the tree tops” they hugged and kissed and nuzzled. Jim’s anxieties just melted away  
“well, I do have the advantage. If I were an enemy, I would have gotten the drop on you. I would have stabbed you in your side, right in the ribs”  
“oh? Is that so? Well I would have grabbed you and pulled you close until I could squeeze you in my grip, much like this”  
“aahhh Draal!” they kissed and nuzzled again  
“so, what are you doing all the way over here? How Is it that every time I’m here, you or your dad seem to just pop up. You have some sort of tracking device on me?”  
“no no, I honestly come to see from time to time if you’re nearby, usually you aren’t”  
“ohh? Stalking me now?”  
“i wouldn’t call it stalking, I do no follow your every footstep. Although, it is enjoyable to find you. Like now”  
“well, I enjoy it too. I’m here with Toby and Bu-..hmm...how do I say it….I’m here with Toby and he feels sorta awkward talking about it, so I won’t say it. Sorry”  
“i understand”  
“well, we’re here to check on his nana. We had a big day of hanging out with-each other! Oh and we went to this fortune tellers shop. It was neat”  
“interesting, did you get yours read?”  
“yeah, it was neat” Jim felt a slight bit of nervousness twitch in him, remembering what his two readings were. Jim whimpered a bit before saying  
“i miss this...i...miss you. I swear, I am going to find a way for us to be together. I won’t stop until you’re in my life”  
“then I shall wait, until then, having even just the smallest moments like these make waiting worth it” Jim takes a nice deep breath, letting his mind slow down and enjoy this moment with Draal, taking everything in and memorizing every detail. The very light tree leafs moving a little from the wind. The night starting to become final and the stars shining. The atmosphere of life around them. Draals strong presence, his scent Jim’s come to love, feeling safe and loved. Bulars presence was strong and protective, but with a deep bittersweet feeling behind it. But it did remind him of his childhood and the enclosed world he lived in for most of his life. Meanwhile with Draals, it was like heartstone, warm and soothing, relaxing into absolute bliss. Like the imagine of him on a beach watching the sunset color the skies he had so long ago. The warm sand falling between his fingers. The small waves touching the beach softly. The slight sway of the hammock he was in. Truly the feeling that nothing bad was happening in his life. Everything was okay, everything was calm, everything wasn’t a chaotic mess of uncertainty. That feeling was addictive, he didn’t want it to end. Who wouldn’t want that feeling to end. His hungry for blood and gore was gone. As if it were finally somehow cleansed from his body once and for all. No longer having to fear or embrace it. Draal began rubbing Jim’s side slowly and started speaking softly

“Jim. Would you like to come visit me and my father? Not now of course, but I mean soon. We do miss you. Oh speaking of which, my father said you no longer were required to wear your gaggletag. I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss your touch. Mine isn’t as good as yours is. It is also nice to lay with you. Resting with you. The troubles of the world no longer had us in it...i….it isn’t important”  
“i feel alll that too. Also good to know. I...do really really miss that. haven’t had sex in a while. Dam I feel pent up. Soon. As soon as I can, you and I are going to spend time together. Just...be with each other….and you just ruin me in my nest. What was the thing you wanted to say at the end?”  
“thinking of your ruination by my hand is something I quiet enjoy thinking about. It was something that would spoil the mood. It is something far too heavy to think about”  
“is it talking about my staying with you? Us having a...”  
“family”  
“i do think about it. I don’t want to lie and say that I don’t. I do...i know you’d be an amazing father. I can tell. And Kanjigar would be an amazing grandpa”  
“yes, he would certainly love our whelp”  
“i feel like he might spoil our kid too much”  
“ah, he might. Although I do want multiple whelps...if...that’s okay”

 

“no it’s...not...don’t worry! I would love to but….i think I told you what Vendel said to me. My body can only have one kid. It can’t handle anymore. I keep telling people that and, it just reminds me of it. It hurts a little more each time I talk about it. What hurts me most is my fear. I told you my mom died giving birth to me, she was healthy and then just...died….I’m afraid I won’t be healthy enough. Her body was totally fine. Mine isn’t. I’m afraid it won’t be able to handle it and...well...we won’t be able to if that happens...and even if it didn’t happen, my body made it all the way through...what if I end up like my mom? Thinking about that though, it’s scary to think of myself dying, but what I’m really afraid of is….leaving my kid alone in the world. 

I know what it feels like. it’s horrible. I don’t want to let my child have to go through that same pain. No one should. Although, if that were to happen….i would be at peace….i know you would be an amazing father at least. Not like mine...he loves me but...he’s just been distant my whole life...I’m really thankful for him right now though, he and my brother have really been trying to take a more interest in my life. My dads actually giving me attention! Same with my brother! it’s what I’ve always wanted my whole life!...now….now you and Kanjigar and trollmarket are in it...i….I’m so scared I have to choose only one of them. My dad….wants...and needs me...but that might mean us never being able to truly be together. Meanwhile I could live and be with you both, live in trollmarket, have a child and just...be happy for the rest of my life. A kind of happiness I have NEVER felt before...but I would end up having to leave my dad and brother….if this happened, even a year ago, I would have stayed. I really would have. But things have changed and….this is just so hard for me.”

 

“i didn’t know you had such an intense life right now. I honestly would love if we could be together, have the life we both want. But I don’t want you to have to abandon your family. Loyalty is important. If I ever had to abandon or even fight my father, I don’t know what I would do. I can’t imagine me being able to choose if I could be with you or my father. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling like.”

“I’m glad you don’t have to choose something like that. Funny, it this were the other way around, huh?”  
“i suppose it would be, in a sad way. I had...similar problems like you had with my own father. The trollhunters duties occupy your entire life. He pushed me away, left me alone for a large chunk of my life. If I were to be with you back then, I would have. Many years ago, he and I talked. He no longer wished to push me away, he wanted to actually involve me in his life. Ever since then, we have been by each others side. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I had to push him away, have him leave me once more for whatever reason”  
“your dad is too good to do that, he wouldn’t even consider it, right?”  
“yes, you are correct. If you did come and stay with us, I would have us have our own cave. I would make it large, plenty of room and space. I would make sure you had everything you could ever want. I would always make sure you knew you were appreciated. You would be an excellent mother, you wouldn’t hurt a gnome, you would have such a loving heart” hearing that made Jim feel a jolt of pain in his chest  
‘wouldn’t hurt a gnome. Oh Draal, if you knew...’  
“oh? And what if I were some monster who loved to kill”  
“well, who doesn’t like killing”  
“haha yeah, but I mean like, hurting EVERYONE”  
“do you have thoughts such as these?”  
“...no. I was just wondering though”

 

“i would always remember who YOU are. I wouldn’t want you to behave in that manner ever again however”  
“what if it were a habit? An addiction. Like if I didn’t do it, it would hurt me terribly”  
“then I would help you slowly wean off of it. Little by little. I want to take any pain you have away. I want to make sure you are as happy as can be. If in this life, you had to hurt others, I would help you slowly quit”  
“what if I were a changeling?”  
“CHANGELING!?” Draal started to howl in laughter  
“what a good joke! And here I thought I couldn’t have my spirits lifted any more!”  
“well, what if I were a goblin?”  
“a goblin? Well THAT would be interesting”  
“what if I were a gnome in disguise?”  
“now THAT is something that would be interesting. Largest and most intelligent gnome to ever exist I suppose. Are these questions bugging you because you are not a full troll?”  
“yeah...my question is, If I were different, something that wasn’t ‘true’, would you still love me?”  
“’true’? Well, if you were not true about what you are, it wouldn’t matter to me. I love you for WHO you are. A changeling? Well I’m glad you aren’t. I don’t think I could ever love something as foul as that” Jim’s heartbeat rose. The next question was something he was afraid to ask. This was the perfect time. Although, this pressure, this fear, Jim would have gladly accepted the uncomfortable silence between him and his brother over this.  
“changelings foul huh. I feel weird to them”  
“Why is that?”  
“well, they are half like me. I mean, the legend is that they are half human half troll. Well except they are fully human OR fully troll. I guess I...sympathize with it? Just because I live in two worlds, but stuck in the middle”  
“those abominations are nothing are beautiful and wonderful as you are. I think I can see. You are forced to live in two worlds at once. You can’t just pick one or the other”  
“YEAH! I….sometimes think I would...be happier as one….just...because I would finally be able to be...full of one or the other. I wouldn’t be seen as….how half trolls are seen”  
“in trade for how changelings are seen?”  
“no not that, just the ability to just be...full”  
“hmm. Jim, you are not an abomination. You are not a mistake. I strongly don’t know if I could love you if you were a goblin, or a gnome, or even a changeling. But….a part of you is in my heart. And that has meaning”

“most important question, what if I were a gumm-gumm” Draal laughed hard again  
“wow! One of those?!”  
“Well, what if I was”

“gumm-gumm’s are vile lying malicious trolls unfit for actual love. However. The entire war and taking sides and the actual ‘birth’ of gumm-gumms was simply because of different ideas. Far far back in the beginning, regular trolls just chose sides. First there was no war or violence, only living opinions. This was far before I were born, so I never had even eaten a human. Far before my father even. Still, we were all together until we broke off. Then, it was different living, then it was actual sides, then it was a full on war. Then gumm-gumm blood turned into a unique thing, since all of the perverse dark magics preformed on themselves, as well as not interacting with many other tribes, well, the ones they didn’t either force to join them, or enslaved. It became...different. Far different than any other trolls blood. While all trolls have roughly different kinds of blood. Gumm-gumms all share only one blood. Strange, all the blood becomes the same no matter what. I always wondered why, well I hardly put any thought into it but still”

“well, it’s not like incest, everyone’s born to different parents but yeah all the same dark blood and all that”  
“strange, the way you worded that, almost as if you knew already”  
“uh….”  
“I’m just making a joke! Hmm….love a gumm-gumm...if you were one, and you said you were completely the same, I think….maybe.” Jim’s heart skipped a beat  
‘HE SAID MAYBE! THAT’S NOT A NO!’  
“m-maybe huh?”  
“well, if you did love to harm others for you own vile amusement, consume humans, and overall be evil. I don’t think I could love you”  
“and if I turned good?”  
“good? Like a regular troll? I suppose I would, yes”  
“didn’t gumm-gumm’s change sides at one point? Like a lot might have noticed that their side isn’t the ‘right one’ for them’”  
“yes, many did, many points in time, however it’s non existent within the recent years”  
“what happened to those gumm-gumms?”  
“i heard that trolls from the past had developed an 11 step program to help them 

 

(btw, THAT is cannon! Well, in the original book, amazing book, you should totally read it! When you do, you’ll start to see certain things they put in the show that’s….actually horribly morbid XD. I’ll give you a tiny little detail, not a spoiler don’t worry. But TV static was the equivalent of heroine to trolls. Yep! In the book they LITERALLY put TVs by graves so when trolls die, they can be cleaned up easily. Yeah, trolls would literally stand there, watching the static until they LITERALLY DIE FROM NOT TENDING TO THEMSELVES! LIKE, LEGIT NO MORE EATING OR SLEEPING OR DRINKING AND THEY SHIT THEMSELVES. THEY LITERALLY WOULD COLLAPSE AND DIE!. So now whenever I see the TVs in the show, I remember that. ANYWAYS wtf was I saying before all this?…..OH RIGHT! So yeah! Gumm-gumms had an 11 step program to help them. Also lots of different kinds of gumm-gumms, THOSE were fuckin creepy as shit. I think I remember one where they LITERALLY vomit out their guts. Yes, stomach, heart, liver, gallbladder, EVERYTHING into one big mush pile. So they can kill and eat things easier. Also gallbladders were the ONLY way to kill trolls, or at least keep them from coming back, or whatever. 

 

Anyways back to the story! Oh and Arrrg is AMAZING! And Blinky is HORRIFYING! he’s straight up like something H.P lovecraft would have made. Look that shit up! Also Arrrg looks kinda like a fuzzy deathclaw from fo4. Also Arrrg’s a girl! And talks poorly because GUNMAR LITERALLY BASHED A BOLDER INTO HER BRAIN. She still has it too. In fact, others would touch it, kinda like how you would rub Buddha’s belly. Also Gunmar’s eye? Freaky af. ALSO GUNMAR IS A STRAIGHT UP NIGHTMARE. LIKE, THIS GUNMAR, SEXY AF. Yeah I said it, wana fucking fight? AND THAT GUNMAR IS LIKE-well look him up. It will give you nightmares. Oh and I really loved Jim’s father, yep! He had a dad and not a mom! I felt really bad for him. Well, read and find out! Also the amulet, it didn’t glow, and the ONLY thing it did, was translate troll. So you turn it on, and bam! You can understand trolls! OH ALSO the book’s Blinky, he loooves Fend shui. He also is blind! Oh and how rancid shit and garbage and rust and stuff, well we think it’s nasty, right? Trolls like it. Well, to trolls, stuff like cakes and ice creams and candles and fresh coffee and soft stuff, it’s how that smells to them. Wtf was I doing? 

 

Oh yeah, okay sorry back to the sweet scene!….oh yeah and Steve is fucking EVIL in the book. Like, hey Steve is a douchbag before he gets all character development and stuff, but the Steve in the book? Evil. Like, lemons evil!. Also Claire isn’t in it, instead it’s a red headed girl, I can’t remember her name and no, I am NOT going to take my time and look it up or pull out my book from the pile of the other trollhunter and percy jackson books I have. No, I’m not about to go on percy, that would take an entire god dam chapter in itself. Anyways, point is, just look up AND READ the original book. OH and there is NO MERLIN. Or TROLLHUNTERS. Or Kanjigar or Draal or anyone else in the show. The trollhunters, are called paladins in the book, only SPECIFIC PEOPLE can be them. You know how the amulet ‘chooses specific trolls’ well it’s sorta the same, except paladins have a certain type of blood and that’s how you become one. Not born with the specific blood? Well you’re shit outta luck. You also HAVE to name your sword before/after a kill. can’t remember why, but you HAVE TO. Also no, there is NO MAGICAL WEAPONS AND ARMOR. Literally, you have to make that shit yourself. The main character (paladin that trains Jim, don’t worry I won’t spoil anything) straight up has a makeshift garbage armor. Like, bottle caps glued to a board for chest armor, and etc. OKAY, FUCKING GETTING OFF TOPIC AGAIN. God dam brain. Okay one last last last thing I swear. Just fyi. 

The percy shit, yes I also read alll the other series. No I’m not a dick who talks hate about it, okay, back to story this time. Unless you skipped over all this mental garbage in the first place, then, well you’ve already begun reading the rest of it and just didn’t bother to read this. So, guess you got a head start on the people who took their time to read this. Unless of course they’re speed readers, then idk. I read slow af. Like “The Horse Had Hoooooves” like, slow af XD. FUCK ME WITH A BAT NAMED ANDREW I DID IT AGAIN!. Honestly, I always think shit like this and I toootally COULD erase all of this, but I find it far more funny to leave it in. Speaking of leaving it in, have you ever read stories about awkward dildo things? Like, people having to get it in the mail and it’s super awkward. I think I talked about this in my other troll fic. Anyways so, my friend and I made this joke of Draal getting the mail and finding one in their, wrapped waaay too tightly so it’s like suuper obvious it’s a dildo. And it’s addressed to his and Jim’s son, who will be in this fic, although I won’t talk about him here cause he’s a spoiler, kinda?, anyways so Draal sees it and is like

‘huh. A size queen. Guess it runs in the family’ and looks at Jim. Okay now back to the fucking story. Speaking of fucking stories-no just kidding back to the scene. Wtf was it again? Hold on lemme read it back again, through all this mental shit….OKAY! Continuing now! For real!)

 

“Is he done? Writing nonsense?”  
“yeah he is”  
“okay where was I...OH...yes gumm-gumm’s had an 11 step program to help them.”  
“if I was a gumm-gumm do you think It would work for me?”  
“i don’t see why it wouldn’t”  
“trolls need to eat humans to survive, then turned to other foods and heartstone to keep them alive. Gumm-gumms don’t use heartstone. If I were a gumm-gumm and HAD to eat people to stay alive, would you help me switch to heartstone? So I could live off that and not die?”  
“of course I would”  
“thanks. You really support me like Tob-TOBES. Oh fuck I forgot about him! I really really loved this, except the part where it cut into this scene and wasted our time together, but I have to go. I really need to go to Tobes”  
“i understand. I hope we can do this again soon, except with more of us and less of him ‘points to me’”

“hey fuck off! I’m writing this shit not you. God this isn’t funny is it?’”

Jim kissed Draal and left his arms. He looked back once before running off back to Toby…

………………………………………………………

Toby and Bular were on their phones, checking twitter and instagram and other shit. Until they looked up  
“god finally it’s our scene” Toby said as he got up, then both get back into things…

“Heeeyyy Bular! Buddy!”  
“where did my brother go?”  
“he’s uh...checking something”  
“i should go and apologize to him-” Toby ran in front of him, stopping Bular mid step  
“nononono!”  
“why not? shouldn’t I be apologizing for my actions?”  
“yes! BUT BUT. This time...uh...you...can’t! Not right now at least! Jim’s really still emotionally raw. He does NOT want to talk to you right now. Soooo you NEED to stay here! With me! And uh...i can help you know what to say! Later! Like, tomorrow maybe? Or tonight? Point is, he’s emotionally vulnerable. Also he’s in the bathroom. Soooo-” Bular looked across the street as he heard a familiar laugh in the house. He noticed a car parked in the street and realized who it belonged to.  
“well. I need to speak to someone since I can’t speak to my brother. You will come with me, I still need you to help me. First I have business to take care of.” Toby was half thankful that Bular wanted to go further away. Buuut...to his neighbors?!  
‘Wait….it’s Walt’s car! Walt said he worked for Gunmar! Oh shit, what the hell is Dr. lake going to say if she sees Jim’s brother!?’

……………………………………………………………………

a knock on the door. Barbara stopped her conversation with Walt to go answer it.  
“hel-” she gasped and stepped back as she saw Bular. Then Toby step out from behind him and smile awkwardly  
“uh...hey..Dr. Lake...good..to..see you...thanks for taking care of nana, uh, still, busy though so, keep up the great work!” Barbara just slowly nodded and tried not to take her eyes off of the large black troll standing in her doorway.  
“Barbara is something the matt-” Bular looked at a shocked Walt standing behind Barbara  
“impur-”  
“MR. STRICKLER! Nice to see you! isn’t that right Bular?” Bular was agitated at Toby, NO ONE INTERRUPTS HIM….but….he might have a reason or he wouldn’t have.  
“Walt do you...know….this….uh, Bular?” Walt tried to hold back agitation himself, walking forward and passivly telling Barbara to stand back  
“yes I do”  
“oh...well...uh-”  
“Dr. lake uh, well, to break the ice...uh...this is..Jim’s brother! Yep!...yay….” Barbara fixed her hair and cleaned her glasses  
“oh I see the family resemblance. What brings you here...Bular”  
“i need to speak to the im-”  
“he needs to talk to Mr. Strickler! For...a reason” Bular looked down at Toby giving the ‘interrupt me one more time and an accident might happen’  
“Barbara, I don’t mean to be rude but I’ll just step out for a few moments, uh I think the waters done boiling”

Walt stepped outside and closed the door  
“yes Bular? Hello young Tobias”  
“hey Mr. Strickler  
“you may call me Walt if you prefer”  
“Impure, what are you doing here?”  
“i could honestly ask you the same”  
“If you weren’t one of Jim’s helpful impures then you would have-”  
“Bular, young Tobias does not need to know about anything involving that subject. Jim wants it, and has stated it directly. I am more than sure you don’t wish to upset your brother” Bular snarled and snorted  
“fine. I will hold my tongue. But neither of you better interrupt me again or-”  
“or what Bular?” Walt smirked as he made Bular furious. He always did press his luck as far as he could go, knowing Jim would protect him. However Walt always did make sure to only ever go so far as to agitate Bular and not cause anything that would give him any reason to bring harm or even death. Bular knew this well enough. He hated it.  
“in all seriousness, I am enjoying my evening and if you wish to speak to me, please do so. I know you don’t like when someone tells you what times you can and can’t do certain things in, but being here, right now, at this time, prevents you from doing a lot of things. Please finish speaking to me so I will be out of your face. I am curious as to why you are with Tobias. Such a strange combination. Wait, oh. that’s right. Jim did mention you were taking time out of your life for him. I applaud you for wanting to spend time with him, and not eat him. I am serious and not being sarcastic”

“i do not need your compliments impure. Fine. I have a limited amount of time. As much as I absolutely feel nothing but wretched disgust to you and your kind, and even more so when I must say you...are…..correct….i needed to speak to you about...” Bular tilted his head and sniffed around  
“why does that smell familiar...” Toby was practically sweating now. Was he smelling Draal?! They were downwind  
“uh, it might be nothing, Bular I know Jim Is in the bathroom right now, and we should leave pretty soon. Soooo, what did you and Walt need to talk about? Also what do you mean ‘your kind’ I mean, I know you don’t like humans, I didn’t know you didn’t like us THAT MUCH”  
“i was talking about imp-” Walt cleared his throat. A reminder to him. Bular growled and held back a roar of absolute hate.  
“i. need. to. Talk. to. You. About...” Bular knew that if he wanted to know something involving Jim and the whole having Walt spy on him, then he couldn’t let Toby hear. So he spoke in troll. Walt listened to it and gave a short reply. Bular grunted and felt it was a little disappointing. He would have preferred to know what his brother was doing on the surface in greater detail, however Walt didn’t know much either, not out of the usual at least.

“Is that all Bular?”  
“for now. Yes.”  
“then I shall depart back to my own activities. I hope you both enjoying your evening. I’m sure you truly are painting the town red, although not in blood” Bular turned his head a bit, not understanding what that meant. Toby tapped his arm  
“it means having fun, the saying is paint the town red, and because you eat people. Blood is red. So, he’s saying he hopes you aren’t literally painting the town red with blood”  
“oh….why would I do that?”  
“it’s a figure of speech” the two turned around to see Jim running up to them  
“hey guys! Okay all set let’s go back home like right now! Oh hey Walt”  
“hello Jim”  
“ohh another date night?”  
“yes”  
“things going good?”  
“i like to think so, I must get back to her, it was good to see you, as well as you two. Well, enjoy your evening” Bular sniffed around again and turned to Jim, he started to sniff at him  
“why do you smell different?..it..smells familiar..”  
“oh uh, it’s..uh”  
“my nana’s cats! They always smell weird! And Jim always ends up smelling like at least a few of them! Nana sure has a lot!”  
“ah, that must be what it is” Jim and Toby shared a thank you look.  
“oh uh,, hey Bular...about earlier...uh...actually let’s go home first, I’m kinda tired and we should talk there” Bular felt good...bittersweet really. His brother WANTED to talk to him! But….about earlier….

……………………………………………………..

The three walked to the throne room. It was an awkward silence at first before Jim broke it. He said he was sorry for lashing out at his brother. He was just...protective of his friends, especially Eli. Being an omega and also just the smallest one out of everyone, along with being pretty weak and defenseless, so Jim always had a soft spot for him. Bular was surprised to hear that HE was the one who was sorry. Bular said his thought about the whole thing, Jim was right. He did let his anger get the better of him. Throughout the walk they did talk about everything that was brought up during the argument. All the terrible brotherhood. All the painful cold shoulders. All the yelling and just...being a bad brother to Jim. Jim was tearing up, his brother was changing so much just for him. Then a burst of pressure and pain banged itself against his heart. His love for Bular, and the love he felt for Draal. Draal had said he would love Jim...Jim and Bular hugged and made up. Now that everything was poured out, the air cleaned and no longer tense. It felt good. Jim felt like a big weight was lifted off his shoulders. Only to replaced by the weight in his heart. Bular said it felt good too. It mostly felt good because Jim felt good, Jim was happy. Toby said he was doing a fantastic job at….being a better brother.

 

Now they had entered the throne room. Gunmar clearly in deep thinking, not paying attention to hear his son’s and Toby enter the room. Blinky snapped him out of it, Gunmar perked up to see his sons home and alive. The mornings thoughts still lingered in his head, like ashes after a major fire. He wanted to try and clean it out as best as he could.

“my son’s. you’ve returned. How was your day?”  
“it was really great dad, the three of us had a lot of fun. Bular did great today and had fun with us, even if it was a lot of boring human stuff.” Jim smiled to his brother, which brightened up Bular’s heart. His brother didn’t mention what happened though….maybe that was for the best.  
“good to hear. What about you Toby?” Toby felt a bit awkward, like he was the third wheel to this family. The awkward friend who didn’t know what to say or do when his best friends family were bonding.  
“uh, great! Just like with Jim! Everything was fun!” Gunmar nodded. Then turned his sight to Jim  
“my son. I have been thinking of a few different ways to help stabilize yourself. The first is something that will take more power. Perhaps this might help weight it down, something you can pour into when it gets too intense. Come. You two may come along if you wish to”

………………………………………………………….

Jim was nervous and excited! Mostly terrified of what was about to happen. His dad explained that in order to not be so overwhelmed by his power, he would need to start putting it into other things so it wouldn’t be too bottled up. Also not having his body create so much need for it. If only a little. They were doing a special magical process. Currently, Jim’s arm was tied down, his palm upright and open. A few large chisels laid next to him, along with a small portion of Gunmar’s own chunk of heartstone, similar to what he first gave Jim. It caused worry, but it would help in the long run. What was revealed, was that Jim was now, getting his own magical sword! Right in his arm! Able to summon and use it just like dear old daddy can. Bular felt a large pang of jealousy. He felt the similar resentment he felt when Jim was a tiny whelp, showing that he could use their fathers powers. Bular snuffed those feelings out though. He didn’t need to feel them. Not anymore. Not ever again.

“son. This will hurt. A lot. A very, very, incredible amount. Are you ready?”  
“yes!..well no...but yes! Faster we get this over with, faster I can have my sword….aaaand not feel the ain anymore, right?”  
“that is correct” gravesand was sprinkled over Jim’s arms in zig zag lines, letting it fall over Jim’s veins. Then the heart stone was placed in hims palm. He was told to grip it as hard as he could. Then, the pain came in…

A magical nail, was suddenly driven into his palm. Through the chunk and through his palm. Then a chisel made its way down his arm, stopping at the end of his forearm. They let Jim’s blood come to the surface and spill itself over and down the sides of his arm. They sprinkled more gravesand over the blood, letting it mix. They took a part of the chunk that had broken off, and ground it down to a fine dust, and then sprinkled that over the blood. Then lastly, they set Jim’s sword over his forearm, the hilt on the end, while the blade went long over his palm. They said a magical incantation, as if a blessing of the type of dark magic that twisted the blood of gumm-gumms, then, they took a large press, and pushed it against Jim’s arm forcefully. The moment they brought it up. The blood, sand, sword, all of it was gone. Everything clean and tidy, as if they never preformed it. Jim said his arm felt heavy and dead asleep. Like he had some huge weight on him instead of an actual arm. Gunmar hugged him and said he did a good job. Jim was sarcastic  
“yep! Great job of standing here crying out in pain”  
“but you did not faint. You endured the pain. And now will become stronger”

 

Jim had to do arm and hand stretches, similar to the ones used to prevent carpal tunnel. Then after roughly 5 minutes, just like that, his veins glowed once more and feeling had come back. His arm felt normal, no more numbness or weight to it. Everything was fine and looked normal, just as it did before they did all of it.  
“now my son. Just as you first felt how to consume heartstone. You will feel your weapon. Similar to flexing a muscle. Focus on your arm. Imagine your weapon manifesting itself. Jim did, surprisingly easy. He watched and laughed as his veins glowed that sweet sweet honey orange color. The light became a solid form, and his sword was now in his hand  
“that’s….AWESOME!” Jim swung it around, just like he always had, except now it felt...more real...like the other was a heavy plastic one he used while wearing heavy snow padding, now it felt...real. The weight, the grip, the balance, it all felt like it was solid, real, perfect.  
“gone. Here. Gone. Here. Gone. Here THIS IS AWESOME! INSTA SWORD!’ of course he ran over to Toby and showed him  
“on. Off. on. Off. On. Off.”  
“that’s soo coool! it’s like some awesome upgrade!”  
“right!?”  
“aww I want one!” they both had a laugh as they watched Jim keep doing it. As easy as a lightswitch.  
“so...this will always just...be with me?”  
“always my son” Jim grinned and wanted to test something out. He hurled it across the room and into a wall where it buried itself deeply. He did his mental flex and it suddenly vanished, he re summoned it into his hand, good as new  
“THIS IS AMAZING! OHH I CAN BE SOO BADASS NOW!” Gunmar chuckled as he saw his son so happy. So excited. He was on his way to becoming just like his father.  
“as for your second little gift. What good is a weapon without proper protection.” he waved his hand and a nearby gumm-gumm brought over Jim’s amulet, something he had to give to the forge master before they even started his ‘upgrade’  
“merlins mistakes amulet, that infernal little hunk of metal, had been studied and researched for years. To create a similar one, the one you and Bular own. Finally, with great effort and resources, I have improved your amulet. I have imbued it with my own power, a hunk of myself within it. Speak an incantation, of your choosing. And armor will appear. Now you will always be armed and ready for combat at a moment’s notice.” Gunmar closed his eye and made a thought.  
‘Victoria. I have taken one more step to keeping our child safe. Our child loved.’  
“SO LIKE I HAVE MAGICAL GLOWING ARMOR IN THIS THING!?”  
“yes, how your weapon was, this armor has been improved”  
“so, I just say like, the little phrase I make, and poof I have armor?!”  
“yes. Poof”

Gunmar felt a happiness he hadn’t in a long long time. It shocked him, the happiness he felt, was one he did when he held Victoria close to him while she was pregnant. Speaking to her about their child’s future. Who they would become. How they would train their child and keep them safe. The world is cruel, vicious, fighting. Not always, but when it is, they wanted their child to be ready and able to defend themselves at all times. Gunmar’s attention came back to the present and out of his head as he heard Jim talking  
“-or. no...oh! The power of….no…..willpower of darkness!...no...hmm...for the doom of...no….not that...”  
“my son. You do not have to think of it right at this moment. Once you do think of one, and truly wish it, it will be forever, there will be no changing it. When you come up with one, you must focus your mind on it and turn it all the way around while saying it aloud”  
“a full 360. so, think of incantation, think it hard if its what I want. Say it aloud while doing so, and boom! Armor up!”  
“yes, boom”

…………………………………………..

Jim was too excited to sleep. He was very very tired from the day’s events though. Toby and Jim had said their goodbye’s and good nights, gotten ready for bed and now turning in for the night. Jim kept mumbling words and phrases, thinking of the PERFECT thing to say! It would be forever! So it had to be BAD. ASS. ALL. THE. WAY! The amulet glowed green and hummed so so quietly. Jim couldn’t stop giggling and summoning his sword. The golden veins quickly spreading out and forming his sword in a small bright flash  
“hey Jim”  
“oh shit! Sorry! I was really excited and totally forgot you were...here...haha...sorry”  
“nah, I can’t sleep...i uh...actually wanted to talk to you about something...real quick”  
“shoot! I can’t sleep either...obviously”  
“uhh duh! Great, and now a giggly annoying half troll has to sleep next to me”  
“hey! Shut up”  
“make me”  
“fine, I’ll eat you”  
“ohh suddenly going to make a move? Suddenly it’s chow time?”  
“yes! A nice meal before bed”  
"oh yeah right, I’m calling your bluff gumm-gumm. i know for a fact that you want me around FOR AT LEAST a month, so we can go to the new movie and have our fan feels about it"  
"dam, you know me too well"  
“haha yeah...uh..this is actually kinda what I wanted to talk about”  
“the movies? Sure, oh are you afraid I didn’t get tickets? don’t worry! I had a friend get them for me! we’re going to have the PERFECT seating”  
“no not that...i mean that’s sweet! But that’s not it...it’s the other thing”  
“the sword?”  
“no...the...eating me”  
“oh, well I’m not actually going to! We were just messing around”  
“i know that but, it’s also that. Like, i know we joke haha and everything but, are you...really going to actually eat me? like...in all seriousness?" Jim took a deep breath and a good amount of silence before speaking in a quieter tone  
"i...am...i am going to eat you Toby. i do plan on it. I’m going to eat you, and the rest of our friends. NOT ANY TIME SOON! i just mean when you're all dead and stuff. Kinda like a gumm-gumm goodbye. That sounds really really weird, but we honor our dead by using them to aid us, and eating you guys...it...makes me feel...like....you're all with me...apart of me....i wont feel as lonely. That sounds really weird”  
“i mean, it is what we’ve always talked about. I just, really seriously wanted to know, all jokes aside. Well, i hope i at least taste good, when i die, i hope you really enjoy me, and my ghost will haunt your ass! 'Jim ooOOooo why didn't you at least keep my skull and make it look cool like the other painted ones OooOOoo!"  
"Toby i PROMISE, when i pick you clean, I’m going to make your skull the best out of my collection" "this is all so fucking weird. I’m kinda panicking a bit, just knowing that you're going to kill me"  
"nooo. EAT you, not kill you"  
"oh, well that puts me a bit at ease, so you're not like 'oops Toby fell into a wood chipper by accident'"  
"nooo i plan on keeping you, and all our friends, for as looooong as possible" Toby started to laugh. The scary kind of laugh he did when he was having a breakdown when he first came to the darklands  
"you know whats funny? usually people do plan on where they get buried or cremated or whatever, then pick out caskets and what places they're going to be in the ground for. well, I’m literally talking about it right now! my grave will be my friends stomach!"

 

"don’t worry! i wont let ANY part of you go to waste! i will make sure every piece of you gets eaten, nothing left out! i promise to appreciate every bite!"  
"good you'd better! if you half ass it and decide to move on, I’m gonna be pissed! i was promised that i would be fully eaten! that’s like only burying someone half way!" The two laugh at the dark morbid humor they’ve come to enjoy and get used to  
"all of this though...its just...so...morbid. dark. creepy. horrifying. for some reason, this really doesn't phase me as much. I guess cause the way I’m going to die, is from you, well you get what I mean. It’s...nice? Like that I’m going to have a reliable friend take care of me until my final days when I’m just old man Toby"  
"old man Toby will have the perfect golden years"  
"i think i want fire works when i die, dinner and a show i guess!"  
"ohh that'd be neat! I promise to make them the greatest ever"  
"all of this...it still freaks me out a bit...but...I’m just getting used to it...seeing all of you, so big and strong and just going to live for so long, it really makes you face your own mortality, and then just...accept it. I’m going to die, but you're going to be my best friend till the very last second and then, well, in your way, you're going to appreciate me for the rest of YOUR life"  
"yeah, i will. I plan on making it my own little weird thing. like, really mourn for you"  
"oh good! i was afraid you would just have a fork and a knife and a bib sitting next to me while I slowly die"  
"nah, i would NEVER do that!.why would i use a fork and a knife?" the two laugh more then Toby adds  
“i can already see us now. Me sitting on a porch, looking at geese or whatever out on a lake at sunset. You by my side, talking about our days. My wrinkled old ass looking at you who haven’t really changed at all, us making jokes like this. Jokes probably like ‘don’t worry, I have extra BBQ sauce in my house, or something”  
“really is that predictable huh?”  
“i think the context is really only funny because it’s you, it’s this friendship. Like, I couldn’t make these jokes with Claire or Eli or whoever. This is just a part of our friendship, it’s a part of who you are and we share and poke fun at it”  
“that’s kinda how all friendships are huh? You both share something or know something and joke about it and stuff”  
“yeah, it is huh” the two became silent and just looked at the dark ceiling, crystals jutting out from the surfaces

“well. Today with your brother was...fun”  
“yeah, sorry about that...breakdown”  
“nah, it’s cool. I’m happy you and Bular could kinda...make up. It’s good getting all that bottled up crap out of your system”  
“i really do feel better”  
“So, what did you and your troll lover do~”  
“ugh.”  
“oops sorry, we don’t have to go there”  
“no no it’s fine! it’s just the usual, ‘he’s amazing and I love him and he makes me feel wonderful and perfect and he’s one of the few if the ONLY person I can see in my entire life’. It sucks”  
“what the hell Jim?! I thought you said I was in your life! What now you’re gonna ditch me for some troll cock? Brols before trolls!”  
“BROLS?!” Jim started to crack up  
“i couldn’t think of anything to rhyme troll with”  
“well don’t worry, you’re better than ANY troll cock. Why do you think I haven’t kicked you to the curb and brought someone here to fuck?”  
“i thought maybe you were just waiting for the best to make a move, the best being me”  
“oh daddy~. And what about you? You haven't jerked it this whole time”  
“well I WANT TO but I’m not THAT much of a horn dog, I can wait for a while. Always could. I mean, porn is nice and all and I love to do it, but eventually you get kinda jaded, you know? Like ‘well, I’ve seen boobs a million times now’. I’m super vanilla too, nothing really gets me going, I mean the SHIT I’VE SEEN, not looked up, but come across, and maybe slightly looked up, well none of it really turns me on”

“kinda jealous of you. I am WAY tooooooo in love with sex. Must be nice, having all that extra time  
“well to be fair, I’ve never gotten laid, so maybe I will be addicted to sex when I have it”  
“surprised you don’t freak out about it”  
“whaaat you know me! Are you really asking me?”  
“yeah that’s true”  
“just don’t care about it. People make it like ‘oh you’re not a good person until you’ve gotten laid before 18!’ like, why does that matter? ‘whatever fatso, you’re just mad cause you can’t!’ eh. When it happens it happens”  
“that is the perfect mindset honestly”  
“although one of the only things I AM upset about, Eli got laid before I did”  
“HAHAHA OH SHIT YEAH HUH”  
“we made that got dam bet in 9th grade. Whoever gets to have sex first, gets a 100$. I miss that 100$. soo much food that could have been bought”  
“well, you can always have as much food as you want, on me”  
“but Jim, I don’t want to eat on you!”  
“woooooooow. Well now you don’t get to”  
“all this has made me feel better. Another thing that I’ve accepted I guess”  
“I really REALLY want to make sure NO ONE else has to live with the fear you have to live with”  
“1. that’s nice to hear, but 2. THIS IS MY LIFE! I’M THE ONLY FRIEND THAT GETS THE BAD ASS SECRET STUFF! I’VE EARNED THIS!”  
“true! You were my best friend first! And always! This is your reward! I promise no one else gets it”  
“good, that’s like someone getting a mansion and suddenly ‘oh hey by the way, all these people are going to come live with you’”  
“huh, I can’t imagine having anyone else live here”  
“yeah! Our whole group of friends just having one big sleepover for however long”  
“god, I swear Mary only needs like, an hour of sleep tops. she’s always on everything!”  
“and you know daaam well Steve is going to want to ‘hangout’ with all the buff troll alphas, try to see if he can ‘be one of the boys’”  
“oh god and Eli”  
“Eli would have a heartattack from all this, he would be so dam excited his heart would explode ESPECIALLY since we’re gumm-gumms”  
“oh yeah, that’s like, his biggest thing. That and aliens”  
“totally”  
“do aliens exist?”  
“i honestly know about that as much as you do. No one here ever thinks about anything besides the surface, and that’s only taking it over. So no one is exactly about to go on one of Eli’s favorite websites and go all conspiracy theorist”  
“OH MY GOD BUT IF BULAR TURNED INTO A BIG UFO NERD”  
“IF HE AND ELI FUCKING BECAME BEST FRIENDS AND SHARED INFO. I HONESTLY WOULD DIE FROM THAT BEING REAL”

“we need to make it happen”  
“NOOO WAY! ELI DOES NOT NEED TO START GIVING EVERYONE PANIC ATTACKS OVER IF ALIENS ARE GOING TO SUDDENLY START INVADING US”  
“oh my god. If your dad made a fucking instagram and started just taking selfies everywhere  
‘me wit the boyz. Boutta take over’ him in front of his armies and everyone giving a peace sign  
‘what’s up humanz! Gonna eat cha! Check out this bitchin sword!’  
‘whoop whoop hear that?! it’s my dope ass guards!’ AND HE WOULD TAKE A MILLION WHEN HE’S ON HIS THRONE”  
“TOBY. STOP. I. CAN’T. BREATHE”  
“’me wit ma sunz!’ Bular has sunglasses and squats with a backwards hat on his head and you doing your thing while your dad has like, the douchbag money chain on his neck” Jim actually fell out of the nest, he was literally on the floor laughing so hard  
“oh! What if your dad discovered something, and then learned what fanfiction is! Then then then he summons EVERYONE right? And then he makes them all listen to his fanfictions! Hes reading it out loud as everyone listens  
‘then the sun was shining on the lake, the light reflected off his eyes-this is my OC DO NOT STEAL OR I WILL DISEMBOWEL YOU!”  
“TOBY. CAN’T. BREATHE”  
“oh! What if your brother discovered and loved anime and became and otaku! He straight up starts running around naruto style”  
“Toby. Swear. TO. GOD. I WILL KILL YOU”

“okay okay no more. But just one last thing. Thanks for being my friend”  
“no...problem….buddy...although….i did think about your dream from the pixies, I said it before but I’m still just...surprised. Your biggest fear is me no longer being your friend, not me face deep in your corpse purring as I enjoy you one last time”  
"like i said Jimbo, you're like, ultra important to me! id rather you eat me than not be my friend! chow down! just don’t leave, please"  
"i promise Toby, the only way I’m going to leave you is when I’m done picking your corpse clean"  
"thanks. what any true friend would do"  
"the truest" the two hugged and laid back down  
“hey one last thing”  
“yeah Tobes?”  
“I’m sorry I wasn’t really able to help you”  
“what? When?”  
“back after you had your fight with your brother. I knew how much emotional pain you were feeling. I wanted to help but I didn’t. Then Draal came along and everything just got worse for you”  
“whhhaaaaaaaat!? you’re worried about THAT?! Why?!”  
“well, I’m your best friend, and I feel bad when I can’t help you when you need it most”  
“do NOT feel bad! Everything was weird and it’s fine now. Next time, don’t worry so much if for some reason you CAN’T help me. Relax! it’s okay!”  
“yeah, that’s true. But hey, YOU feel the same way when someone’s bullying me and you aren’t around to help.”  
“oh...yeah huh?...okay now I understand that feeling”  
“Oh by the way, I actually was looking into Steve, the guy you ate who was a total douche, you ate him a while back, actually it was the night I ran into your brother by accident, well anyways his family is having this huge mourning service. They found your bits a couple days later or something”  
“oh, neat?”  
“just thought you might be curious about it”  
“well he’s long gone in every way. So, hows everyone handling it?”  
“i was right. Everyone’s actually happy he’s gone. I mean, no one’s running around jumping for joy, but the ones he bullied, we all sorta knew each other. Not like, our names, but like, we saw who he bullied and we looked at one another. So, when he was gone, a lot of us looked at each other when we passed each other by or whatever and shared a small look of relief. I actually heard a couple kids whispering that they’re glad hes gone, I ‘accidentally’ walked by them as they said it, they got all hush hush suddenly, I just smiled and whispered  
‘i know right?’ before walking away. The three of us shared a smile. Dam we’re dark”  
“still, it’s a lot better now”  
“A lot less hate symbols everywhere. So, thanks for that”  
“no problem! Anytime. So how about a thank you cuddle? I’ll be the little spoon”  
“no! I wanted to be the little spoon!” they chuckled together, Jim coughed a bit, blaming Toby for it, from laughing too hard earlier. Then the two finally fell asleep….

……………………………………………………….

A woman was getting ready to close her shop. She heard her door open. Her eyes flashed open a bit wider and a smile crept across her face  
“hello there, what brings a troll like you in here at this hour?”  
“i was hoping this shop might still be open. I heard from a loved one you’re a bit of an oracle”  
“oracle!? Me!? Well that is far too big of a compliment! I’m just an older woman who runs a little mystic shop. I wouldn’t even consider myself some sort of Delphi”  
“well, I still hear you’re still good”  
“i suppose I can boast I’ve had a few successful readings”  
“i would enjoy one of these”  
“oh? Come by for one of those?  
“yes”  
“come in the back with me please”  
“I’m fairly surprised you don’t find it shocking to see a troll interested in your shop”  
“believe it or not, but I’ve had a few of your kind wander here into my little web. Most by accident, but a few on purpose, like yourself”  
“do you get much business if you don’t mind my asking?”  
“i do get a good amount, my reputation is spreading nicely”  
“you’re a fairly pleasant woman”  
“thank you”  
“especially to a troll”  
“I’ve been to a lot of places in my time. My family traveled around quite a lot when I was a girl, I learned a lot of things, almost entirely useless facts, but I enjoyed it none the less. There are few things that surprise me, I’ve been with plenty of trolls before. I once lived in a small troll community for a short while, a year or two, nice trolls, but I began to get bored so I moved. I said my goodbyes, the dears miss me, I travel there from time to time. Made some good friends who welcome me like family”  
“that we do, you certainly must be enjoyable if you were accepted among my kind”  
“i like to think that I’ve got kind eyes, a nice smile, a silver tongue, and an open mind”  
“what brought you here?”  
“i go freely, I thankfully have enough wealth to travel lightly and in a good style, I don’t go spending my life savings on big frivolous things and I get by well enough. So from time to time, I’ll up and move to someplace else I’ve never been to. This is my first time in California, I like it here. A bit too pricey, but it’s nice. This community is good too. Might stay here for the rest of my time, or make one last move. Well, enough about me and my life, it’s time for the reason you’ve come. Comfy in your chair? don’t worry, it can hold larger trolls, it has before and it still will. Bought that at the troll community, among a lot of other things, now your kind REALLY know how to make things that last. Also aren’t greedy things, most of the time. Sometimes trolls are better than people are. Far less cruel and commanding. I’ve even had a few….relations with some trolls~”

“well, aren’t you truly a friend to us. Surprised you are alive”  
“well, I was always flexible, along with being careful. I always was the one to look before you jump.”  
“how many of my kind have stumbled into your little shop”  
“hmm..good question...i think..a little over 20. although, if I really am to boast, I do feel very blessed that I actually have met...and you might not believe this, but a half troll! An actual living breathing one! It always one of my bucket lists to meet one. He is quite sweet. I was almost convinced my eyes finally started to deceive me. In all of my travels, he is the first one I’ve ever come across, or even just mentioned. I truly wish more were around, poor things must get so lonely”  
“i believe you’re speaking about Jim”  
“perhaps. I don’t speak names of my clients. Just in case. I’ve had complaints in the past, mostly by overbearing mothers who don’t wish their children involved with ‘pagan witchcraft’. So, I always just be safe, mostly so I don’t have to hear any more nagging mothers”  
“as good a reason as any. I know Jim, we know each other quite well”  
“oh? Good to hear, glad he has someone good in his life. Especially to a troll! Considered freaks with humans, and abominations with trolls”  
“yes, that they are unfortunately. I myself never had any opinions about them before I met Jim. I’m thankful to have met him”  
“that’s very glad to hear. Oh I’m sorry! I’m wasting your time rambling on aren’t I?”  
“not at all! If anything I’m wasting your time, we both know that well enough. I might come back and find a skeleton!” the two share a heart felt laugh  
“oh! Well I certainly hope my skeleton will be just as useful as I am now!”  
“do not worry about the ramblings, I quite enjoy it! My kind don’t care much for humans, but I find them interesting, depending on them. You my dear, are one interesting human”  
“well aren’t you a sweet talker”

 

“even trolls have manners, in our own way, well I’m more than sure you know that, it’s nice to hear another persons life story. I enjoy human’s such as yourself, such fickle things that have so little life, it’s interesting to hear what they’ve done with it, a different kind of perspective”  
“believe it or not but I’ve been told the same thing a couple of times, once by an old lover~ oh I miss him”  
“why not stay with one another?”  
“we couldn’t make it work. I wanted to roam free, not tied down, he wanted to live in a single place where I couldn’t go. He was a kubera, funny isn’t it?”  
“well no wonder you had such a gentle love, passive even to a troll”  
“sweet thing always brought me so many plants and crystals. I always hoped I would run into him one of these days, well can’t really happen when he lives deep inside the earth where the pressure could kill even the hardiest troll such as yourself”  
“now, YOU’RE the one being the sweet talker” the woman slapped the trolls arm with a giggle  
“so then, would you like a reading? Or just swap stories”  
“reading, although I truly wouldn’t mind swapping stories, if you don’t mind a trolls life”  
“ohh not at all! Always filled with such excitement! When you aren’t staying in a cave for years on end being dull”  
“i know more than enough dull trolls to understand you completely”

“now then. let’s see….”

The past. 5 of swords.  
“a victory tinged with defeat”

“take a careful look at the situation. Watch for manipulation, trickery, and overall those who would cheat you. This card advises you to look beyond the immediate success. Consider repercussions in the future. Your victory may cost you more than it’s worth.”

‘sounds like when we traveled the new world after the bridge...’

The present. 3 of swords  
“sorrow caused by knowledge”

“not a fun card. When your heart is stabbed no doubt there will be pain inflicted. The wounds will in fact heal, however, but still, things won’t be the same. Lessons will be learned. Truths will be revealed. Understanding will occur. This card tells of a sad time, but, like all experiences, you have the abilities to determine how you think about it, experience it, and ultimately fold it into your worldview”

‘a painful truth revealed that changes things drastically...huh….what could that be’

 

And finally my dear troll friend. The future. 5 of cups.  
“experience of loss and grief”

“when this card shows its face, approach the situation with tenderness. This will be a time of deep sadness and loss. The feelings, raw and intense. While some do like to gloss over situations such as these, diverting our full attention to what we hope to be a better future and for happier times. Those will come, in due time. There are times where nothing can be done, except a good long cry to be had”

‘hm….foreboding’

“ah, my dear troll friend. I truly wish you didn’t have such a rocky life, now and in the future. I hope whatever is that you must face, you are able to be strong enough to live through it. Although looking at you, and seeing the card of your past, I’m going to give a good bet that you’ve had a long hard life, and can always endure whatever life throws at you. We are all mortal though, we all have our own limitations. Well, always remember, readings are vague, and often real, overall, I think they’re fun!”

she and her new friend shared a smile

“so far, to hear your words, they seem to be true”  
“well, who hasn’t had some wins with losses, stormy seas to cross, a shroud covering the light, and pain to be embraced”  
“wise words from you. Wise words indeed”  
“well, no need to linger on potential pain, why darken such a beautiful night? This might sound very cheesy, but I always like to think that the darker it is around you, the more beautiful the lights that you see are”  
“i enjoy those words. I will remember them, even in the darkest of times. So, if it’s no trouble, I would like to share stories, solidify this new blooming friendship, if it’s no trouble with you”  
“oh! No trouble at all! I really should turn in to bed in a couple hours though, so I have time, if fleeting, it’s always still so sweet to enjoy something while you can”  
“that it is!”  
“well, would you like something to drink? If I recall, some trolls enjoy a bit of wine”  
“i suppose I haven’t had that touch my lips in a while, I’ll take your offer”  
“I can’t believe I’ve done this, but I have yet to even ask you your name, so who is my new dear friend that this drink Is being poured for, the name for the handsome blue troll sitting within my shop” The troll took the drink, took a small sip and replied in a kind tone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“my name is Kanjigar”


	32. A future untold or foretold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tarot readings are something to truly pay attention to
> 
> It seems as if many people and trolls are getting theirs read
> 
> strange
> 
> Toby's kinda just given up at this point. what else can happen to him that doesn't shock him anymore?
> 
> Jim's getting a little...too addicted...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bunch of things!
> 
> 1\. guess who's been watching ghost stories again? holy fuck, i forgot how funny that shit it. if you don't know what it is, holy shit, look it up asap. it's just an entire shitpost show. they give ZERO FUCKS. long story short (as far as i understand it) suuuper bland. no one liked it. flunked in japan. so they came to usa, see if they could get some attention. nope. so the people who bought it were told that they can do ANYTHING to it, just please! use the real names of the characters and ghosts. the original script was so god awful, the american va's just did whatever the fuck they wanted. please. please look that show up. for those that HAVE watched the show, you know that one scene where the mom writes a letter to her son? well it made me laugh so hard and made me think of 'what if Victoria did the same for Jim' buuut it wouldn't fit into the story at all. still, that fucking scene except in this story, holy fuck, i would die. some little quotes from the anime in general:
> 
> "purple, for your hair. Can't tell this is a goddamn anime'"  
> "oh yeah, bang me till I'm screaming" by raging horny pussy sluts"
> 
> 'hysterical screaming'  
> "shut up we're coming!" that scene was honestly when draal, arrrg, toby and jim go to save blinky
> 
> "dad calls her whore but i like to call her mom"  
> "why are you still crying?" "because these pajamas are gay!"  
> "I come from a long line of quasi-lesbian ghost killers!"  
> "before i met jesus, i was really fucked up. and a slut......anyways"
> 
> 'everyone crying' saying in a disgusted tone  
> "ugh...oh I'm sorry-" Begins to yell in agony along with them
> 
> also the theme song and end song i suuper love!
> 
> 2\. listening and watching [ThePruld] Praise till you're hollow, but imagining these characters in it. fucking kills me  
> 3.you ever look at someone and think, who tf do they think they are for telling me what to do! then you realize you're looking into a mirror and it's you  
> 4\. one of my FAV THINGS is the post sex relaxation sweet talking. just talking about their days and dreams and fantasies  
> and wants with one another  
> "I WAS LITERALLY JUST INSIDE OF YOU FUCKING YOUR BRAINS OUT! now I'm sorta thinking about getting this new chair for my desk. it's supposed to give really good support on your spine"  
> 5\. re-watching the anime sands of destruction. it's good, reminds me of when i was younger watching it. basically: furries (oh sorry 'anthropomorphic animals' which are just furries) rule the world, humans are slaves, the seas are replaced by sand. one human girl wants to destroy the world with a magic orb.  
> 6\. watching the buzzfeed unsolved. suuper Toby and Jim.  
> Jim constantly wanting to fuck with ghosts and demons  
> "you wana come kill me? fucking come at me!"  
> "he's lost his god dam mind!"  
> "i disrespect your bridge goatman! you want me off you're going to have to kill me!"  
> "jim stop!"  
> "what? i just want to talk to the demons!"  
> 7\. been re-watching drawn together, forgot how much i loved that stupid show  
> 8\. re-listening to MBMBAM the garfield monstrosity. i fucking die each time.  
> 9.watched the trollhunter movie. really liked it! super creepy! and fun! holy fuck, if those trolls were in trollhunters, it would be horrifying  
> 10\. a friend and i were hanging out and walking around. she pointed out how every meat selling place or whatever, always has a cute mascot on it. like, this one place that sells pork has a cute lil pig wearing a chiefs hat. but like, that's REALLY DISTURBING if you think about it. it's literally smiling as it has just cut up cooked and served it's own species. like, if someone was selling human meat and had some smiling guy on it. just really fucking freaky you know?  
> 11.re-watching the show chowder. i love that shit so much!  
> "hes gonna die!"  
> "think positive, maybe he'll only be horribly mutilated"  
> 12.a few small details i didn't mention in this story:  
> Nomura and Draal never met in general  
> Jim HAS shown Toby his armor and sword already during the time they've lived together  
> when Jim glows, he glows all over like Gunmar does, so season 3 gunmar when he's all gold, Jim looks like that pretty much  
> 13\. the song: the strokes, hard to explain. really makes me think of Jim and Gunmar in a way, lyrics i guess  
> 14\. imagining Jim as some big glowing 'eldritch angel of judgment' like seraphims. the idea of some giant glowing eldritch horror being that's considered holy and brings absolute judgment, always sooo cool to me! like in persona 5 Yaldabaoth is super fucking cool!!! also like the SCP gate guardian.  
> anyways, enjoy the chapter!!

Ten of Wands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire strangled the air. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smoke blackened the sky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bular stood on a hill, overlooking Arcaida. On fire. 

 

Burning. Turning to ash and dust.

The screams had almost entirely died down now.

The sounds of sirens had all but ended.

The roaring blaze of heat and light was almost like a miniature sun.

Everything was becoming ruin. Nothing left. Not a single life spared, all but the few who escaped.

 

Bular would have felt overjoyed, watching the destruction, the chaos, the carnage. He would howl with laughter and enjoy every second. He would savor every scream, cry, wail, as if it were fine chocolate.

 

 

 

No.

 

 

Not this time.

 

 

This time.

 

 

He felt nothing.

 

 

 

 

He was numb. Silent. Cold. Ironic, as his body felt far too hot, even being so far from the flaming civilization.

 

He hardly thought.

 

He hardly moved.

 

His eyes weren’t taken off the disaster. They couldn’t bear to look down.

 

He took a deep breath. Trying to bear the immense weight, the immense burden, the immense pain. Pain he didn’t think he’d ever feel in his life. He managed to round up what little emotional energy he had left, in order to look down. In his right hand, was a trolls horn. Long turned hard stone. It was the trollhunters. It was Kanjigars.

 

He almost felt like tears coming forward as he felt the weight in his left hand. His eyes slowly moved themselves down to look at it. His heart nearly shutting down from the death inside of him. It was a small horn. A horn that wasn’t stone. Half trolls don’t turn to stone on death. Something Bular almost wished would have happened, he couldn’t bear to see his limp body at the scene. He rubbed the horn just like he always liked it to be rubbed. Bular stifled a sniffle and held back a howl of pain.

 

It was Jim’s horn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many hours earlier……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toby and the group of friends were laughing, enjoying the fading sunlight with humor and happiness. Out of the corner of Toby’s eye, he saw the large dark figure approach quickly. A sullen look on his face. Before Toby could even say hello Bular just told him plainly

“we’re leaving.”  
“alright, where’s Ji-”  
“we’re leaving. Now.”  
“oh uh, he ba-”  
“stop talking. All of you, let’s go.”  
“...a….all?”  
“yes.”  
“like….”  
“yes. it’s time. it’s starting.” Toby’s breathing became extreme  
“like, now now?!”  
“DO I STUTTER?! DO YOU NOT COMPREHEND?! WE’RE LEAVING, ALL OF US!” Bular pulled out his amulet and started to turn it  
“oh god...oh god...oh god….it’s happening” Toby stammered out as he shook horribly  
“Toby what’s going on?” Toby looked at Claire with absolute horror. Toby turned to Bular and quickly spat out with what little nerve he had left  
“w-what about Nana?! What about Claire’s parents? Everyon-”  
“we will get them later. Move. NOW!”  
“Toby what’s he talking about”  
“oh god...oh god….e-e-e-e-v-everyo-one link arms. Please. Now. Right now. don’t ask just do it…..” Toby swallowed as he managed to raise his arm and link arms with Claire. The group slowly did as were told. Bular stopped over and grabbed Toby’s arm. 

 

Then poof….

 

 

 

 

The group had arrived in Bular’s room. The place torn to shreds, claw marks ran across every surface. Swords were broken, skulls crushed. Bone’s turned to powder.

“All of you. Listen well. This is your new home for the time being. Come. You must speak to my father.” Bular stomped over past all the damage and opened his door. He looked back and growled at them. Toby swallowed and quickly caught up, telling the others to hurry. The group gasped as they saw the darklands. Currently active and alive. Soldiers marched, war horns were blown, drums pounded. Generals yelling orders echoed throughout the darklands.

 

“MOVE IT FLESHBAGS OR DO YOU WANT TO BE KILLED?!”  
“Okay uh, everyone do as he says. NO QUESTIONS....uh...haha...Toby the tour guide...okay...everyone...walk faster….faster….okay good...uh...yeah this is Jim’s home….the darklands….Eli you’re gonna get a kick out of this but...the stuff online? it’s true. Gumm-gumm’s exist. This is their home. Jim is one, Bular is one, their dad is the king and stuff. Keep up keep up please don’t slow down! And yeah, they’re taking over the world...like...right now…..Jim is literally the son of the guy who’s creating the apocalypse. The extinction of all humanity. I’m dead serious.”  
“p-”  
“Claire please no questions. Listen to me very carefully. We don’t have much time. I’m as serious as you can get. See the stuff around us? This is the army that’s going to the surface right now, kill everyone in sight, and destroy human civilization as we know it…..wana know why we’re all safe? Jim. He’s our friend. He said we all kinda have a golden ticket to survive….haha….yay….we don’t have to die like….literally...everyone….else….in the world…..yeah….that look...it’s real...it’s all really happening...hence what you see….hey...uh..Bular”

 

“what.”  
“w-” Toby stopped as a massive legion walked right under them. A general shouting orders in troll. The soldiers roared and slammed their spears down, then a doorway opened up and they all marched through it.

 

“oh my god...” Claire held her mouth

 

“KEEP WALKING”

 

“Okay yeah so, please keep walking”

“OH GOD I LOOKED DOWN”

“Don’t look down Eli, and everyone. Just stay together and keep moving. So uh...we’re about to see Jim’s dad..the…..leader...king...warlord...head honco...the big boss….who’s going to rule over the rubble of the world. All this...is...our new home….we’re going to be staying with Jim for….however long we need to….he’s going to keep us safe….hence the golden ticket….so….yay….”

“Toby what about my parents! All of our families! My baby brother!”  
“Bular said they’ll be taken care of, in the sense of being brought here! we’re all going to now live like one big happy family in the center of the destruction of all life...fun...Jim’s literally a prince of the apocalypse...he made me promise I wouldn’t tell anyone….I only found out because I found Bular eating someone...yeah...uh….all those dead bodies and missing people?...that was them….and Jim...they eat people…..yep….Gumm-gumm’s eat people like we’re all steaks….Jim ate….and...well….anyways that’s the reason everyone went...bye bye…..”

 

“Jim...ate people?!”

 

“yeah...surprise...haha….uh…….if...it makes anyone feel better…….Jim would have killed all of us too….hell he might have eaten us….thing is….when he first came to the surface, back in highschool….we literally showed him that humans aren’t just food…..we have lives and jobs and families and personalities….we’re all literally the one’s who saved the human race….don’t worry, there will be like SOME PEOPLE who are going to live….you can’t kill all your cattle! You won’t be able to eat!...yeah humanity is….gonna be like cows and pigs and stuff….food….but...Jim made his father PROMISE he saved humanity! At least...like…..5% of the total human population….billions of people...only….a few will survive….Jim said he’s going to keep everyone in his kingdom! Yeah he’s going to be a person who rues the world, he said he gets the all of north America and some other places….in his kingdom, humanity will get to live...and..yeah….he said we’ll still have our stuff! Internet memes burritos buildings history….and….yeah….”

“Toby, gather up your little friends.” Bular said, he yelled at some guards to open the massive doors.

“okay look everyone real quick...Jim’s dad is...well….just….I’ve met him...known him...helped teach him actually...I’m kinda an adviser….i help teach him about human stuff! Another reason we get to live!...yay…..just….only talk when spoken to okay? No sudden movements and listen to what he says. And listen to me. we’re allllll gonna be ooookay. Take a deep breath. Here we go! To the throne room….”

The doors opened. The booming noise was heard. A massive amount of soldiers filled the room to the gills. All slamming their spears down and chanting their leaders name

“GUNMAR GUNMAR GUNMAR GUNMAR!” said leader was speaking

“TODAY IS THE DAY WE FINALLY TAKE BACK THE SURFACE WORLD! WHAT RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO US! WHAT RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO ME! WE WILL FINALLY FINISH WHAT WE STARTED ALL THOSE CENTURIES AGO! ALL THIS TIME WAITING IS FINALLY WORTH IT! NOW GO! GO AND SLAUGHTER THEM ALL LIKE THE BUGS THEY ARE! SHOW HUMANITY THAT THEY HAD THEIR CHANCE! THEY RUINED THEIR WORLD! SO NOW WE WILL RULE OVER IT ALL!” more loud chanting. Then Gunmar summoned his blade and pointed it to the door. All the soldiers turned to see the Bular walk through them, and the small group of shaking humans clumped together. Everyone got silent and only the sounds from behind them filled the room.

 

“...hey….boss…...”

“Father, I have brought them back like requested.” Bular knelt at the throne.  
“good. ALL OF YOU, MARCH! You humans. Step forward.” Toby had to wave them to hurry up and move. To their sides, the soldiers moved past them. Now it was just the group, Gunmar and Bular. Toby whispered  
“okay everyone...just….do as I said…...uh..hey boss man”  
“hello Toby. Bular, good of you to have brought Jim’s little friends back. Now they won’t be killed and eaten.” Gunmar slowly walked up to the group who tried not to breathe. Gunmar’s eye glowed along with his body, he bent down a little and looked at each one carefully inspecting them. The feared faces and shaking bodies were clear.  
“so..uh...boss...this is...our group….yay….”  
“so….all of you are the ones my son has such affection for, attachment.” everyone had to hold their nose and tried not to gag as the rancid smell of death came from Gunmar’s mouth. It was easy enough to tell that he had just eaten recently.  
“yep boss, these are them….uh...so...Bular said he would get the rest of our parents-”  
“ah yes. They must be brought here too don’t they?. Very well. Son, go. Bring them back.”  
“yes father.”  
“where is Jim? I’m surprised he isn’t here to introduce me” Bular grunted in pain and tightened his jaw. Gunmar stood fully straight once more and turned to his son  
“well? Where is your brother?”  
“f-father…..” Bular stifled a whimper as he pulled Jim’s horn from his belt.  
“what….”

Bular handed the horn to Gunmar, who held it like someone would hold a glass figurine.  
“He…...hes gone father..” Gunmar’s face turned to shock and horror as he looked at the tiny horn in his hands. He could only quietly whisper out a single  
“what….”  
“the trollhunter…..he…..took him from us….” Gunmar was silent now. Just staring at the horn like it was some object that came from an alien spaceship. Bular continued with shaky breaths  
“I…..he….found out about Jim’s identity somehow…...he….i found his…..i took his horn…..it was all I could take….i don’t know where his body is now….I’m sorry father….i failed you….i failed Jim….” Bular couldn’t hold back his feelings anymore. He started to weep. Gunmar was silent for the longest time. Then tears started to leak and run down his face.

“Jim…..my little gumm-gumm….my little prince…..my little Jim…….Victoria….I failed you….Jim…..you never even had a mate….you were never wed…..you never had your own whelp…..you never ruled your kingdom….you never got to see our armies rise…...you weren’t even a full century yet….oh Victoria….I’m a failure of a father….” Gunmar couldn’t hold back anymore. He roared in pain. The loudest he’s ever gotten in a long time. Everyone had to cover their ears as they all flinched hard from the sudden booming voice.  
“Father you did not fail Jim’s mother-”  
“i did….i couldn’t keep him safe….i couldn’t keep him alive….oh….Jim….I couldn’t keep our promise Victoria...now you’re both gone” he roared in pain and wept once more, heavier this time. Afterwards he clutched his teeth tightly and cradled the horn like he did when Jim was a baby. 

“Fath-”  
“i ignored him...i didn’t give him my attention or love....someone else raised him for me....i didn't even know his favorite color…"  
“Fathe-”  
"if i paid attention...if i gave him affection...if i treated him like a son......he never had his mother....now he never had his father....he never was big enough....he didn't eat enough....i told him...i told him he had to eat more...his body would give out...."  
"Father he didn’t want to eat any more humans"  
"he had to....he was too weak...now he died..."  
"the trollhunter killed him"  
"he wasn’t strong enough to face him....i should have forced him to eat more."  
"no, he didn’t want to. he wanted to stop. he didn’t-"  
"i should have forced it down his throat...."  
"he wouldn’t have wanted that"  
Toby had started to cry too. He quietly said  
“Jim...”  
Gunmar’s sight rose up from the horn until it turned to Toby. He roared in pain and hate

“THIS IS YOUR FAULT. YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM! KEEP HIM SAFE! YOU LET HIM DIE!” Gunmar pushed Jim’s horn into Bular’s hands forcefully as he stomped over to Toby, who fell on his back in reaction

“nonononoononno please boss! it’s not my fault! I didn’t-”  
“YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING HIM! KEEPING AN EYE ON HIM!”  
“Father. It isn’t his fault.” Bular grabbed his fathers arm to stop him from suddenly tearing Toby to shreds  
“if you hurt him, if you hurt anyone of them, Jim’s spirit only suffers.”  
“oh Jim...my son….this world will burn in my fury. I wont stop until all life is snuffed out."  
"Jim wanted to keep some alive, remember?"  
"then some will be kept alive” Gunmar gripped his hands into a tight fist. Just then Blinky had come into the throne room practically skipping, saying with cheer in his voice  
“My dark underlord! Arrrg has been sent to lead his legion! Your personal section is awaiting your command! everyone’s so excited to finally march behind you once more! Oh it’s been ages since we’ve slaughtered so many! Your personal doorway is all able, ready, and opened! Everyone is just so eager! Ah master Bular-” Blinky stops as he sees the two gumm-gumms. Their emotions, their body language. Then….  
“what’s-” His sight finally set itself on Jim’s horn currently in Bular’s hand  
“is….that....”  
“the trollhunter did this...”  
“oh….oh master Jim….” Blinky’s six eyes started to tear up. A soldier ran into the room and spoke in troll, stating that almost the entire kingdom has been unleashed and they are awaiting the final command. Gunmar growls in anger, his voice soaked with spite and anguish  
“go. Tell my legion their lord is about to arrive. Blinkous, go. Finish your task.” The soldier bowed and ran off. Blinky did his own bow, which was hesitant and shaky, then turned to leave. A few tear drops landed onto the floor as he made his way out of the throne room. Gunmar took a deep shaky breath and closed his eye tightly. He growled out as his body started to replace the deep sorrow with absolute hatred. He clenched his fists and summoned his sword. He opened his eye and his body glowed intensely, his eye practically blazing.  
“Bular.”  
“yes father?”  
“take them to…..his room….”  
“yes father...”

………………………………………………………..

A deep silence surrounded the group. No one said anything. In the vast distance the sound of the army marching forward was heard. Except it was very dulled and muffled. They clearly were far away. No one wanted to speak. No one wanted to even breathe. Finally the group of humans were brought to Jim’s room. Bular opened the door and walked inside. He slowed down as he looked around, sniffling and tensing up. He looked over onto a shelf and walked to a picture of his brother. Smiling and standing next to Toby and Claire. Bular grunted in pain, the picture frame had tears dropped onto it. Toby had to push everyone inside and away from Bular. The black troll put the photo back gently, like placing a bomb down with the most sensitive pressure. He stifled more crying and tried to speak, only becoming broken words  
“brother….I’m sorry...i wasn’t there for you….like I never was….” he took a few shaky breathes before heading out the door. He quietly said  
“take care of them Toby. You will all stay in here. Until someone says otherwise.” with that, he gently closed the door behind him. Leaving the group alone in a silent room.

Toby sniffled and wiped his eyes.  
“oh...oh god Jim….okay….uh...well….welcome home everyone...this...is Jim’s room...go ahead and….well...get cozy…..we’re going to be here….for a while...now uh…..let me answer questions….”

 

……………………………………………………………………

 

It wasn’t long after they settled in when Jim’s door’s opened. Claire’s parents were shoved through, nana was gently patted to move in. Claire ran over to her parents and their baby, they hugged tightly. Toby did the same to nana.  
“these are the only three I could find who weren’t already dead…..What are you doing? Knock it off and stop already. Disgusting impure.” Toby and Claire looked at Bular and assumed he was speaking to them. Before they could even reply a bright flash happened. Noten was now changed  
“aye! Sorry! I just wanted ta see Jim’s place for the first time! Wow! Looks hella neat!”  
“shut your mouth and hurry up before I kill you.” Bular left the doorway. Noten was dropped as Claires mother screamed  
“aye! What was that for?! No need ta shout!”  
“WHAT ARE YOU?!”  
“I’m called a changeling. Ayyyeee Toby! what’s up man! haven’t seen you in a while!” everyone just looked at him horrified.  
“well gee, thanks for shooting a hello back”  
“WHERE’S MY BABY BROTHER?! WHAT ARE YOU?!”  
“listen, I gotta blow this place, we finally taken over the joint! Hell yeah! Bout fuckin time! I was getting tired of wearin diapers all the dam time. oh...ehh….so, my kind are called changelings, basically, we snatch human babies, and sorta are a replacement. Anyways, I replaced your lil baby brotha for...well let’s just say a while! Anyways, I gotta go! Nice seein ya Tobes! Oh and tell Jim not to be such a smart ass ta me! I’M the smart ass!”  
“Jim’s…..dead”  
“oh...uh...shit….sorry….really loved the asshole...shit...he said I could throw the after party when we take over! Highly doubt Walt and Nomura will let me-”  
“did you just say...”  
“oops! Spoiled the surprise! Yep! Both are changelings! Well, a shiiit ton of people were replaced, worldwide. So, you know the whole Illuminati thing? Imagine that except with trolls. Working for the big guy. Get this, Walt, leader of us! Mind fuckin blowin ain’t it? Aight, see ya! Oh and uh, by the way you three. Sorry about the diapers, had to keep me cover and all that….oh and don’t blame Toby, he knew about us as much as you did! Alright, see yeah fuck wads! Ahahahah! OH SHIT ONE LAST THING! The kid that I replaced...he...well let’s just assume he’s gone. Get it? Alright, I’m out!” with that, Noten scampered out of the door. It closed and once again the room was silent.

“Toby pie I can’t tell what’s going on. I think my hearing aid’s on the fritz again, I can’t understand what everyone’s been saying”  
“uh here nana, sit down over here for now. Oh and uh, here Jim’s got some audio tapes on some books you’ve been wanting to hear” after helping her sit down in a chair, as well as giving her a few blankets and putting headphones on her starting up the audio book, he cleared his throat and did a small wave as he walked back to the others.  
“uh...hey...uh….well….why don’t we uh….pull out some extra blankets and pillows and stuff! Over uh..here’s the-” opening a large wooden closet, skulls poured out of it, over at least 30 of them.  
“oops…..that’s the….skull….uh anyways! they’re….don’t...don’t look! Ew touching me...Jim usually puts them away, gross. Uh….okay….okay I can’t hide everything anymore. I can’t sugar coat it. The worlds ending. The full story. So, long ago Gunmar, the leader, and Jim’s dad, was trying to take over the world like, way back in the dark ages. He was banished to...here. Then he managed to get out a SECOND time. Only reason the world is still alive-well not right now-anyways, is because they sent him back here again, except they put this curse thingy on him, if he ever left, boom, he’d die instantly….they…..just now found a way to break the curse and now they’re all free to…...take over. So, let’s fast forward. Jim fist came up top cause, needed to learn how to be human. Which is why he acted like that, and looked and smelled and well etc…..as he got to know all of us and humans in general, he was like ‘oh shit, these people have lives and junk! they’re not just food!’ so he managed to convince his dad to spare some people…..but….the billions...uh...gonna die….we’re all safe cause Jim liked us and we helped him learn and grow as a...person. I was told everything, and lived here for a while. Yep! This is were I went!….yeah….

I honestly didn’t know ANYTHING until….recently….well not RECENTLY but you get my point. Jim and I talked after….well personal stuff….and then I found his brother eating someone, who I thought was Jim, eating not being eaten. So in a panic I told Bular I knew everything. So….well long story short, I was brought here, I lived here, I taught Bular and Gunmar about human stuff….yeah….i...was his human adviser on human hings….and well….a loooooooooot of stuff happened in Jim’s life that I was dragged into…..and...well….here we are….look. I really tried my best to...not let everything go to shit….i was kept as Jim’s….emotional support human and whatever, because I was his best friend. I know this life. All too well. it’s not easy. no. its never easy. Hell I’m still not fully adjusted to all this. When you find out the end of the world is literally under your feet…..well I felt like how you felt...we’re all alive and here right now because Jim loved us. Wanted us alive. Not horribly dead from-well you get what I mean. there’s literally nothing we can do. This is it. The end of the world. Nothing to do except accept it and move on. I really don’t know what else to say. Yes these skulls…..are all people Jim ate…….he had to…..

 

So….trolls have a two ways of surviving. Way back when, all trolls ate people, it gave them energy. Think like getting a new battery. Eventually the battery ran out and you had to get another one. Aka, eating someone. Then history happened and trolls broke off and fighting began, sides were chosen. And blah blah. The ones who ate people, were banished here. The gumm-gumms. The ‘good’ trolls spread around the world. Doing whatever. they’re all just…..people. Honestly. They really are no different than us. They have families and food and friends and parties. They live and love and laugh. I’ve met more trolls who were kinder than most people. Trolls have their own cities and laws and cultures and races. Well, they all lived like how humans do. Differently. So, the only other way to ‘recharge’ your battery was to live next to this thing called a heartstone. You know those salt lamp thingies? Imagine those but as big as sky-scrappers. It was kinda like a ‘recharge zone’. Just being around it kept your batteries fully charged at all times. So no more needing to eat people, hence why people stopped being eaten. Fast forward a few hundred years, and Gunmar tried to escape again.

 

From that, things were invented. One was called a ‘doorway’. Pretty much a portal leading from here, to the surface. Only reason the armies didn’t take over, was because Gunmar wanted to lead the charge. Bring his age by his own hand. Honestly, humans do it all the time. History changes. Leaders rise and fall. This really is no different than what humans have done through our entire history. Another thing, the doorways, only had so much energy, and it took a LONG TIME to make them. Like, let’s say it has a hundred charges. Every time someone uses it, two charges are used. Lets say someone very big wanted to use it. Ten charges would be used. And well, you get the point. So sending out an army, also wasn’t really possible. Guess they finally figured out how to bust Gunmar and the armies out for good. So, like I was saying earlier about the trolls and their batteries, the only other option was...well...I’m literally standing in it. Jim was raised his whole life like this. Only when he came up top did he realize…..he doesn’t have to do this…….there’s more than just this……..but….he couldn’t stop….his body would literally start to die…..yes, he needed to eat regular food, all trolls do, but they didn’t recharge him. So, he was eating people. Him and his brother. That’s why all those people went missing. Or found dead….well….you get my point. Jim was trying his best to stop. For good. Thing Is, the feeling of eating people, it was like a high. It was like trying to quit heroine. It wasn’t easy. Except this high literally was the only thing keeping him alive. it’s like trying to stop breathing air. He had to do it to live.

Eventually we found out that if he drank enough blood. It would recharge him...but...only a little bit…...he tried so many times to quit…..he was literally killing himself….starving to death….just to keep people from dying. Guess he just...got too weak….and then something happened...he always tried so so so hard to be a good person. To just help others. Be kind. But his literal nature was keeping him from doing it. Your personality trying to do something your body physically couldn’t. Trying to convince yourself to stop breathing air, or breath as little as possible….

So...the only one protecting the world….the one protecting all of life from….this stuff from happening….was literally one person. Literally. The entire world. One person. That person is a troll called the trollhunter. Eli, Steve, you remember meeting him that one time. Well, it was his job to find gumm-gumms and kill them. Jim was a gumm-gumm. If you find a part of your body infected with something serious, you have to cure it so it doesn’t get worse. Jim was the infection. Thing is...Kanjigar...the trollhunter...he...owned Jim….as a pet thingy…..so, with trolls, they can own half trolls as sorta a butler, servant, housekeeper, chief, and well you get the point. With trollhunters and half trolls, it’s like a squire to a knight, a secretary and a boss, and stuff like that. Kanjigar didn’t know about what Jim really was. No one did. Not even myself for most of our lives, like I said. So, one night, Jim met Kanjigar, he stayed with him for the night, became his pet, and well hung out and did stuff. What REALLY was…..difficult…..was that he fell in love with Kanjigars son. Draal. Jim and Draal fell in love. Jim was so torn. He wanted to stay with them, be a good person. Start using heartstone to charge him. But it would mean leaving his family, culture, his own race, behind him. Not only that, but he couldn’t hide that he was a gumm-gumm forever. His family, Bular and Gunmar, brother and father. They ignored him for almost all of Jim’s life. They didn’t love him. In the sense of giving hugs and kisses and affections. His family treated him like he was just another subject. They were cold, distant, unfeeling, Jim told me that there would be days in a row where they didn’t even talk or look at him. Jim was emotionally starved. Another reason he acted that way when he first came to the surface.

 

He really didn’t know what love felt like. Kanjigar and Draal. They were literally the first ones to ever give him affection. Real affection. Attention. Love. All that. Then, recently, Gunmar and Bular wanted to start actually being in his life. Which is why Bular tried to know us and hangout with us and stuff. Jim was finally getting what he always wanted. Love. His family wanted to care for him. Be with him. Love him. Know him. it’s the one thing he’s ever wished for. And he finally was getting it. We all know his mom died giving birth so...yeah...she wasn’t around. So his only family was his brother and father. Well there is Blinky and Arrrg too...uh….those are his ‘adopted uncles’ he always mentioned. Blinky was the small troll with the six eyes that came into the throne room and said that stuff, then cried while leaving…... They mostly raised him. They loved him. But…..it was still just their job at the end of the day. So….what would you have done? Kill yourself to save others, go with what you wanted. Be with the family you always wanted. To have them love and be apart of your life for the first time in your life, and remember, Jim had to live for almost a hundred years alone. 

Or do you run off, leave everything you know behind. Run away to be with someone you love, someone who gave you the very first love in your life. But then having to hide who you truly are at all times. Having to change his personality, his life choices, his family, his love life, his physical requirements. All that was going on. For every second during that time. That was one reason Jim was gone so often. Having to deal with all of that isn’t easy. And well, that’s why Gunmar and Bular wanted me around more. I was kinda forced to live her for a while. Cause, again, emotional support human. I kept Jim alive, happy, ignoring all the bad feelings and issues in the world. Just, be there for him. I knew him inside and out so I knew what cheered him up and what didn’t. Which is another reason Gunmar and Bular wanted me around. And well, knowing Jim so much, I started to teach Gunamr and Bular...kinda….not...really requested...more...politely commanding me to.

 

So, yeah, I became a kinda human adviser. I taught them about how to give love. Do family things, help Jim live and grow. Be what Jim’s always wanted. The one thing he’s wished for. In all honesty. How they reacted back there. That was the FIRST TIME I’ve EVER seen them….emotional…..they’re hard, cold, emotionless creatures. that’s their nature. So being...emotional….wasn’t easy. The only reason Jim had a much easier time feeling emotions was because of the human in him, it helped him adjust. So. That about covers everything. To this….well...minute. Bular and Gunmar WILL keep us safe...but...just...remember...and this is what I was always told too...we are ONLY HERE because that’s what Jim wants. We don’t NEED to be here. ESPECIALLY now that Jim’s….gone. we’re walking on eggshells. Just listen, obey, and try to enjoy life. It won’t ever be the same. But. Like I said, we’ll still have electricity and everything. Being rounded up and treated like cattle, but we’ll be alive and see the sunlight and feel the fresh air….well I guess not right now….but we won’t be killed or die like….others.

It’s morbid. I know. But we all have that golden ticket for us to have ultimate safety. Some guards even listen to me. But….i can’t make them do anything, except ask for directions or escort me somewhere. Gunmar pretty much made it a death sentence if anyone hurt a hair on my head. it’s going to be the same with all of you. As long as we just….live.” Toby ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his face  
“i don’t...have….any more answers. I just….i really want to try and keep everything together. Be the glue. that’s all I’ve ever done. Tried to keep things from falling apart. I’m still just a person though. So please, please please, everyone just...behave. I guess technically I’m the leader of our group now that Jim’s...gone. I don’t know what happened to him. All I know is that Kanjigar apparently found out and….well here we are...without Jim. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. But we, all right now, only have each other. We can’t run around screaming, crying and fighting. No matter how much we want to. We literally can’t. We can do about as much as stand around. If we complain, well…..the best I can do is try to sweet talk Gunmar and Bular a few tiny times. that’s about it. they’ll listen to me….to an extent….so….well….now this is life. Our future…….i love you all and want to make it out alive…..”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………………

 

 

A frown for the road you just went down.

Life for you had become nothing but strife.

At the roads end, you did not mend.

The time and date, had forgone your fate.

All of it will be missed, Because you had been kissed.

Your path had been born and ended with scorn.

They were woken, which made you broken.

The road was bad, now all are sad.

I’m so so sorry my dear, this WAS my greatest fear.

All of this was happy, or at least a little sappy.

At the end of the story had lost all its joy, for you are now dead my dear sweet boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death for above, without any love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One road was traveled. And this was the end. But remember the split had a very big bend.

It isn’t over, at least not now.

A different road could be chosen.

Would this be the path you take? Or another……

………………………………………………………………………………………

In the present path…  
At the current time..  
In the present time…  
At the current path...  
…………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

The sun was just about done setting. Light was fading and darkness settling in. a man, on his back, in absolute fear, trying to kick his feet to move himself. His body wouldn’t listen, it shook instead of acting. He’d never felt this much fear in his life. A fairly thick line of sunlight, like a wall protecting him from the thing on the other side. Behind the man was a steep hill slope, far too difficult for any normal person to climb.

“come here little lamb. Sweet little lamb. Innocent little lamb. Lost little lamb. The wolf just wants to play” Bular was on all fours licking his lips in anticipation lurking within the darkness on the other side of that wall of sunlight. Chuckling and enjoying his food’s pleads for help and mercy. No one was around. No one would listen. His phone was already smashed. He had no way of escape.  
“don’t worry my little lamb. The gate will open very soon, and we can finally play together. Don’t you want that? To make a new friend? Humans love making new friends. I’m very friendly. I just want to play with you” Bular slammed a fist down and delighted in the man’s wails.  
“you should be nice and happy! You get my full attention! No one else can bother us! isn’t that fun? I know the perfect little game we can play, only a few more minutes left. that’s a steep climb isn’t it? I don’t think my little lamb can climb it. Don’t you agree?”

 

“oh, look at you! So scared! So lonely! don’t be so sad! We will be playing so soon! I promise! I know the PERFECT game we can play! mmmmhhhh so afraid. So frightened. it’s going to be okay little lamb, the wolf is going to make it allll better, take all that fear away. My sweet little lamb” the sunlight was almost gone. Now it was only as long as Bular’s entire arm.

“tick tock. Only a couple minutes more and the night will come and we can play! Yes, good, Try to climb up that hill! Try to claw and climb! I want you to get a bit of stretching before we play! Aww, my little lamb fell down. Let me help you back up”  
“what are you doing?” Bular’s gaze shot up to the top of the steep hill. Jim was standing there looking down at the current scene  
“go away. My little lamb and I are about to play”  
“little lamb? Well, you’re in a sadistic mood aren’t you?”  
“go away. Let me enjoy this”  
“why torment him?”  
“unlike you, I prefer to play with my food, make it more fun. Makes it taste oh so much better”  
“i don’t get any excitement out of something that doesn’t have ANY chance to bite back. You know that”  
“I do not have ‘morals’ like you do, ESPECIALLY to food.”  
“just food to you?”  
“yes. He smells like it, looks like it, acts like it, talks like it, walks like it, thinks like it. He IS FOOD. Well, I want to love my little lamb. Hold him close. Never let him go. Now leave, Let me love him” Jim rolled his eyes and sighed. He slid down the slope easily, his claws and nails being the perfect tools. Jim hopped down and stood next to the man who fell back on his butt and tried to crawl away  
“it’s alright dude. I might eat humans, but I don’t torment and freak them out. Never cared for the taste of fear.”  
“well I do. Now leave my little lamb alone! This is MY dinner! I can do what I want to it.”  
“fiiine. Sorry guy, you’re going to get eaten. Nothing I can do. Well….if you PROMISE to hold still, my brother will make it quick and painless”  
“i agree to NO such thing!”  
“you scared him enough, he’s plenty soaked in fear at this point. You don’t need his final moments to be painful”  
“i am not merciful like you are, dear brother.”  
“gee don’t I know that. Well sorry guy, I tried. Well I’ll be seeing you-well I guess I won’t. Bye Bular”  
“what are you even doing here? shouldn’t you be at Toby’s hut?”  
“house, and yeah I was headed there right now, then I smelled this guy and knew that it could only be you doing this to him, and well, here we are”  
“yes. Now LEAVE I can almost play with my little lamb. So so soon”  
“alright, see ya. I’ll tell Toby you said hi” Jim climbed back up the hill with ease and dusted himself off, it wasn’t too many steps until he heard Bular’s roar’s and the man’s screams and cries……

…………………………………………………………….

“would you like anything?” Barbara asked in a friendly voice. Toby, Walt, and Jim sat in Barbara’s living room. Earlier Jim had set up his own little arrangement While Toby checked up on his nana. It was time Toby knew about Nomura. She was the second other operative here. Well, used to be three until one changeling who worked in a dentists office got hit by a car, thankfully they recovered the body before anyone could ask questions as to her ‘strange troll anatomy’. As well as asking about her being human…well, technically now there IS three once more. 

(okay, just to help me write, from here on out I’m just going to say Noten. We all know who he is and everything. Oh, btw, if you haven’t read my other fic, I just say Noten as just a quick short way instead of his full name)

Once Jim noticed Walt’s car parked out front, he knew he had to stop by and say hello, plus Toby did want to give a quick thank you for all her help, so a good excuse to come over!  
Jim smiled and replied a simple  
“no thank you” Walt’s phone suddenly rang, he looked at it then became annoyed  
“excuse me, I must take this” Jim raised an eyebrow with a slight bit of smug curiosity  
“that look, I think I know it. A certain someone from work?”  
“yes. If only he could think for himself at the most crucial moments of his assignments” Otto always did get the most nervous at THE most important parts of a job, usually only on the most important missions, such as he did with Jim’s very own. Walt huffed as he got up and headed outside, moving past Jim and a now worried looking Toby, who started to pat his knees  
“w-work hu-huh Jim?”  
“relax Tobes, everything’s okay” Toby took a deep breath and steadied himself. If Jim said everything was okay, then it was. Barbara’s curiosity got the best of her so she raised a question  
“so, you know his work? If you don’t mind me asking”  
“yep! Sorta. I think I might have mentioned it before”  
“Sorry, I am a bit of a scatterbrain, I probably forgot, like right now I guess”  
“well to make things easy peasy, my dad and him have known each other for years. Even before I was born!”

“aren’t you..93?”  
“i am, that was a little joke”  
“wow, I am so out of the ability to understand humor. I must be that tired”  
“it’s alright. But yeah, works for my dad, we met, he helped me come up to the surface, live a life among everyday humans, and years later, here I am!”  
“I’m glad you adjusted well, it’s never easy going to a totally foreign place. Ha, I’m saying like you’re from a different country”  
“what WOULD it be considered? A different world? Lifestyle? Environment?”  
“if we had a magic ball maybe we could ask it”  
“a magic 8-ball would work I bet”  
“wow I haven’t heard about one of those since I was a little girl, I must truly be getting old”  
“none sense! I’m in my early 90’s you barely look like your early 20’s!”  
“I wish I had the energy of one at least”  
“if you don’t mind ME asking, weren’t you married before? I think I heard Walt mention that for a split second, nothing too personal, just a couple details about you, that’s all”  
“i hope they were good details. To answer your question, Yes I was”  
“What happened? He die?”  
“no. he and I just, uh….didn’t work out”

 

“why anyone wouldn’t love a woman like you is beyond reason”  
“now, YOU sound like Walt”  
“yep! Except hes a couple thousand years older than us”  
“HA, he’s not THAT old!”  
‘if only you knew. Oh well, it’s for the best’  
“didn’t you plan on having kids?-oh okay now THAT must be too personal”  
“not...too much. Yes. I did...but like I said, thing’s just didn’t work out”  
“i bet you would have been nothing but an incredible mother”  
“well thank you, although I don’t think I would be. I’m always so busy I’d hardly have time to spend time with my child”  
“Well, time aside, those moments would have been nothing but the best for your kid”  
“thank you, you really are too kind Jim”  
“hey! I’m a kind 90 year old! Gotta be nice in my golden years!” Barbara giggled and covered her mouth as she spit a little water. 

 

Barbara was one of the few people who found troll kind actually interesting. She didn’t fear them, which was a rare trait among humans not experienced with interacting commonly with troll kind. She was an easy going friendly woman overall. So when she met Jim, she was very polite and quite curious. Jim was happy to answer any questions she asked. She even did medical check ups, out of curiosity of course. The usual looking into ears and throats, feeling the smooth and tough skin, touching Jim’s fur, which of course caused his usual reaction of pleasure. What She found the most interesting was his bone structure and organs. Far tougher and stronger of course, and far more dense than compared to humans. Fewer organs than humans, if only slightly, and bone structure which were similar to a humans very own. She liked how his legs moved and stretched. digitigrade legs typically are reserved for animals, not anything sentient. So asking about walking and overall living with them were a common question she raised. They did give him a lot of advantages, and some disadvantages. He always wondered what shoes felt like, well actually being able to wear and walk with them on. He always assumed they felt like how gloves feel when worn. Trying to fit them in tight spaces was a nightmare to deal with. Going in a plane? Yeah right. Trying to find a good spot at the movie theater? Almost impossible. His legs also had the tendency to go numb if he didn’t stretch and move then regularly. Human legs could stay still for far longer without succumbing to numbness like he did.

 

Plus the nasty habit of digging sharp nails into things by mistake didn’t help, Even when filed down. Walking around in mud and rain? Nightmare. Along with watching your step in general with many things not to step in around…  
They were also stronger than human legs were. He could lift Toby easily while on his back. Kicking someone in the balls? practically a death sentence.

“Barbara, I don’t know about the future, who does right? But I really do hope the best for you. You truly do have a great heart. I know Walt is a very good man, I hope he will truly make you the happiest woman on earth”  
“I think I might get sick from your words being too sweet Jim, along with being too sappy”  
“it’s true. If you were my mom, I’d constantly remind you of how amazing you are”  
“well, having a half troll son named Jim lake sounds like a strange story”  
“when isn’t life strange?”  
“did Walt teach you how to talk? If I closed my eyes I could practically hear him”  
“well, I was around him a lot when I first came up top, I guess I soaked it in, mom”  
“ha! Like I’d have enough time to appreciate you”  
“nonsense! Like I said, I’d understand how busy you are, and I’d love to help you in any way”  
“well, I would feel awful not being around all the time. Sudden call ins, schedule changes at the last second. I wouldn’t feel the best knowing how much you’re growing without me being there for it”  
“i would be sad, but I’d understand”  
“a mother should be taking care of her son, not the other way around” they both laughed while Toby just felt awkward

“Well, we gotta get going, Toby and I need to go do something important”  
“We do Jimbo?”  
“yep!”  
“what kind of thing?”  
“it’s a surprise! Just for you!”  
“aww you shouldn’t have”  
“well technically I don’t need to, BUT, I want to” Jim got up and stretched, been too long since he did that. The two said their goodbyes and left, walking past an agitated Walt quietly whispering on his phone. Jim did a little wave goodbye, although Walt either didn’t notice or wasn’t in the mood to wave back……

……………………………………………………………………..

Jim set Toby down in front of the museum. It had closed long ago however. The two had walked up the steps. Toby rubbed the back of his head as he looked at the open hours sign.  
“uh, why are we here?”  
“we’re going to break in!”  
“WHAT?!”  
“shhh keep your voice down!”  
“please tell me you’re joking”  
“nope! Well ooookay I am. But we are going inside”  
“uhhh, it’s clearly closed Jimb-” Jim opened up the door, bowed and signaled Toby ‘after you’  
“oookay….we’re not going to get into trouble right?”  
“nope!” Toby’s nerves calmed a bit as he headed inside, Jim closing and following behind. The museum was two things it never was during daylight. The first: being incredibly creepy. All the paintings and statues and low lighting made everything look like some creature was crawling in the distance. The second: incredibly calm. With all the noise and talking from daytime, it was almost hard to focus on anything. Now? Now you could easily hear your own breathing and the city around them quietly. Toby turned around and walked backwards a bit before tripping and almost falling, only to be caught by Jim at the last second.  
“thanks”  
“nooo problem”  
“so...why are we here?”

“yes. Why ARE you here?” Toby gasped and turned around to see a woman down the end of the hall.  
“uhhh...we...uhhh..” The woman scowled at the two boys  
“hard to see? The visiting times are fairly clear to see and read.”  
“w-what? Oh we...uh-”  
“oh fuck! Tobes I didn’t think anyone would be here! We gotta go! Shit shit shit!”  
“w-whAT?!”  
“i suppose I SHOULD call the police on you both”  
“please no! I can’t go to the po pos! My nana would be suuuper sad! Her little old heart couldn’t handle it!” The woman and Jim started to laugh, greatly confusing Toby of course. Before he could ask what was going on, Jim pushed him forward until they were both down the hall and into the light.  
“Toby you remember Ms. Nomura”  
“uh….the...museum lady?”  
“i prefer to be called by my name. But yes. I am her” the scowl faded and was replaced by a smile. Jim did an over dramatic bow in front of her, stretching himself out widely kneeling, then took her hand and kissed it  
“ahh, my lady Nomura! So wonderful it is to gaze upon thine radiant eyes once again! Oh how my heart flutters like a butterfly to the wind! A bee to a fresh spring flower! Your very presence humbles this half troll and grants him nothing but absolute pleasure as I stand before you, praising you for your decedent form! Oh how my heart is eager to earn your affection! How it stirs for true passion that only you can deliver!” Nomura covered her face as she gave an entertained laugh.  
“well, a half troll after my own heart. I prefer weaponry, but chivalry is almost as nice. Come, the new delivery is here” Jim smiled and winked at Toby as he signaled him to follow. Toby was just as confused as ever.

 

“uh….so...someone….wana fill me in on….this?”  
“Don’t worry Tobes, Nomura’s a good friend of mine! She works with my dad remember? she’s in dads circle remembbbbeeeeerrrr?”  
“she’s….your...” Toby suddenly passed out and dropped to the floor.  
“huh. he’s never done that before. I wonder why with you? If anything I would have thought he’d do it when he found out about Walt, or hell, even in front of my own dad!” Jim walked over and picked his best friend, as easy as you would a leaf  
“he’s met your father? In person?”  
“yep!  
“my he truly is a special human to you. Well, when he wakes up I can pump him full of info” Jim turned and continued walking down the hallway alongside Nomura to the museum storage area.  
“speaking of ‘info’ I heard you mention my name personally on our fun program”  
“awww! Glad to know you heard!”  
“you wouldn’t believe how many jealous heads turned to me”  
“wait you were there?”  
“well of course. What, did you expect I’d miss it? It is right here too”  
“hey, someone sounds a little prideful” Nomura’s smile grew and with a small giggle she agreed.  
“looks like working directly under you has it’s perks”  
“like being my favorite changeling”  
“so, where’s Walt on the list?”  
“second”  
“And third?”  
“noten”  
“him?! Well, I honestly don’t know if I should be shocked or not, knowing how both your personalities are”  
“he’s fun! Gross little gremlin knows how to have fun, maybe too much, but still”  
“you give him any sort of attention and that smug ego of his only inflates”  
“it’s only so strong because he’s so little, it’s concentrated. Surprised you never tried to take Walt’s job” Nomura raised an eyebrow and a grin formed on her face  
“hm? Why would I?”  
“you’re badass”  
“well being that, and being able to organize our entire system are two very different things. I might be able to multitask but making sure our entire group functions perfectly in sync, no”  
“Speaking of functioning, you hear from Otto? Earlier Walt looked pissed while talking to him over the phone”  
“why am I not surprised. Also no, we don’t keep up to date on each other, we aren’t friends”  
“why is that?”  
“you’re asking me why I’m not his friend? Truly?”  
“I know you’re not social but aww come on, he’s funny!”  
“He’s a co-worker. yes, for the brief periods you deal with him. He also has terrible taste in music”  
“we can’t all like classical”

 

“not to mention you only get that reaction out of him, well besides your brother. Although, I do find it remarkably more enjoyable when he truly isn’t sure how you’re going to act around him. He act’s like you’ll rip his liver out any second”  
“i might!” Nomura raised her eyebrow  
“really?”  
“Aww okay you’re right”  
“you and I both know he takes to heart your status more than anyone else. Actually I’ve heard him make little remarks under his breath about Walt and I”  
“ohhhh gossip! Dish girl!”  
“couldn’t really tell, not fluent in German, at least not anymore within recent years, I really should brush up on it someday soon. Although it was something about how we act with you. I couldn’t tell if he meant that we’re far to casual with you, or that he’s jealous he can’t be in your ‘little circle’ like we are”  
“awwwww someone’s jealous~. hm. Speaking of. Why do YOU not fear me? Quake in your dress when you’re next to me, flinch as I turn my head to look at you”  
“ha. In your dreams. Because I know you, and I know how to handle you”  
“you know, I should rip YOUR liver out right now and eat it! Teach you a lesson!”  
“in your wildest dreams”  
“Awwww I can’t even creep you out! No fun. You and Walt and Noten, only changelings not afraid of me”  
“Walt knows his position, he plays his cards to absolute perfection. He knows how you see him, he knows you’ll protect him, he knows he’s the ONLY one tactical enough to see everything through perfectly. He knows your father can rely on him, something he doesn’t to any other changeling. So yes, he wouldn’t be afraid of you. Plus he did help you all these years with your life”  
“sweet guy. I should get him a gift. What do changelings his age like? I don’t think I could find a cave painting that I could chisel out”

 

That made Nomura crack up.  
“oh like YOU don’t find Walt’s age funny Nomura?. Although he does take really good care of himself”  
“i suppose he does”  
“i love my little casual talks with my little changelings”  
“well your ‘little changelings’ can tolerate you for a bit, before you annoy us”  
“FIRST of all, YOU know what you were getting yourself into when you took this Job here”  
“i was here in this city way before you were”  
“dam you and your logic! Still, that’s part of your job! You HAVE to tolerate me!”  
“and if I chose not to?”  
“I’ll tell daddy on you! ‘waaahhhh Nomura was being mean to me! She called me dumb and lame!’”  
“the moment you decide to throw me to your fathers mercy will be the moment the moon suddenly turns into mercury”  
“hey, if we can use a big magic cloud to make the world into an endless night, I’m sure we might be able to turn the moon into a giant jellyfish if we wanted to” (get the reference?)  
“now there’s a curiosity to imagine. I wonder what that would look like in the night sky”  
“it would be dope duh!...hmm...i was wondering, how DO you see me?”  
“in what context?”  
“me being your boss, the spoiled annoying useless little son of the family, bossing everyone around and going about it all like he owns the place”  
“you’re being too negative on yourself. I don’t find you spoiled or useless, I doubt anyone else does either. No one thinks you boss them around, after all you hardly give us actual commands. You treat us all very well, we can relax around you and be next to you without being growled at for being too close to ‘touching’ range. Even if you do annoy us at times, we enjoy having you around. If feels somewhat like protection, a little reminder that you’re going to make sure we aren’t hunted to extinction when our jobs are finished. People enjoy it when you laugh and have fun, it gives us a little reminder that there is someone at the top that enjoys us, sees us as actual individuals instead of impures only made to serve”  
“lording over a race that is considered lesser because of where they came from. Huh, why does that sound so familiar to my life...hmmm” 

Nomura couldn’t help but feel a pleasant smile form on her face. Happy that someone else sees from that type of viewpoint and truly mean their words  
“i do wonder what you would be like if you were a full troll”  
“not nearly as fun I bet!”  
“or as relaxed. Back to the subject at hand, I can assure you, NO ONE thinks any of those negative things about you. Or at least they don’t show or say it”  
“well, what DO people think of me?”  
“I never say anything, don’t care for idle gossip or rumors. Other than what I told you, I truly don’t know. Well, the only other thing really is some others may or may not be so sure about you being in charge”  
“ohhhhhh fun! Tell me!”  
“just because you’re so young and ‘childish’. Some fear you may somehow ruin things and make all of us look bad”  
“awwww! I try to be a fun boss! Wait you don’t think that?”  
“of course not”  
“Why?”  
“that should be obvious. I KNOW YOU. Plus unlike others, we know how you truly feel about our little group of friends. You really do care about us and listen to Walt and always say nothing but good words to your father about us”  
“aww you’re making me blush. So, what do others think of the whole ‘badass kingdom plan’?’  
“again, fear. For being childish, young, and naive. However Walt always reassures them that you truly do care and wish to protect us. you’ve proven it so far. Especially with Walt doing his usual ‘honeyed words’ to soothe everyone’s nerves. Another good thing is that everyone here at our clubhouse who know you, can confirm to others who ask such things”  
“yay! Your boss is being loved!” 

 

Nomura and Jim stopped at a large two door entrance. Nomura punched in a few numbers before the two walked in. the sounds of their steps echoed throughout the huge store room. Filled with various pieces for viewing pleasure! Some to be taken away, and others new arrivals. Jim shifted Toby on his shoulder as he looked around, his voice echoed out  
“finally here, felt like we walked forever”  
“try doing this everyday in heels”  
“no one asks you to”  
“society does”  
“just saying. You can still look good with something flat”  
“oh? Fashion advice? From a half troll? About footwear? Well isn’t that new”  
“hey! I’m gay! I’m supposed to know about fashion! don’t you know the rules!”  
“about footwear, no. well, here we are” the two stood in front of a decent sized circle. It resembled that of a very old astronomical clock  
“whoa….pretty”  
“one of the very few ever built”  
“kinda looks like the one in Prague”  
“it was a similar construction to it, except this one was forged deep underground by changeling Kuberas”  
“nice...so...no one’s just going to ask where it came from?”  
“this isn’t staying. it’s leaving. This museum is just to keep it for the time being while we had enough space and time to move it to one of our other projects”  
“so, why you shoin meee dis?”  
“you are our boss. Plus, this” Nomura walked to the side of it and unhinged a few mental parts, then a loud thud came from deep within. The clock lit up and slowly turned.  
“huh, kinda looks like...”  
“the trollhunters amulet”  
“yeah! how’d you know?”  
“research. From what I’ve been told we needed to learn how to get a better grasp on how it worked. So, we did various tests. This being one of them”  
“how many other tests? Anything successful?”  
“there were many, I think a few tests are still being conducted, but I haven’t kept up to date with it. No need really. As for the successful parts, only thing we’ve come close to understanding it better is the amulet you and Bular have, other than that, nothing”  
“so, does it DO anything?”  
“well, other than looking pretty, no. it WAS supposed to summon visions of where ever the user wanted to look”  
“like an all seeing eye?”  
“well, in a way, yes. But it never worked. Clairvoyance and future predictions are some, if not THE, most difficult types of magic to understand and actually put into use properly. However, I brought you here not just for a history lesson, but this.” Nomura fiddled with a few wires and metal plates, until she pulled out a small glass sphere that looked like a blue universe was inside. She dusted it off and gave it to Jim

“aww for me? Thanks!”  
“your father told us to give it to you. Which was actually the reason for us bringing it here. Well that and we did need a place for storage, so two birds and all that”  
“ohhh what’s it do?”  
“well, that is one of the main components we used to make this work, or tried to. What that little orb does, is give clarity, at least somewhat. So, whoever actually uses it can tell what’s going on around them, at least in a very simple way. It was originally supposed to be used alongside some other part that would have enhanced the clarity’s capabilities tremendously, but none of it ever worked. Some thought it was due to improper calculations, or magic too difficult for the entire thing to process properly, and well everything in between”  
“huh, like, 360 vision?”  
“you know that feeling that someone’s watching you? Well this potentially is an orb of that. Your father wants you to put it in your amulet, so whenever someone with hostile intent is nearby, it will give you a stronger feeling of that caution, giving you a nice little warning in your head to be prepared for anything. The magic is very minor so it’s not like it will tell you if someone with ill intent is thinking of swinging a sword at you at a certain time. More along the lines of...hmm….getting a bad vibe from someone, the most simple way of explaining really. Even I don’t completely understand it”  
“okay THAT’S pretty badass!...this is great...i need all the help I can get after all” Jim sighed at that last part as he slid the orb into his pocket. Making sure not to jostle Toby too much. Jim would have to give it to the forge master to tinker with and put it into his amulet.

 

“don’t be so hard on yourself”  
“oh no not you too! I trusted you!” Nomura smiled as she turned the clock off  
“I’m not the most emotional person or anything close to it, you and everyone else know that. But I do know that feeling of being powerless and weak. You’re strong. We all know. You-”  
“just have to wait blah blah, train and grow, you’re a beautiful flower that hasn’t fully bloomed. Ugh I know! Look, I really do appreciate it, I mean it. I just….I’m so...tired of hearing it and not...feeling anything. I know I’m already pushing myself too hard too fast. I just wish I could, cut corners.”  
“NEVER cut corners. Trust me. I was the exact same as you were. I wanted to prove myself, be the best, be the strongest so no one would give me any kind of-” Nomura was interrupted by Toby moving a bit and muttering something UN-intelligible in his sleep.  
“guess he’s waking up soon. Somewhat happy he did pass out. We wouldn’t have been able to do this tonight. Well, to wrap it up. Just be patient. I wanted to rush. It only made me go back instead of forward. Practice. Speed is a lie, it’s the pace that makes it. Master what you have before moving on. You don’t start eating something then move onto something else the second a new meal arrives. Well, you shouldn’t. You get my point, right?”  
“yeah I do. Rome wasn’t built in a day and all that junk. Thanks for this, and that, and meeting with Toby”  
“well. Partial. You’re my boss after all. Plus, I don’t think you’re completely insufferable”  
“welp! I love that, but now things are getting too weird. We both know this so let’s move on”  
“another reason I like you, you know how to move on.”

………………………………………………………………….

Toby was sitting down on a small couch drinking water. The three were in a break room. Nomura walking around tidying up while Jim just casually checked his phone.  
“s-s-s-o sh-she”  
“yes Toby”  
“is...she an actual assassin?!”  
“noooo that was just a joke. She just helps pass info along to Walt if she hears anything, and does get my dad stuff he wants. that’s all. She isn’t some hacker or infiltrator or anything weird. Just occasionally finds some rock dad might like, and help send it to him. If she hears anything on the news about like, some giant political thing, she tells Walt, if he doesn’t already know, and that’s it. Other than that, just an everyday ‘museum lady’”  
“oh..okay Jim...i believe you. I know you’d never hide anything from me...right?”  
“Toby. I tell you things because I know you need to know them at certain times, it’s always for the best at the best moment. Like, the whole me chomping down on people, THAT wasn’t supposed to be told until, well you get it. So don’t worry! I tell you the important stuff when you need it! I promise. I only want to help you, never hurt you. There is very little, to nothing really, left that I’m not telling you. Like ‘war plans’ I don’t tell you, mostly cause it’s just useless and not needed, even I hardly pay much attention to whatever I hear. But breathe. Relax. After this, we can get a niiiccceee burrito to calm your nerves”  
“that….does sound really nice….”  
“and when we get home, we can watch the new season of that one cooking show you like on my laptop, I downloaded it so we can watch. I’m starting to get into it”  
“yeah...that….really really does sound nice….okay...i...believe you….but please...is their ANYONE ELSE that is like that?”  
“hmm...maybe just like, one more person, but he typically doesn’t matter. He’s like Nomura and Walt, except he just comes from outside of Arcadia. Other than that, no one I can think of off the top of my head. Breathe. Nothing out of the ordinary-well, OUR ordinary I mean”  
“honestly, if you told me there was some giant troll that could eat the sun, I think I’d believe you. At this point, I don’t think much else could really go beyond what I already feel...there….isn’t right?”  
“noooooo not at all, or anything CLOSE to that. well, that’s….a good thing?”  
“yeah I don’t know either”

The two went home shortly after that. Jim left for Toby to get ready for the night while he went to the forge master to ‘upgrade’ his amulet. It was a few hours later when Jim was called. The amulet was improved! When he held it he….didn’t feel any different. So they tested it a bit. They blindfolded and plugged Jim’s ears up so he couldn’t tell what was going on around him. The first test: Jim held it and did nothing as a guard ran at him with a spear. It failed, so the guard quickly impaled the spear into the ground next to Jim so he didn’t get hurt. The next test. It was the same except now he was told to use his powers. It worked slightly, Jim did get ‘a vibe’ from where the soldier was coming from, so he quickly rolled out of the way. They did a few more experiments to try and get better results. It was successful….eventually…..Jim had to truly put all his focus on his surroundings. He sensed someone with ‘ill intent’ coming towards him, so he turned to face the direction of said someone. Other than that, no better results had been made. They decided to call it quits for the night and practice some other time in the future. Jim found a relaxed half asleep Toby. Jim simply and as quietly as possible got himself ready for bed and crawled into it. Falling asleep with thoughts of how much more he could improve….

 

…………………………………………………………………………

The next morning. Jim gasped as he woke up suddenly. His heart beats rapidly, his breathing became intense. Toby snorted and shot up  
“wah wron jm?”  
“Whoa...okay...whoa...”  
“wha?” Jim just let himself fall back into his nest and rub his face. Right then and there, the alarm clock went off. Toby and Jim both yawned and stretched.  
“mornin Jim….so...wha...” Toby yawned again and took his blindfold off, rubbing his eyes and looked at the panicked half troll.  
“morning Tobes...uh...how’d you sleep?”  
“good….was having a crazy dream when a half troll suddenly woke me up. Well, I guess that’s fine. Alarm clock just went off. So whatever”  
“speaking of crazy dreams….wana hear mine?”  
“only if you promise to hear mine”  
“Agreed...so...wow….it was sooo freaky! So, I was super mad at Bular and dad, for some reason right? And so I killed both of them! At different times though. So then, I was in trollmarket and was hanging out with you and Draal when...i actually can’t remember, something about some gnomes? Well anyways, I was a human! I was human Tobes! It felt sooo weird! And we were still in highschool and things were super weird! Although, I think the weirdest part. I was the trollhunter! So you, me, Blinky, Arrrg, Draal, and Claire were all together killing and kicking ass! And you have this magic war hammer!”  
“awww I want a magic war hammer!!! wait Claire?”  
“yeah! Weird right? She had this staff thingy that could make portals”  
“that’s super dope!”  
“right? Well I was doing a bunch of things, but I can’t remember them really. Well, now here I am. Man my head feels super dizzy right now, like I just shot out of a different timeline”

 

( ;) ) 

 

“dam sounds super weird”  
“alright your turn”  
“i was secretly a spy but I was only doing it to spy on people working at some fast food place. You were a table cleaner and you and I had these code words and stuff, and then we found some woman who was trying to write secret codes for the government on the tables. You would go clean them but tell me the codes. Other than that, I can’t remember”

 

( ;) get the reference? )

 

“whelppp. Time to get ready for another exciting day!”  
“woooo! Another day in the nightmare landscape!”  
“another day another wail of agony”

 

The both shared a giggle in the nest. The two got ready for another fun exciting day!!! 

 

Then, things got weird….

Toby gasped in pain and breathed in pain. He had slipped and cut his palm against a very sharp stone. The cut wasn’t too deep, but it covered the entire palm.  
“owowowowowowo” Jim had run back over and did a dramatic knee slide  
“TOBES! NOOOOO! DON’T DIE ON ME! LIVE GOD DAMMIT LIVE!”  
“haha...owowo….very funny!”  
“hey laughter is the best medicine!”  
“and pain killers...oh god am I going to need stitches?”  
“hm..” Jim gently took Toby’s hand, looking over the palm. It was starting to bleed intensely.  
“I’m no medical expert but….hmm….i don’t think so”  
“speaking of, god this hurts, is there any doctor around here?”  
“surprsingly no. It would take a few minutes for me to run at full speed before we found one. Even then, they only know how to help full trolls, not soft human tissue”  
“great….Jim….if I bleed out...remember….i love you….and eat me completely! don’t slack off! I mean it!” Jim chuckled as he moved the hand around carefully  
“i promise. I promise.” the scent of blood started to get to Jim. He growled in his throat softly and his eyes focused more…..the smell….it...was good….too good….his appitie started to flare up…  
“uh Jim...you okay there?”  
“yeah….just…..fine….”  
“kind looking at me like a cat to a mouse….you’re...not REALLY thinking of…..anything right?”

“hm? No….no……..no….” Jim just stared at the palm. Watching the sweet fluid starting to make small streams over the sides of the hand. Jim noticeably swallowed while watching it flow  
“uh….Jimbo….” Jim didn’t even hear Toby. Everything seemed to be blocked out entirely…..Jim didn’t even realize he was starting to go into hunt mode…..such sweet sweet blood….the smell was too strong….  
“Jimbo...hey...please don’t….hey...HEY!” that finally caught Jim’s attention. If only slightly  
“hm?”  
“Jim, wake up, hey focus!”  
“sorry….Tobes….i….can...i….”  
“please don’t eat my hand!”  
“no...i just….want….to taste….”  
“uh...okay...just...don’t...chew….” Jim nodded his head as he stuck the hand in his mouth. He moaned as he tasted the flavors. It was good. A bit too good for Jim…

 

He swallowed what poured into his mouth. He lapped at the wound. Causing Toby to cry in pain

 

Jim started to chew….

“OWOWOWOW JIMBO STOP STOP!” Jim closed his eyes and focused on the food. It was too good…..he couldn’t control himself  
“JIMBO JIMBO JIMBO STOP!” Jim finally snapped out of it. He looked over at Toby, he was in complete fear...Jim spit out the hand and started to whimper  
“no...oh god….oh god Tobes….I’m so sorry..i….I’m a monster….” Jim grabbed both horns and started to tear up  
“i couldn’t control myself….i could have hurt you….” Toby put his other hand on Jim’s shoulder  
“hey. It’s okay”  
“no….no it’s not! I could have hurt you!”  
“it’s okay! I’m…..fine…..” Toby noticed his palm...it…..have some light bite marks but…..it stopped bleeding…...and hurting…….  
“what….” it still hurt to flex, but it dripped with Jim’s saliva. it...stopped up the blood. Like glue. It numbed the pain as well.  
“huh...Jim….look” They both looked at the palm in curiosity.  
“dude, your spit is like a blood wound filler or something. It even hurts a lot less….i can barely feel the pain….wow…..it’s like pain killers or SOMETHING….geez you spit really is like glue  
“whoa…..freaky….” they both looked as the blood slowly came to a stop as the saliva replaced it.  
“uh….okay….i didn’t know my spit was like….that”  
“dude! You should sell it!”  
“what?”  
“think about it! it’s like some medical thing! You could just slobber over bottle and stuff and you’d make total bank!”  
“HA yeah right! ‘half troll slobber! Medical wound cure capabilities!”  
“wow….well that’s...awesome!”  
“i...really don’t know what to think….does it really not hurt?”  
“well, a tiny bit….but I’m good!” Toby flexed his fingers a bit, the blood started back up a bit but was stopped by the saliva that soaked his hand  
“dude it really is like painkiller glue!”  
“well...that’s cool! Never seen it do that before”  
“well, you only ever did kill and eat people, not like they could have said something...wait….OH SHIT YOUR DNA!”  
“huh?”  
“your spit and stuff and bite marks! can’t people like, trace it back to you!?”  
“well, no one has my dental record or medical history in the first place, so no”  
“wow, you really are like an assassin who can’t be caught!”  
“HA! Sounds pretty cool….I’m so sorry Tobes”  
“it’s fine, besides, it turned out for the best! Wow, patched me right up! Thanks”  
“your….welcome?”

 

“Brother” the two yelped as they turned around and noticed Bular coming towards them. Jim and Toby were too focused on the ‘event’ to even notice a big black bull troll come towards them.  
“uh oh uh hey bro!”  
“i was wondering if...it was possible...that….we could…..spend the day together?” Bular’s voice had a bit of a nervous tone to it. He hasn’t exactly done this often. Ask someone else to be with them, it almost always is the other way around, and even those times were few and rare.  
“uh…..sure!” Bular smiled and his mood lightened.  
“you wana just go hangout somewhere?...hangout is just a modern term that means to go somewhere and spend time together. Like Tobes and I hangout all the time”  
“ah. I see. Yes I would...enjoy hanging out”  
“sweet! We were going to just walk around and hangout on the surface. We didn’t really have anything planned”  
“i wish to attend anyways”  
“you sure? Gonna be bored”  
“i will endure. I wish to be with you”  
“okay then! let’s head on out!”

 

…………………………………………………………

 

The day was simple. The time together was easy. It truly was a relaxing boring day. All they did really was walk around, look at things, get food, a lot of which Bular wanted to taste and even enjoyed! He liked beef jerky a lot, and just relax and be laid back. Bular of course didn’t really enjoy just….resting...even if they didn’t do anything that would warrant the need to rest. He hated being lazy and just overall not doing anything productive. He endured, just like he said however. It was the evening now, the sun was setting and it was pretty. Various color’s all across the sky. The clouds painted soft colors and warm colors. Jim excused himself to go to the bathroom nearby. Leaving Bular and Toby alone. They both slowly started to feel less awkward being alone together. Bular liked that he could start to practice ‘conversation’. Toby liked that he wanted to try. Toby was feeling calm, until something horrified him.

 

Bular had taken Toby’s hand and stuck it into his own mouth. Toby’s heart beat to maximum. He was terrified! The inside of Bular’s mouth….was nothing he’d ever felt before.

It was hot. Very hot. Like sticking his hand into an oven. It was wet and slimy, far more than Jim’s. It was rough, like the texture of wet cement. Everything was overwhelming and Toby was horrified. Was Bular about to bite off his hand!? That technically wouldn’t kill him….was he tasting him!? Oh god, the licking and wet hot temperature. It was almost like torture. The only things to ever enter his mouth was food, and by food it meant people. The teeth were thick and sharp at the ends. Strong enough to literally crack stone and bone. Which was technically true anyways. Toby never wanted to feel the inside of Bular’s mouth again. He could only imagine the mortified faces of who had to feel and see the same thing. Except they wouldn’t be alive soon after. Bular’s intense glare burned into Toby. The gaze froze him in place. It was only a few moments, but they felt like hell. Bular pulled Toby’s hand out, the intense heat was replaced by the cold of the outside, the evening was warm, but it seemed freezing in comparison. The thick incredibly hot slime of his saliva coated his hand like the most intense super glue he’s ever felt.

“why are in such a fearful state? Do you fear I was going to consume you? You should understand I never have the attention of devouring you.” Toby was barely able to stutter out  
“W-w-w-why d—did you d-do that?!”  
“i witness my brother do the same. I had thought it was something related to friendship”  
“god your mouth….it’s like out of hell….”  
“what do you mean?”  
“it’s so rough and hot and wet….the only things to ever actually go into it was something that was dying”  
“ah. Well like I said, I have no intention of putting you in my stomach.”  
“no..it...wasn’t a sign of friendship...please...don’t do that….again….to anyone….”  
“you taste fantastic. If you enjoy that compliment”  
“oh uh...thank...you”  
“hm. I will not consider doing this again. You have my word. I can see why my brother wishes to devour you”  
“uh….yeah….uh….yeah…..”  
“why did he do that then?”  
“it….long story…..it doesn’t matter...”  
“ah.” Toby just wiped his hand on the grass and his cloths. Jim had come back shortly after, looking at Toby and smelling the heavy fear in the air. He started to get angry at his brother, what the hell did he do now?….

 

…………………………………………………………………..

After that ‘misunderstanding’ the three did what they were doing that day. Bular was currently eating pizza stuffed with meat. A true carnivores meal. He enjoyed it a lot. Toby was wiping his hands and throwing away napkins when he elbowed Jim  
“hey look” Toby showed a small flier of a blood donation event happening the tomorrow.  
“oh yeah, neat, what about it?”  
“maybe that’s a good idea”  
“they don’t take half troll blood”  
“no not that! I’m talking about….a pseudo meal, hint hint”  
“ohhh. What you think they’ll just give it to me?”  
“of course not, I’m just saying, maybe we can find a way to get some, tide you over”  
“hm….yeah….that’s a smart idea...”  
“didn’t you say Walt had some friend who worked at the hospital? Other than Barbara I mean, not that they’re friends since they’re dating-you know what I mean!”  
“huh...yeah...good idea..”

………………………………………………..

It wasn’t long later until Jim excused himself and made a quick call to Walt. He explained that he wanted to start consuming blood. Help him out, that’s all he said to Walt. And the changing in charge didn’t pry any further. He really could easily set up a ‘real’ blood donation drive. As well as some of it ‘donated’ to another patient. Walt and the changelings had figured and set up everything. Tomorrow, would start Jim’s next step in his life…..

……………………………………………………………………

It was that night. Jim and Toby were in their room watching downloaded shows on Jim’s laptop. They had plugged it up to a big TV in Jim’s room, able to both enjoy it on a nice big clear screen. Toby would laugh and eat some snacks they bought. Meanwhile Jim was mostly focused on Toby….

Eventually the human noticed and asked what’s wrong  
“i….you Toby...i...can’t get you out of my head...”  
“Awww thanks! I can’t get you out of my head either”  
“no..i...i want to eat you...”  
“well, I am a snaccc haha!”  
“no. Toby. I’m serious. I…..i can’t get you out of my head...i….i want to just dig into you...” Toby swallowed down what was in his mouth and nervously tapped his knee  
“huh...uh…...um….you’re not….going….to do anything….right?”  
“no…...no…….no……..i…..can…..i please...just….taste….just….eat some blood...just...a little…..” Jim swallowed down a growl building up in his throat. Toby laughed nervously and tried not to look at the feral Jim only a couple feet away from him.  
“uh...uh...um……...s…..sure?...just...don’t….hurt...me...please...”  
“I’ll just bite you hand I swear” Jim practically dove next to him, he took Toby’s hand and bit into it. A little too hard. Toby cried and watched his best friend chew the skin until he reached a good source of blood. He purred as he drank and licked it up. Toby was…..mortified…..this feral….nature….this creature that really was a monster…..literally eating him….Jim...his best friend….was gone. For the first time in Toby’s life, he really was afraid of Jim. An uncomfortable 10 minutes passed. Jim would just gently gnaw a little bit when the blood started to stop flowing. He lapped and licked and sucked on the palm, drinking as much as his greedy nature could consume.  
“h-hey Jimbo….” Jim simply didn’t even notice his friend speaking.

“Jimbo...please….please look at me….please” Jim stopped mid lick, he raised his head and looked at Toby, with glazed eyes and an emotionless expressionless. Truly a hungry feral animal. Jim licked his lips and looked into Toby’s eyes. A look Toby never would have even imagined he would ever see in his life. The fear of his best friend rose drastically.  
“hey...you….you good now Jimbo?...i...u….uh…..um…..done?...kinda….drinking a lot...of my blood...like...a lot….” Jim just purred heavily and didn’t reply. He simply went back to licking and lapping. Toby was afraid. This was it. Jim wouldn’t even think he was his friend anymore. Just another prey to eat. Food to tear into. How much longer until Jim just went full monster?

After another 5 minutes. Jim stopped. He pulled away and licked his lips, wiping his face shortly after. Toby felt tired….he was tired….a bit pale...and hungry….but mostly tired. He closed his eyes and almost drifted off. Only to wake up when he heard whimpers.  
“oh god Toby..i...i did it again….” Jim was holding both horns and crying. Toby’s palm was patched up once more.  
“i could have killed you. I could have killed you. I could have killed you.” Jim just repeated as he tucked himself tightly into himself. Toby took a deep breath and hugged his friend tightly.  
“it’s okay Jimbo. You didn’t. You won’t. You remembered not to. I love you Jimbo, you love me. You remembered to stop.”

…………………………………………………………………………

The morning was...well….Jim wasn’t exactly ‘stable’. He hardly wanted to move. He hardly wanted to leave his nest. He hardly wanted to take the blankets off. He tried to curl up. Hide himself from the world, from everything and everyone. Toby just pet what he assumed was Jim’s horn. He just told Jim it was okay and he’s fine! Not tired or pale anymore! He feels great actually! it’s very healthy to donate blood. It helps your heart pump more and make your body overall healthy. 

(true!! at least from what I know when I’ve gotten my blood drawn before, for medical reasons not for donations. They don’t take ‘gay blood’.)

 

Toby stopped and left the room for some time. Then returned and put something on for them to watch. A nice funny movie to try and get Jim’s mood lightened. Toby brought snacks out and tried to ‘lure’ Jim out with some of his favorite snacks. Eventually Jim’s hand quickly reached out and snatched a snack, before retreating back into his blanket home. It isn’t for a couple hour’s before Jim’s little horns poked out of the blanket, slowly followed by Jim’s head. His fur an absolute mess.  
“hey” Toby said casually. Jim just whimpered and didn’t even look at Toby.  
“you want some food? Huh? Someone want a little food?” Toby shook a bowl before sliding it over. Jim took it and started to eat.  
“see Jimbo? I’m fine! Even my cuts and bite marks are healed up….surprisingly quickly too…..and if you ever want more...I’m more than happy to ‘feed’ you” The food in Jim’s hand fell out back into the bowl. Jim felt a wave of cold burn his face and work its way down into his chest  
“Toby...please….don’t….don’t enable me”  
“I want to”  
“Tobes….i could hurt you….badly….like…..really badly…...i….i can’t control myself….”  
“but you did. You remembered to stop”  
“yeah….but...”  
“and the more you teach yourself how and when to stop, the easier it’ll get”  
“no….what if the opposite happens! What if it just gets worse! I don’t want to risk hurting you!”  
“Jim, do you feel good? Healthy?”  
“i….i do….like I just came out of a cold”  
“annnd that’s all because I donated a little of my blood to you. And see? I’m totally fine”  
“i...huh…..”  
“so, want some more?”  
“Don’t….don’t do this Tobes….why are you doing this?”  
“i want to help”  
“this isn’t helping! This is just me hurting you! WHAT IS WITH YOU?! WHY ARE YOU LITERALLY OFFERING FOR ME TO KILL YOU?!”

 

“Jim. This is the greatest discovery we’ve ever made with your whole battery recharge. It hurts, but I’m fine. If this happens, to save an entire life, it’s worth it. I know where you are, I know you’re safe, I know you won’t feel awful like when you kill someone”  
“Tobes this doesn’t have anything to do with you sacrificing yourself ‘for the greater good’”  
“it is and it does. You know how I’m literally willing to take a bullet for you, why is this any different?”  
“you’re killing yourself just to feed me….”  
“I’m not dead! See? Besides it’s not like you’re draining every drop of blood in one go! Please Jim, let me help!”  
“Toby...this is freaking me out….i don’t….what if I can’t stop?”  
“already thought of the perfect way”  
“you….did?”  
“i never said you HAD to bite me like a vampire”  
“…..huh?”

…………………………………………………………….

Toby is starting to use his little ‘connection’ to Bular and Gunmar. Why not? Perks of the job, why not cash in? When Jim was depressed that morning, Toby had left. He did his usual check in and told the news. Gunmar had no idea how to react, the same went for Bular. Toby said he had a plan, but he needs to talk to Walt first. THAT shocked both of them even more! Toby wasn’t an idiot. He knew how to play his own cards. he’s always known what he should do when and where at what time. He was in no way some perfect mastermind, but he could form plans and thoughts. This being one of them. Toby still had no idea about the changelings, and the little family intended on keeping it a secret. Bular and Gunmar would make sure Toby never finds out.

 

Toby knew Walt was connected to them. So no need to be hiding it or awkward about it. Embrace it. Move on. Like everything else in his life. Why not? it’s either that or nothing. Might as well just go forward with it. You can’t go back and change anything either. Literally only had one option, so why wait? Why just stand around doing nothing when you can do SOMETHING. So that’s what he did. After getting a ‘ride’ from Bular, Toby said he wouldn’t take too long. He may or may not have stolen Jim’s phone, contacted a surprised Walt, told Walt about his plan, and that was that.

The plan was simple. Donate blood. that’s it. During the blood drive, Walt said he would be able to talk to one of his ‘friends’ and they could take some for themselves, aka, give Jim his new food supply. Every changeling knew well enough not to mention anything to Toby. They all remembered the worldwide broadcast. Not only that, but Toby truly did not think anything about Walt’s friend and their connecton. He truly thought they were just that, a regular friend. Nothing ‘mysterious’ sounding. So thankfully he didn’t pry anyfurther. Toby said he wanted to do what needed to be done, he WANTED to. He is Jim’s best friend, he’s going to do whatever it takes to keep his friends healthy and happy. Now it was literally his job and he would be brutally torn apart if he failed at it. So, another reason! So the blood drive was just about to start when Toby returned with Bular back to the darklands…..

…………………………………………………………….  
Now at the current time…  
…………………………………………………………….

 

“And done. Easy peasy” a woman said as she patched Toby’s arm up. A nice amount of blood donated! A nice little pack filled up! Jim was already happily drinking from a different one. it’s amazing! Why didn’t they think of this sooner?! Jim was feeling that wonderful buzz, not nearly as good as eating someone, but it still felt wonderful! And he felt sooo healthy and energized! Like he was drinking some energy drink that also prevented him from killing and eating people. FUN!. The woman left the room to go tend to someone else. Toby was gently rubbing his arm while Jim sipped happily from his current packet  
“see Jimbo? Make better than digging your teeth into someone” Jim purred and happily nodded. By now, Jim had a nice backpack stuffed with blood packets from various donors. The blood drive had more than enough for a few packets to suddenly ‘vanish’ without a trace, and without notice. So, now Jim has his own little new food source! He couldn’t have been happier!. He sipped them like a squeezable meal!. Toby made a joke about that. Another joke of whenever Jim was grumpy he needed to drink another one, he wasn’t himself when he was hungry!  
“mr grumpy. I think a certain gumm-gumm needs to have his snack pack”  
“…..yes”  
They even slapped on some stuff onto the packets to make it look like they all truly were a red colored drink.  
“nice huh? See your best friend in the whole world just helped you yet again! So, how do I taste?”  
“amaaazziiinnnggg!”  
“Toby the bloodbank! Another thing to add to what I am”  
“And I want to withdraw allllllllll the time!”

 

 

Well. Jim did say it…...and mean it……

 

It’s been a couple weeks now, whenever Jim started to feel ‘low on energy’ he’d sip another packet! However, he needed to keep sipping a lot of them, since it took more than one to recharge him all the way. Gunmar didn’t like this one bit. He said that these packets, would NOT be enough to sustain him. He would grow weaker and weaker. He HAD to eat. Jim said that this was HIS choice, and his father respect it. If Gunmar wanted to prove he was becoming a better father, then he would respect Jim’s new lifestyle, reluctantly of course. He worried about his son’s life. He wasn’t healthy. He was small. He was weak. Now? Now he’s going to practically starve himself to death. Bular had agreed with his father, but like his father he had respected Jim’s choice. The two would watch Jim closer. Make sure he would be healthy. As much as he could be….

 

Currently, Jim was running low on packets….

What should he do? get more! With Walt and his friend, they managed to keep the blood coming no problem!…...Well….

Toby was getting a little...woozy….Jim really was draining him dry. Almost once, sometimes twice, and one time three times, every day Toby donated a full packet of blood. His friend might have liked his taste a little too much. Toby didn’t mind. He was happy knowing he was helping Jim. Saving him mentally, morally, emotionally, and physically. Currently Toby was finishing another pack. Saying he kinda wants to stop  
“plleeeaassee! Just one more? Please!”  
“Kinda…...getting….a little….woozy….been doing this….a lot”  
“come on! I believe in you! Pretty please?”  
“kinda….need some….for myself...haha”  
“yeah but you can make more! Come on! Pretty please? I’ll be your best friend!”  
“already are, that’s why….I’m doing this….haha”  
“I know you have it in you! You can do it! you’re strong enough!”  
“i...kinda...need….to take a lil...break...Jimbo...”  
“I’m cheering you on! Like you said, this is healthy for you! And me! you’re being so amazing for the both of us! Just oooone more? Please? It really isn’t that much!”  
“Jimbo...i….don’t mind but….kinda….getting woozy…from….so...many...of them….so….quickly...”  
“just oooonneee for dessert tonight? Please? For your Jimbo?”  
“break…..p...please?….really….drinking...me dry here….Jimbo...”  
“kinda being selfish, but, oh alright.”  
“ha...ha...selfish...Toby...as...usual...haha...”  
“I’m kidding. Well, I guess I have enough for a couple days, you should be good to go by then!”  
“lil...bigger….break than...that….Jimbo….please?”

 

“alright in all seriousness I really don’t want to kill you. I have enough to last me a while. I’m being selfish. Toby the blood bank, just gonna have to close for a while”  
“I’m….like a cow...with...milk...except blood...moo”  
“yeah you need a break. If I let you die, where else am I going to get Toby blood?”  
“ha...haha….yeah….I’m a cow...the best...their is”  
“Toby...how many fingers am I holding up?”  
“ha….cow...but with blood...Toby the blood cow”  
“okay. Yeah that’s enough for a while. Come on, you fed me now I’m going to feed you, want to go get a bunch of burritos? Get some water in you, relax, watch some movies, have a nice looong nap’  
“i…..want that...can….i...just kinda...get extra...sour cream?”  
“of course. Come on, giving you a piggy back ride, don’t think you can move that much really”  
“haha….cow”  
“i think I’m being too abusive to your offers. Time to stop for a while”


	33. I'M INNOCENT!......

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> for the FIRST TIME EVER!
> 
>  
> 
> JIM'S KILLED OTHERS!.........by accident
> 
> being put on trial for murder isn't as fun as once thought, Isn't that right Jim?
> 
> who better to help prove Jim's innocence than the one, the only, TOBY DOMZALSKI!
> 
>  
> 
> Usurna you fucking kiss ass
> 
>  
> 
> Toby. please. just.....don't.
> 
> Kanjigar. stop thinking those thoughts....some pains shouldn't be spoken of.
> 
> not yet. 
> 
> not now.
> 
> Jim. that pain inside of you. it won't go away. it will only keep hurting.
> 
> JIM DON'T TELL THE TRIBUNAL ABOUT SEXUAL FETISHES AND BONDAGE! AND GET A GRIP ALREADY! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOU SING SMASH MOUTH! someone smack him! poor Jim. he needs a nap......and a fuck....and a good cry......and ice cream. ice cream solves all problems
> 
> also don't just try and shoo half trolls away
> 
> ALSO STOP TALKING ABOUT MURDERING TOBY!
> 
> also Jim, don't say bro.
> 
> JIM DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR DEATH LIKE THAT!  
> stop, you're scaring Kanjigar!
> 
> Kanjigar, congrats! you now have two new son's! two. childish. son's. Deya give him strength
> 
> ALSO STOP INTERRUPTING KANJIGAR!
> 
> JIM IS A GOD DAM DANCING QUEEN!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a nice songlist if anyone wonders what i listen to when writing:  
> The Killers - All these things that I've done. (well, lyrics kinda explain why it makes me think of Jim)  
> The Witcher 3 OST - Lullaby of Woe (makes me think of Victoria singing to Jim. what's that supposed to mean? just gonna have to find out!)  
> The Heavy- This ain't No Place For No Hero (title and lyrics kinda explain why)  
> Hozier - Arsonist's Lullaby (lyrics remind me of jims childhood)  
> Hozier - In The Woods Somewhere (jim having to deal with trying to choose his human side over his troll side. troll side being a beast that  
> chases the poor human side. a monster trying to feed)  
> Hideaway - Karen O and the Kids (that one always makes me cry XD. It makes me Imagine Jim thinking about Toby when he's long gone. like  
> Jim sitting under a tree watching the sunset, remembering what he and Toby would say and joke about. Now Toby is just an old distant memory from so long ago. almost like he was just made up, never actually there  
> Live Like A Champion - The Kinnardlys (first heard it from Mune guardian of the moon. one of my faaavvv movies. check it outtt!!! it's a french animation film, super pretty! concept art is actually used with the characters for backgrounds! also mune and sohone are boyfriends and you can't convince me otherwise. also there's two English versions. the first one i like better, it matches the characters personalities better)  
> The Hit House feat. Ruby Friedman – Hunt You Down (BB one of my FAV games. yeah, Im edgy like that)  
> Dark Souls III - Trailer SONG (True Colors of Darkness) "True Colors" cover OST (my ffaaaavvvv version of the song! i love how really sad it is  
> makes me imagine when jims in a depressed state)  
> Fever Ray 'If I Had A Heart' (when Jim's all killer feeding frenzy state)  
> Flickers Son Lux (imagining stuff like with the pixies)  
> Son Lux - "Pyre" (jim 'killing' off a certain life. which one? hehehe, wait and find out ;p. 'We're wresting now from our own hands a future  
> Regret the flower of watered seed' )  
> Son Lux - Let Me Follow (jim and Draal moments)  
> Son Lux - Betray (angsty Jim and Draal!)  
> EELS - Spectacular Girl (Draal thinking of Jim ;> well, jim instead of a girl, you know what i mean)  
> The Evil Within 2 - Ending Song - ''The Ordinary World'' (Jim being all wanting to 'be normal' on the surface world)  
> Diamond Head - Am I Evil (kinda explains itself XD)  
> Candlemass - Copernicus (Jim imainging his kingdom after dear old daddy takes over the surface)  
> Candlemass - Witches (With Messiah Marcolin) (really makes me think of Gunmar, morgana, and lil bab Jim!!!)  
> Dimmu Borgir- Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse (eternal night and Jim bringing it. hehe...maybe? maybe not? heheh)  
> IAMX - "Land Of Broken Promises' (Jim having a crisis. thinking of where to go. trollmarket? darklands? surface? he isn't sure)  
> IAMX - 'Animal Impulses' (kinda explains itself)  
> Jessica Lange - Gods & Monsters (totally no chapter i based the name on. also this is my fav version of the song)  
> Jessica Lange - Life On Mars (fav version of the song. makes me think of Jim and everyone he knows in his life. truly a freakshow of trolls and humans)  
> KMFDM - Anarchy (Jim gettin allll evil. fuck him like a whore!)  
> KMFDM - Ready To Blow (Jim feelin sexy~)  
> KMFDM - I Am What I Am (explains itself)  
> KMFDM - Professional Killer (Jim goin into killer mode)  
> KMFDM - Free Your Hate (Jim bein an angery boi!)  
> KMFDM- Tohuvabohu (angery hungy Boi! needs food!)  
> Nirvana - In Bloom (nature is a whore! how else were half trolls born? ;P )  
> Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of a Madman (sometimes Jim feels like he's dyin on the inside)  
> Persona 5 OST - Blooming Villain (when Jim feels closer to dear ol daddy)  
> Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Metal Cover) (Jim doesn't wana be held back! let him run around Gunmar!)  
> Aviators - No One Will Save You (bein around dem monsters!)  
> Bishop of Hexen - A Serpentine Crave (Jim bein ultra evil to make dear ol daddy proud as can be!)  
> Bishop of Hexen - The Somber Grounds of Truth (Jim livin with dem gumm-gumm soldiers!)  
> Mirrorthrone - So Frail (Jim thinkin of his life from bein little till now)  
> Deathstars - Blitzkrieg (Jim goin all bloodthristy evil and betrayer mode)  
> Marilyn Manson - The Beautiful People (Jim in trollmarket when they givin him dirty looks and such)  
> Marilyn Manson - The Gardener (well, if you listen to the song the lyrics kinda explain why this song makes me think of Jim)  
> Had this Fic idea. so, Merlin never changed Jim, instead, the AMULET changed Jim. gradually over the years. it's kinda like radiation. it slowly seeps into him and changes him little by little. so he's going to be full troll eventually in his life.

“HALT! DO NOT MOVE!” several guards pointed their spears aggressively at Jim, who had his arms raised in an ‘i surrender’ gesture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The scene?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim. Standing in the middle of two dead trolls. One a civilian and one a guard. Both, freshly killed and slowly turning to stone, Jim DRENCHED in their blood. A broken spear next to them, and scratch marks on the ground.

 

“Uh…...i can explain”

 

 

…………………………………………………………………..

 

Jim sighed as he lightly swung his leg through an opening in his elevated cage. He tapped the metal bars in front of him and sighed through his nose. He wanted to go home. He wanted to go to his nest. He wanted to fuuuuuuuuuck. The day was going so well!….kinda. Two guards kept stealing glances at him from down below. Both alphas. Made sense. Jim was in heat. Surprised they haven’t tried to do anything to him. Even if it’s simply being just a bit too much in his personal bubble. He yawned loudly and shook his head, then leaned it against the cold metal cage. Being a prisoner really wasn’t very fun, not that he assumed it would be any different. Well, at least Jim’s experienced it. Like they always say: Try everything once!

 

And yadda yadda….

 

Jim opened his eyes when he heard Toby run into the prison  
“JIMBO! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!”  
“Toby. I’m like, 10 feet off the ground. If I tried hard enough and stretched myself, I could touch you with the tip of my nails”  
“oh...uh….well that’s a lot less dramatic. I had this whole scene in my head where there’s crying and promises and dramatic music-never mind then”  
“what did you even imagine?!”  
“nothing...important...uh….hey can one of you guard dudes let him down? Just real fast?” A guard snorted in irritation  
“no.”  
“how abo-”  
“no. orders to keep it up there.”  
“not an it. he’s a...well...he…..okay….uh...well…..pretty please?” the troll guard just looked at him with a bored expression.  
“yep yep! Got it” Both guards looked at the human now, unsure what to really think, but mostly, they really didn’t even want to put in much of an effort thinking anything of him. They both stood up straight as they noticed three individuals walking through the hall, and tried their best to look like ‘hey we weren’t slacking off or even thinking anything dirty about our prisoner! we’re both putting in our total effort! Beyond that even!….please don’t fire us’

Jim made a small tired smile and did a little wave.  
“hi” an annoyed looking Vendel, a troubled looking Kanjigar, and an expressionless Usurna looked at him. A guard stood up as straight as he could. Then he cleared his throat  
“Half troll.....erm…...uh…..Jim! You are now in the presence of-”  
“yeah yeah those three, the big deals, the three major players. Blah blah. Look, can we please hurry this up? I rreeeeaaallllyyy need to fuck something and have a nap” one guard snorted and tried to hold back a laugh. Meanwhile Vendel pinched his nose in embarrassment. Kanjigar really wasn’t surprised with this attitude, but he really needed to talk to the young half troll about knowing when and HOW to speak when in the presence of…..specific individuals. Kanjigar is respected throughout most the world. However, Jim’s attitude and actions DO reflect on his owner. Like a rowdy child to a parent.

“Jim, please re-frame from….”  
“saying fuck? Or saying I want to fuck something?”  
“Jim. Please.”  
“wahaaaat? Not like no one here HASN’T had sex!”  
“...uh”  
“never mind Tobes, you get what I mean” Vendel ordered a guard to release his cage. Which ended with Jim’s cage crashing to the ground. Jim stood up and dusted himself off  
“ow. Little warning next time. gee. Thanks. Really could have just-”Before Jim would even make three whole steps out of the cage, Kanjigar grabbed Jim’s horn and pulled him along. Kanjigar stated in a polite tone of voice  
“pardon me, I must speak to him. In private.” Vendel made a small voice of annoyance  
“good. Teach him some manners.”  
“hey! Hey! Watch the horn!” they all watched as Kanjigar pulled Jim out of the room by the horn as Jim protested to it. Toby tapped his hands against his sides and awkwardly smiled. Then gestured with his thumb and partially mouthed something before running after them.

Usurna watched this before turning to a very annoyed Vendel  
“your half troll is….”  
“he is what he is. let’s continue on. Please, try not to mind him, he’s…..hm….himself.”  
“surface life has clearly had it’s….influence. On his actions, and attitude, and...”  
“everything in between.”

………………………………………………………………..

Kanjigar was scolding Jim. The rowdy son needed to be put back in his place, Via whisper shouting around the corner like a parent at a store  
“you’re embarrassing me in front of them!”  
“sorry”  
“if you truly mean it then don’t act like this! Vendel has a hard enough time trying to deal with-”  
“troll politics?”  
“i suppose that would be the proper way of putting it, also do not interrupt-!”  
“sorry”  
again! Now i-”  
“oops sorry”  
“-Jim.”  
“what? I said sorry!”  
“Deya give me strength. Teach me the ways of handling Angus.”  
“well, can’t you technically talk to her in your ghost zone?”  
“huh, I suppose I could….i had a point in talking to you didn’t I?...oh! Right! You are to behave yourself! You may speak and act-i see that face. DON’T int-”  
“heeyy guys!” Toby said as he ran over. Only to trip on a rock and fall face forward, getting caught by Jim at the very last second before he smashed his face into the hard stone surface of the floor. Kanjigar shook his head  
“why do I keep getting int-”  
“sorry what did I miss?” Toby interrupted as he dusted himself off and straightened his shirt. Kanjigar took a nice deep breath. Draal was rowdy. But at least he would shut up and listen, he didn’t act this way. Not like he could beat sense into these two. Hardly whelps. one’s a human. A stupid, but innocent human. The other is...well...it’s Jim. Enough said.  
“please Don’t int-”  
“oh I interrupted didn’t I? Sorry!”  
“you-”  
“oops did it again! Oops sorry!”  
“wel-”  
“Tobes he doesn’t like getting interrupted!”  
“yo-”  
“I’m sorry Jimbo! I didn’t mean to!”  
“I’M TR-”  
“oh shit we keep interrupting him”  
“YO-”  
“oops! Sorry! Wait shit I did it again! so-” Kanjigar put a finger to both Jim and Toby’s lips  
“no. more. Talking. You. Hush. And you, hush and pay attention. I’ll make this quick because you both have the attention span of a gnome. YOU-”

A guard had walked over and interrupted poor Kanjigar.  
“you are requested-well demanded-to report to the judgment hall.”  
“Just me?”  
“no I uh, meant you and it-him,...uh….what’s a human doing here?”  
“doesn’t matter. You two, come and NO TALKING! Especially YOU young man! You may bring your pet IF YOU BEHAVE! Do you understand?” they both nodded  
“good. Now. No speaking. Only silence.” the SECOND Kanjigar took his finger off of Jim’s mouth the young half troll said  
“hey where’s Draal? I really need to be riding his dic-”  
“NO. SPEAKING. You can ignore your heat for an hour!”  
“easier said than done”  
“Deya. Your half troll was a beta. I envy that.”  
“heeeyyy come on! don’t be like that big guy!”  
“at this point I need to put a leash and muzzle on you.”  
“kinky~ I’d be into that” Kanjigar made the ‘parental look of scorn, the kind that you know you done fuuucked up and are just a hair away from being punished severely’. Jim took the hint.

……………………………………………………

“Another cage? Seriously?” Jim complained as he dangled over the ground, slumping against the side of the metal box he inhabited. 

 

(okay. Look. I am NOT going to write what the room looks like or the people. we’ve all see the episode where Toby is the lawyer and Jim’s on trial. If it wasn’t obvious I was doing my own take on it with this story. Just go with it and blah blah troll dicks and magic and fun okay?)

a troll guard read off a stone tablet  
“Jim of...uh....You are charged with the murder of two trolls. One civilian, and one guard belonging to Usurna’s entourage. How do you plead?”  
“not...guilty?”  
“was that a question or an answer”  
“uh..both? Wait no, I mean answer!”  
“then the trial will begin momentarily” Toby’s small voice spoke up

“uh...hi...your troll...majesty’s...i..uh...” the five leaders looked down at the nervous small human  
“would...it...be cool if I talk to Jimbo real fast? h-” Kanjigar covered his mouth with his hand  
“Forgive him. This human is new to all of this. That should be obvious, so I really didn’t need to mention it did I.”  
“his request to speak to his master is granted. For a few fleeting moments.” Toby was pushed by Kanjigar while giving a hand motion of  
‘HURRY THE FUCK UP AND DON’T MAKE ME LOOK BAD! BAD ENOUGH JIM IS ALREADY STRAINING MY IMAGINE IN FRONT OF ALL OF THEM! YOU DO IT AND I SWEAR I WILL HURL YOU DOWN A CHASM MYSELF!’

a simple hand movement really

“psst hey Jim, I’m going to bust you out!”  
“why are you whispering?”  
“so no one can-”  
“they can hear you. Troll hearing remember?”  
“shit. Okay, well don’t worry! I We’re going to get you not guilty and stuff! Okay, how do I do that?”  
“don’t ask me! I know as much about troll crime and law as you do!”  
“what? But you’ve lived with your dad and junk-ohhh wait riiight, cause you’re a prince you can just do whatever the hell you want!”

Vendel’s ear twitches from hearing this  
“he’s a prince?”  
“god dammit Tobes”  
“oops, uh, my bad”  
“yeah...surprise...I’m a prince….”  
“Kanjigar. Did you have any knowledge to this?” the entire court looked at him now. He cleared his throat  
“yes. I did. In fact.”  
“why didn’t you mention It previously?”  
“i made a promise to keep it secret”  
“keeping royalty secret is-”

 

“hey please don’t blame him! I didn’t want to say anything cause, I didn’t want to be treated different. Oh don’t give me that look! You know daaaam well how I’m already treated! No one’s surprised! Look at me! I’m a half troll! Do you even realize how many time’s I’ve been bothered about it? I mean, not JUST with trolls but humans too! I mean it’s hard enough to fit in and shit and don’t even get me started about trying to go to the movies! With these legs and this height and my horns, I can’t find ANY good place to sit! If I go up too high my legs get cramped, if I go find a seat too low then others complain that I’m blocking the screen! Oh and trying to even get food?! that’s-” 

Vendel groaned out  
“enough Jim. you’ve stated your point. Terrific. Not like we needed more complexity to this situation at hand” Toby raised his hand  
“hi uh yeah sorry but um...what...do you mean? Can’t you like, slap a fine on him or something or he does like, some kind of troll community hours or something? Then again...he did kill two people-NOT THAT I BELIEVE IT! I’m just saying he-” Toby was kicked by Jim  
“Tobes shut it.”  
one of the leaders argued  
“the human speaks true. Should it even be here?” Jim did a little wave to get their attention  
“hi, uh, I don’t know if you’re a queen or something, so I don’t know what to call you...but uh, I kinda need him? Please? Or else I sorta go crazy, like I said earlier today. I really need him, especially now with me being….well you know. Also what exactly is going to happen to me?” Usurna was the one to clarify.

“i don’t know about human law-” Tobes shrugged his shoulders  
“shit’s complicated AF”  
“don’t interrupt her Tobes!”  
“sorry! i-”  
Vendel loudly cleared his throat and shouted.  
“AHEM.” which cause Toby to shut his mouth. Usurna continued  
“Troll law dictates that he is to go through our judgment. The five of us debate on what outcome he will receive. Typically it is for the leader to decide, however with all of us here, it now falls to the entire tribunal to reach a verdict”  
“so like….troll jail?”  
“banishment, as well as possible death”  
“..oh…….okay...”

 

“what makes this so complex is various reasons. With a certain troll species, the tribe is to represent them. Being a half troll, he isn’t fully human nor fully troll, thus it isn’t clear on if he can be represented by a troll, or human for that matter. We clearly have no other half troll anywhere near here, and if we were to search for one it could take an unknown amount of time, years even. Then we would need them to agree if they would represent him, which would take even more time and form more complexity because we would need to then try and find what tribe that half troll comes from and contact them if they recognize the half troll as their kin, and that’s IF they choose to represent him. Another reason this makes it the more difficult is because Jim is apparently belonging to a kingdom as royalty, which means we would need to speak to the ruler of said kingdom, however with no such knowledge, or any way to contact them, we are unable to do so. If Jim does give us the information we need, then we will be able to contact them. Hopefully.”

 

“nope no info. Personal safety and stuff. I mean, I literally can’t say it. Literally literally. there’s this magic….sure...spell thingy, which prevents me from speaking about it. I had it put on me, my brother and everyone else did have it put on them too. So we can’t communicate it in any way so the location and stuff doesn’t...well…..become known. Even if I said anything or sighed anything or wrote or did any form of communication, it literally wouldn’t translate into anything. Just scribbles and weird stuff that makes no sense. Toby has it on himself too since he’s been there. Right Tobes?”  
“You got it Jimbo! can’t talk! Literally!”  
“so yeah….can’t do it”  
“hm. Well then we won’t be able to, clearly. So back to the rest of the requirements, He is also claimed by the trollhunter, which falls under his territory, which would have to tie the entire tribunal within the trollhunters laws. Then of course we have to account if he can currently be properly tried while in his….current state.”

 

“I’m horny as fuuuuuuuuck haha” Kanjigar growled out  
“Jim!”  
“oops sorry big guy, I’ll behave better” Toby ran a hand through his hair while saying  
“wow, this shit is like a mega ball of yarn and string all tangled together”  
“yes. So, little human. This is not a simple trial.” right as she finished saying that, Sounds of guards struggling could be heard down the hall, shortly afterward, Draal had run into the room looking shocked and worried  
“Father! I heard-”  
“Hiiii Draal! I’m on trial for murder! Hahahah! Oh god, I can’t think straight….cause I’m gay! Hahaha!” Jim just started to laugh hard as he slumped against his cage. Vendel continued with a gruff tired voice  
“yes. He is clearly in no mindset to continue forward.” Jim cleared his throat and sat up  
“no no! I promise! I can do this! I don’t want to stay in this cage! I’m not a dancer! A private dancer! A dancer for money…..any old music will do” Jim started to have another laughing fit  
“Jimbo, singing Tina turner right now isn’t the best idea!”  
“i mean….i might wana live out by the sea, I want to have a husband and some children. Yeah I guess I want a family”  
“Jimbo!” through another laughing fit Jim said  
“I’m Draal’s private dancer….do what you want me to do” Jim started to hit his fist against the metal cage and couldn’t stop laughing. Toby just went back and forth from seeing Kanjigar groan and rub his head and Draal looking extremely embarrassed. Then Vendel was pinching his nose and saying something in troll under his breath.

“hey Jimbo, pleaassseee get a hold of yourself”  
“sp-sp-speaking of holding something...i...I’m pretty good at riding a bull” Jim could hardly add in  
“i mean, a mechanical one! Not a rock one!”

Usurna’s interest was somewhat piqued...  
“Draal the deadly. Son of Kanjigar the courageous, are you his mate?”

“p-private d-dancer”  
“Jimbo!”

 

Draal had to focus himself as the scent of Jim’s heat started to come to him, melting all other thoughts out of his head. His head and body started to go on auto pilot, being near the needy omega in heat, he had only one thing on his mind, not something hard to figure out.  
“...hm…..mh….hm...hm….HM? Oh uh, no...i am...not”  
“what exactly IS your relationship with him?” Jim started to speak, or tried to through his laughing  
“See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen”  
“do NOT start singing ABBA JIMBO”  
“y-y-young and sw-sweet only sevent-” Jim couldn’t even finish singing as he literally fell backwards in his laughing fit  
“y-you can dance, you can J-jive having the time of your life, oh oh see that girl watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen”  
“Jimbo please god please stop singing and laughing!”  
“dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine!”  
“oh my god. Jim are you dying?”  
“I’m a god dam dancing queen!”  
“oh my god Jim….if Mary saw you right now”  
“okay, okay, I’m done. I’m calm. I’m good.” Jim took a deep shaky breath and sat up.  
“okay….okay we can go….what were we doing?”

 

“putting you on trial for the murder count of two trolls. Now if we-” Jim couldn’t hold it in anymore, he started another giggle fit  
“abba” he was pounding his fist against the cage  
“it’s raining men-”  
“JIMBO DON’T YOU START SINGING THAT!”  
“Clearly we are unable to move on. I propose-”  
“abba….”  
“-propose we take a short rec-”  
“where have all the good men gone?”  
“JIMBO DON’T”  
“I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero till the morning light. He’s gotta be sure, and it’s gotta be soon and he’s gotta be larger than life...D-draal’s my hero” Jim at this point could hardly even breathe  
“Jim please stop singing Bonnie Tyler and get a grip on yourself”  
“young man. there’s no need to feel down”  
“DON’T SING VILLAGE PEOPLE EITHER”  
“H-H-HEY NOW YOU’RE AN ALL STAR”  
“NOT SMASH MOUTH EITHER” Jim at this point only muttered something no one could make out as he tried his best to breathe through the laughter. 

 

Toby sighed and turned around, looking at the tribunal  
“uh...um...okay troll….leader...people….when Jim’s like this he usually needs a little...break….from everything-”  
“s-s-mash mouth!”  
“oh my god Jim. Okay, we-”  
“I WILL SURVIVE!”  
“okay at this point you’re just remembering the song list Shannon made you that one day at the picnic party we got rained out of”  
“BLINDED BY THE LIGHT! GET IT?! CAUSE TROLLS CAN’T GO IN DAYLIGHT! THEY GET BLINDED BY THE LIGHT!”  
“First thing I do when we get home is deleting that playlist.”  
“BLINDED BY THE LIGHT! ANOTHER RUNNER IN THE NIGHT! BLINDED BY THE LIGHT! REVVED UP LIKE A DUECE ANOTHER RUNNER IN THE NIGHT!”  
“JIMBO I SWEAR TO GOD”  
“JIM WAS BLINDED BY THE LIGHT! REVVED UP LIKE A DUECE ANOTHER RUNNER IN THE NIGHT! JIM GOT DOWN BUT HE NEVER GOT TIGHT! JIM’S GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT!”  
“Jimbo.”  
“PLANT ORGASMS!”  
“okay now I have no idea what he’s talking about”  
“WHEN PLANTS BLOOM AND POLLINATE THEY HAVE AN ORGASM!”  
“okay you-”  
“PROSTATE EXAMS! DO TROLLS HAVE PROSTATES?!”  
“god Jim, I haven’t seen you like this since the heat you went into after we went to that cabin in the woods in December” Jim took a deep shaky breath and ran his hands through his fur.  
“god…..i feel like shit...Draal...come fuck me please...i really need an orgasm right now”  
“Jimbo….you okay? You get it out of your system?”  
“...yeah...kinda”  
“you want to go get java chip ice cream after this?”  
“god yes. I could kill for that right now. Just murder someone for it”  
“okay, bad choice of words, like really bad”  
“Why?”  
“Jim. Do you remember what we’re doing right now?”  
“no...ugh my sides hurt…..why am I in a cage?”  
“Jimbo. Remember? you’re literally being tried for murder”  
“what? I am? Wait really?…..god I need a nap”

 

“okay uh, well, he’s officially got it out of his system” they hear light breathing from Jim.  
“….and he fell asleep. Okay. I uh...sorta….know him, a lot. I’m his best friend so we usually spend most of our time with each other….uh...yeah….We’ve known each other for years...i...know him like the back of my hand….haha...uh….hm…..knowing him, after a good power nap he’s going to be hungry for something zesty like beef jerky and then probably cry. that’s how it usually goes at least”

…………………………………………………………………………..

Jim yawned loudly and rubbed his face. He had woken up a little bit ago, had a snack, cried, and now is trying to collect himself. He was currently In yet another cage, however this one was located in a small isolated room. Toby was next to him talking about something, however Jim wasn’t paying any attention to him. The door suddenly opened and Usurna and Vendel walked through it. They waved off the guards to leave as they approached Jim. Vendel spoke with a scowl as he stared daggers into Jim’s eyes  
“Jim. Do you have ANY idea of how you’ve made me look out there? How you’ve made trollmarket look? How you’ve made Kanjigar look?!” Usurna was the first one to reply, in a calmed tone  
“i personally don’t hold anyone accountable for his...choice of words and emotional state. It isn’t his fault he’s currently like this”  
“hmph. I suppose you’re right. That doesn’t mean the others feel the same way.”  
“Vendel, I wish to speak to the young half troll”  
“very well. If you’re so keen on wasting your breath on him.”  
“alone, if you would allow that”  
“oh? Very well, enjoy your time. I know I always do.” Jim waved as he turned around to leave  
“love you too Vendel!” Jim, Usurna, and Toby were now the only occupants of the room.  
“I would also request you leave, human”  
“oh...uh….”  
“it’s okay Usurna, he knows everything”  
“about the trial? Well he certainly was….there.”  
“no, I mean about Gunmar and everything” Usurna’s eyes widened with shock  
“yeah. Long story short, he’s been living with me, oh and also teaching my dad and Bular stuff”  
“he’s...been….living with you? AND advising your father and brother?!” Usurna’s grip on her staff tightened. A human….advising Gunmar…..a human…..not even she’s had the pleasure of speaking to Gunmar directly except for but a few brief moment’s in her entire life. Now this….human….speaks to him….on a daily basis…

 

“yeah, he’s my emotional support human remember? He goes where ever I go. We spend all our time together, he helps keep me calm and centered and happy. we’re best friends!”  
“and he advises your father? Regularly?” Toby smiled and tapped his sides nervously  
“yeah I also sorta hangout with him-well uh, be with him privately, talk to him and teach him stuff”  
“you….do. hm. May I know as to what subjects you...speak to him about.”  
“human stuff, uh well, to sum up. he’s trying to be with Jim more and understand him and everything. So he needs to learn human stuff to...well...understand Jimbo. So I help teach him, Bular’s the same. it’s….not the easiest thing but...both are willing to learn always!”  
“huh. Interesting.” a human…..above her……….she hardly tolerates that a half troll is. Now….a human!?…….well….the ONLY bright side to this is that he has such a fleeting life, it’s hardly anything to wait out. So thankfully it won’t last long. Return SOME amount of dignity to her. If only a sliver of it. Still, it’s something. Better than nothing. Toby looked her over with curiosity  
“wow you’re really pretty now that I can look at you directly. you’re like your own rave!”  
“thank you for your compliment. I do not know of what a rave is though”  
“it’s this human party with lots of flashing different colored lights and it’s all intense and stuff. Point is your glowy body is...well...glowy and colorful and stuff...oh wait, is she powered up or something Jimbo?”  
“no that’s just how her race is, they glow naturally, kinda like jellyfish. they’re called Kuberas. They live like suuuper deep in the earth. Arrrg is one actually, except he’s a bit different, so he doesn’t really glow unless he’s all powered up”  
“Awesomesauce!” Usurna spoke, making sure to get back on track  
“alright well….the reason I came here to speak was to inquire if you actually did in fact kill those two trolls”  
“i...well….no….kinda?”  
“Jimbo how do you ‘kinda’ kill two people?”  
“well….i…..okay, let me start from the top…..like….this morning kind of top....”

……………………………………………………………………………..

That morning…  
……………………………………………………………………………..

The alarm clock buzzed and the two woke up, yet another wonderful day to be had! Toby stretched and greeted Jim like he usually did. Jim gave the same morning in reply. The two started to talk about their dreams when Jim suddenly stopped and shivered. Followed shortly with a moan.  
“you okay Jimbo?” Jim looked at him with big eyes on a fine line between shock and excitement  
“Toby….I’m in heat...”

…………………………………………………………..

 

“...So yeah, Jim’s in heat and here we are….I’ve sorta always been his teddy bear, hence this” The two of them currently stood in the throne room, doing their usual morning check in. Jim was holding Toby closely and purring heavily and loudly.  
“mmmh Toby~” Jim snuggled the poor human best friend tighter into his hug, tucking Toby’s head under his own. Gunmar wanted to understand his son’s….current action.  
‘He doesn’t find the human as a potential mate? Right? He certainly clings to him like one. Then again, Toby did say humans are very affectionate creatures In general, Jim’s own affections are heightened. That does make sense why he’s acting like this’  
“Teddy bear?”  
“yeah boss, it’s uh, hm. it’s this little soft-”  
“i know what one is. Jim had many of them as a whelp, even a special one he received from Stricklander. He favored it out of all his other possessions. Until he ate it”  
“wait...Walt?...but...he’s like, in his early 50’s….and Jim’s 93...so Walt has been working with you since he was like...20 or something? Man I’m bad at math, it’s around that time isn’t it?” Gunmar almost slipped up. He growled at himself for almost doing something that his son didn’t want to happen. He would keep himself in check closer for the future.

“yes. The chan-Stricklander has...worked for me for many years.”  
“ow, Jim you’re pulling my hair, so big boss, I was wondering...how DID you two meet? Or work or whatever. I never got a clear answer to that” Gunmar wanted Jim to speak, Jim always knew how to lie better than he did….something Gunmar didn’t exactly enjoy. Not that he was a BETTER liar, but because he was more SKILLED at it. His son can lie with a smile on his face without showing any different. Most of the time at least. It made Gunmar a bit paranoid on what was true and false when his son spoke anything. Still, something he shouldn’t worry. Jim is growing and all that.

Gunmar waited for his son to speak, looking at the two. Toby was just standing there waiting for an answer, as Jim was holding him tightly and rubbing his head against Toby’s purring, totally not paying any kind of attention. At this point, if Jim started to groom Toby, it wouldn’t surprise Gunmar.

“son. Perhaps you would better explain it, you interact with him far more often than I…...Jim, pay attention”  
“hm…...hmmmmmmhhh~ Toby~...OH! Uh, well, Walt’s into old stuff, he came across some stuff my dad wanted, they talked, and he got a job. All up to date!” Jim just went back to rubbing and purring  
“Ow Jimbo, digging your claws into me a bit...oh neat”  
“how often does my son cling to you?”  
“pretty often during heats” Jim suddenly stopped and whimpered  
“i...i do...don’t I?…..I’m too clingy….I...” he started to whimper and cry a bit  
“hey Jimbo it’s okay, I like it”  
“y-you do?”  
“yeah! It feels nice being held, plus it makes you happy” in truth, Toby did like to be held and have actual physical contact with someone else, everyone gets touch starved eventually, plus it did make Jim happy, so he didn’t mind! Only thing he DIDN’T LIKE was that Jim would sometimes actually start to groom him, making his hair all sticky and messy. That along with the occasional accident of claws being too tight and sharp against his soft skin. Ouch.

 

The second Toby had said that, Jim became happy and continued what he was doing. Bular wasn’t sure how to really feel. He’s seen his brother act….’himself’ during these types of moments, but this was the first time he’s ever seen Jim so...affectionate, clingy, happy. Bular wanted Jim to feel the same about him. He was jealous in a way, only in the sense of his brother feeling that kind of love and comfort in his time of vulnerability. He wanted Jim to see that he could do the same to him, another thing to add to his list of learning and tending to Jim. When Toby was gone, Jim wasn’t going to be able to do this. He would go into a deep depression, something Bular wanted to prevent. He wanted to be the one to comfort his brother, far better than anyone else could.  
“What will my son and you be doing on this day?”  
“not sure yet, prob just walk and hangout upside, meet up with some of our friends”  
“ah...yes...then….enjoy your….hangingout. You are dismissed”  
“you got it boss man”

……………………………………………………………………

Jim finally let go of Toby as they went up top, they were excited to see what the new day would bring them! What fun adventures awaited?! What wonderful activity would they do today!? Keep the horrid future out of their minds for another few fleeting moments!

 

 

 

 

It was pouring down.

 

 

 

 

 

Toby sighed. He really wanted to do something fun. They tried to call up their friends, see if anyone wanted to get together, no luck. Each person was doing their own thing. Well, might as well check up on nana! And that they did! What an adventure that was! Checking up on an old woman watching TV dramas while a shit load of cats roamed the home meowing and knocking things over. Jim sat by a window watching the rain flood the world as a swarm of cat’s rubbed up against him and purred. Jim pet them and watched as more swarmed him. They always did cling to him, like he was just another big cat. He always loved the rain. It always made everything nice and wet, smell fresh and alive! After finishing up and saying goodbye, The two decided to check out the forest! On really rainy days such as these, this one stream that was almost always tiny, would overrun and look really beautiful, also a shit ton of fish swam through it. Jim dunked his head in and caught one in his mouth. The two laughed at Jim spat it out back into the water. The best adventure was spending time with your greatest friend in the world. They found some really nice looking rocks and Toby watched as Jim threw them skidding across some still water, all the way to the other side perfectly. Jim had Toby piggyback ride up a large tree, sitting there and watching the world go by, see all the rain make streams all over the place, pouring into one another. They occasionally saw a river troll walk around through the forest and it’s flooded parts. Jim talked about them and how they and garden trolls always had this massive grudge against one another, always fighting over territory

(THAT’S CANNON!!!!)

 

Jim had climbed and jumped around, collection pine cones and sticks and various sticky leaves to make some homemade art’s and crafts! Toby said he did this all the time when he was a little kid, always making little pine cone people, having some little town, and then sometimes them fighting to the death gladiator style. So why not do it again? Jim had a lot of fun and talked about when he was a kid he would play with toys like this, except he imagine himself a brutal warlord like his dad, mass slaughter, claiming lands for himself, being a brutal despot, the fun stuff! Eventually they got bored and Jim took them down. Only to run into none other than the trollhunter himself!

“AH! Oh you scared me big guy. didn’t notice you”  
“the rain dampers all senses, along with sunlight, so I took the opportunity to observe the world during it’s daylights. Along with breaking up a few fights between the garden and river trolls”  
“fun” Kanjigar noticed Jim’s heat eventually and became a bit….worried. Jim knew that look, he said he was fine! Not like anyone would suddenly jump his bones. Kanjigar still worried, like a father would for a small child playing somewhere dangerous without supervision. Not only that, but Jim could get sick from being out in the wet cold weather. Those two combinations of his, didn’t spell ‘good health’ for Jim. Kanjigar insisted that Jim go somewhere dry and warm, and most importantly safe. Jim said he wouldn’t mind seeing Draal….then shortly after saying that, remembered Toby was right next to him, forcing Jim to snap out of his lustful bull riding thoughts. Mechanical of course. Kanjigar said it would put his mind at ease to know Jim was somewhere dry safe and warm. Jim said they should just go then! Only to be stopped when Kanjigar said Toby wasn’t able to come. Jim pleaded to him. Over. And over. And over again.

“pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-”

“ALRIGHT FINE! ENOUGH! He is NOT to leave your si-what am I saying, he never does. Fine. Toby. You must keep a promise of NEVER speaking about trollmarket or ANYTHING you see in it to ANYONE.”  
“i swear to my mother and fathers grave” Kanjigar’s curiosity grew and asked what he meant, only wanting Toby to speak if it wasn’t too...difficult. Toby said he didn’t really have a problem with it. Then proceeded to explain. Kanjigar felt a deep sadness, Both these boys grew up without mothers. Jim had his father at least, although distant….until recently. Toby had his nana throughout his life. Still it wasn’t exactly like a father or mothers relationship. Kanjigar took them to troll market, making sure they both kept next to him at all times. The boys agreed. One in heat, the other a human. Not an easy combination to go unnoticed.  
“whoooaaaaa” Toby said slack jawed. This was the total opposite of the darklands. Life! Heat! Activity that DIDN’T involve preparing to bring about the end of the world! All the different kinds of trolls! Everywhere!  
“what’s that massive glowing rock?!” Kanjigar found a lot of humor in Toby’s curiosity and excitement for everything. Such a small child, looking at everything with wide eyes. Everything that was a simple everyday occurrence to trolls, amazed the human. Then again, perhaps it would be just the same to Kanjigar the other way around, if he went topside and partook in human life.  
“that, my little human, is called a heartstone. It gives us li-”  
“keep you alive and healthy and stuff!!!! Jim told me all about it! You have two ways of totally...well...not dying! Eating people and this! Whoooaaaa it’s sooo pretty!”  
“Don’t interrupt. Now th-”  
“oh sorry, didn’t mean to”  
“aga-”  
“oops! did it again!”  
“y-”  
“oh shit did it again!”  
“y-”  
“i-” Kanjigar put a finger over Toby’s mouth  
“HUSH. No more speaking. Yes, you are correct. These give us life-well you already said it.”  
“Come on Tobes, let’s take a walk around! Show the sights! And see our little cave”

 

So the three did just that! Toby kept taking pictures of every little thing he saw. Many faces turned in shock, that soon was replaced with either disgust or confusion, someone even looked at their mug of glug, thinking if it might have been a bit...off. Each time someone spoke up, Kanjigar told them to back off and keep calm. They came to a small blockage of others slowly forming into a group, all of them, Watching as Vendel as well as a few others made their way, trolls parting to let them through. Jim said with curiosity  
“hey, what’s with Vendel and Usurna and those others?”  
“That is the tribunal. The group of leaders that govern troll kind, well they are the leaders of the largest tribes and cities at least”  
“why are they here? Something speecciiaaall?”  
“not as much no. They gather every once and a while, meet, catch up, but mostly do business with one another. Keep peace treaties, trade, and the like” Toby took more pictures of the leaders as they passed by  
“whoaaa so trolls have like, politics and leaders and stuff?! Just like people!”  
“yes little human, we do. We aren’t some tribal animals with no morality or culture”  
“oh nooo I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant, it’s more complicated down here than I thought!”  
“what DID you think?”  
“mostly trolls just chilling around, doing their thing, living and stuff. I didn’t know you had politics and leaders and cities built and stuff. I kinda thought you all just hung out and traded junk and eat stuff and….well...live”  
“well, I will admit, most of the time that is current life, but we still have major things going on under the earth. And some above too. Humans are advanced in SOME ways, while we are far more advanced in others”  
“like what? I don’t see trolls walking on the moon”  
“like the knowledge of the elements, magics, sciences, historic memories, we have machines that can travel the globe in mere seconds, if that”  
“whhhaaaaatt! Like trains?”  
“no, nothing as simple or slow”  
“trains aren’t simple though!”

 

Kanjigar smiled and chuckled. Was this truly what the regular human mind was like? What the surface thought of them?  
“like I said, our two species have two different worlds. Rarely do we interact, usually at least. When we do, things change. Sometimes for better, sometimes….well. Humans believe they own the world. We were here far far far before your kind. Humans are so...chaotic. Always changing their minds and arguing, always fighting, building, and destroying. It is…..strange to us. We live so long, and change very slowly, if at all. We have memories that humans have never had, or forgotten them constantly. You all fight and trade above, we live and thrive below. We know far more of the world than all of you do, even if you think differently.”  
“this is all sooooo cool!!! I want to know magic and everything!”  
“well. Learning and mastering things, takes far too many lifetimes for humans. Then again, rarely is there few who have surprised and even surpassed us, rarely, but it has happened”  
“man I wish I could live super long and know everything and be all badass and shit!”  
“Tobes, living longer doesn’t mean it’s better”  
“whhaaaatttt it totally is!”  
“Tobes, when you live longer than others. And you get to know and love them. What happens?”  
“uh...um...you...grow side by side?”  
“and if we live far more than them?”  
“they di-...oh….”  
“it’s not going to be an easy life when you die Tobes. You have the rest of your life with me, it isn’t the other way around. I’m not even 100 yet, I still have 700 more years of living, without you, or our friends, or anyone really. you’ll all be long gone”  
“oh...I’m...sorry Jim”  
“nah, it’s nothing we can do about it! The best I can do is keep you all alive for as long as possible, if you die tomorrow, that’s even more time to live without you, so I’m going to keep you around for as long as possible”

 

Kanjigar watched as the two smiled and talked. His heart hurt a little. Jim’s life really will eventually change entirely. He speaks so highly about his life, how much he loves his companions. What is he going to do after they’ve all passed? Watch them grow old and sick. This is one of the biggest reasons troll’s try not to interact with humans. It hurts. To watch something you love wither away and die so quickly, and that’s only if they die from old age. Kanjigar’s made plenty of human friends in his life. He misses all of them so much. Some friends he fought along side, some friends he drank together and shared stories, some friends he traveled with a lot, discovering various places and enjoy their travels of just wandering the surface, and sometimes below. Sometimes Kanjigar might see something that reminds him of his old friends, the ones he loved and cared for. That twitch of pain would travel through him. Sometimes, it’s better to forget, than to feel pain. What was Jim going to do? Would the spark of life and excitement and joy within him dull and fade? Loosing so many, over and over isn’t something easy for a mind and heart to handle. Generation after generation after generation. You get to know someone, you blink, and they’re more than halfway through their short life. Like trying to befriend a flower. it’s beautiful, might smell good, but it will wither and die so soon. 

One time Kanjigar had befriended a man who had a child. The man aged and died as the child grew into a man who had his own child. The daughter aged and had her own daughter, then a son and so on and so forth. He was each generations friend, telling them tales of their family history and adventures from the past. Eventually it got too painful, knowing each and everyone of them, only to have them become nothing but a distant memory. How many losses does it take for someone to finally break?

As Toby would age, grow, and die, Jim would hardly change for the next couple hundred years. Jim will look exactly like this when Toby would be on his deathbed. Soon Toby wouldn’t be able to do things he can right now. With age his senses will dull, his body would weaken. They wouldn’t be able to run around and enjoy the sunlight. Not when he’s bed ridden, or stuck to some machine or device just to do the basic things such as breathing or moving. Jim loves the surface and the human inhabitants. How many times is he going to be able to love them, only to loose them so suddenly. How many ‘Toby’s’ is he going to be able to have throughout his entire life?

To Kanjigar, Jim is the same. Trolls live for thousands of years, some of the oldest are past 5,000. Jim’s life won’t even last an entire millennium. he’s going to miss the happy little half troll running around, maybe one day having his own child with Draal. That would be painful if the child was born a half troll. Not living for very long just like his mother.

 

Once there was a question asked. what’s more painful? for a parent to bury their child, or for the child to bury their parent. Someone you’ve raised and loved from the very first day they were born, watch them grow and learn, become someone. Being by their side every step of the way, Then having to bury all that, the little thing you raised that aged, you loved and tended to, to simple die in front of you. Or someone who raised you, helped you grow and learn about life. Someone who grows old and withered, eventually dying, saying what few words they have left for you. What will happen to Draal when one day he visits his mate and his child’s graves?

 

“-ar. Hey, big guy” Kanjigar snapped out of his morbid thoughts and brought his attention back to Jim and Toby  
“forgive me, I was lost in my head”  
“nah it’s fine, did you hear the guy?”  
“what guy?”  
“the troll, some troll guy said the leaders request your presence asap”  
“asap?”  
“as soon as possible. Asap”  
“ah. Then I will go. Jim take him back to the cave, both of you will stay there until I return” Kanjigar turned to walk only to hear the two follow him  
“where are you both going?”  
“with you duh”  
“i do not think you’re going to be able to attend with me”  
“i asked the guy and he said it was fine for me, being your pet whatever, he said he wasn’t sure about Tobes though”  
“hm….well...i suppose we shall simply see. Come along then”

………………………………………………………………………..

The tribunal meeting was currently being held within the heartstone. Something Jim was hesitant to go into. He pulled Toby inside and said he was afraid his body might start going crazy again. Toby said if that DOES happen, he’d help Jim leave asap.  
“-nto the next subject. Ah trollhunter, you’ve co-” Vendel stopped speaking as everyone turned and saw a nervous looking Jim, trying to stay as far away from the walls as possible while holding himself tightly, trying to cover his body with himself as much as he could. Next to him, was an equally nervous Toby. The sore thumb, even more so than Jim, simply from being a human within the market, otherwise Jim would be the freak. 

 

One of the leaders gasped  
“what is a half troll doing here?! WHAT IS A HUMAN DOING HERE?!” Kanjigar motioned his hand behind him  
“The half troll belongs to me. I have claimed him as my own. His name is….Jim are you alright?”  
“huh?..oh..uh...yeah!…...did it get more roomy in here?” Jim looked and suddenly remembered  
‘oh SHIT that’s right, I took and ate an entire fucking wall of it!’ Vendel tugged his beard while he answered  
“yes. The heartstone seems to have….I’m not even sure myself. it’s changed itself many times, but this was far too drastic and far too quick a change that would usually occur. I’m still looking into it. I haven’t seen any sort of problem with it. I honestly haven’t a clue. Now answer me, what is THAT doing here?!” Toby smiled nervously and felt himself start to sweat as everyone had turned to face him. Eyes taken off of Jim and moved onto Toby.  
“oh he’s uh my best friend Vendel. S-”  
“get that HUMAN OUT OF HERE!” one of the troll leaders growled out  
“He’s seen too much. We can’t let him leave”  
“what are you saying? Slaying a human whelp? That certainly won’t look bad for our image. The humans have placed enough mistrust on us already”  
“i don’t see why WE have to walk around on thin ice just for them! We’ve been here far longer than their entire race has!”  
“YOU don’t have an entire city above your head like we do. We all know well and full enough on how humans react to their own suddenly being killed by another. The wrath they can command at will!”  
“we can simply frame another fleshbag, they won’t even bat an eye when they kill their own kind. At least for most of them” the leaders continued to argue while Toby mumbled to Jim quietly how he really doesn’t want to die. Kanjigar was the one to silence the argument  
“Tribunal, please. Allow me to expl-” Just then was Toby’s choice to introduce himself!  
“hi everyone, my name is Toby...uh...I’m...Jimbo’s best friend...uh….that’s his nickname I gave him...his name’s Jim….he calls me Tobes...haha...uh...”  
“i don’t care WHAT you call one another! A half troll sullying this meeting is bad enough but YOU?!”  
“at least with the that THING we could just shoo it away until it leaves. How do we deal with a fleshbag?”  
“get rid of him we must.”  
“enough! Please. Allow me to explain. UNINTERRUPTED” Kanjigar gave Toby a mean glare. He just smiled and tried to slowly make his way behind Jim  
“like I said. Jim is mine. I have claimed him. He has must attend me as I see fit. This is one of those moments. The human is important to him. What did you call him?”  
“my emotional support human. Long story short, life’s a shit show right now, really need him to help me through everything”  
“it is for his own health that I wish to allow him by my side” one leader scoffed

 

“A pet’s pet? what’s next, he has his OWN??”  
“well...i have my cats”  
“No wonder they smell so heavily of them. Great. I suppose THEY have their own too?”  
“they have these little toy mice”  
“ugh.” As the tribunal argued more, Jim felt like he was...hungry. His body slowly demanding heartstone, as if it finally noticed it was nearby. He needed to leave. He quickly blurted out  
“hey uh I need some fresh air, you clearly all know I’m in heat by now so I need to take a walk okay bye!” Jim bolted out the room leaving the rest of them alone….

………………………………………………………………………….

Jim did in fact go for his little walk. He took nice deep breaths and felt his hunger fade away into nothingness. He wanted to stop by rot guts. Picked up a couple things, went to his little home with Kanjigar and Draal, looked for said alpha but couldn’t find him, which was greatly disappointing. Jim sighed and knew Draal would come home eventually. Jim slipped the three things under his little makeshift nest that he hadn’t been in for a while. Jim patted and ran his hand over it. He missed it. The memories of him sleeping in here for the first time way back on the night he met Kanjigar. So much has happened since then. Jim almost wanted to lay down, only to ignore it and continue walking, he still wanted to move around and get some air, help clear his head. As he walked he came down a small side street. There were two trolls speaking, one Kubera guard, and the other a regular trollmarket troll. Jim was debating turning around. Until the trollmarket troll spoke up  
“hey. Why are you here? Leave.”  
“which is what I was about to do”  
“not just this street. trollmarket. All of it. We don’t want your impurity to taint our heartstone.” funny because in a way Jim actually can and did. The guard started to chuckle, getting a kick out of the ‘thing’ being taunted.  
“I’m leaving, go-” The troll sniffed at the air and grinned with a smug expression  
“walking around like THAT?! Well. Come over here. Be a proper half troll and come ‘service’ your better. Then I might actually see you higher than filth.” Jim didn’t want to let the words get to him, but his emotions started to run high. The troll noticed it too.  
“come here. Be useful and ‘service’ your better” Jim walked towards him, only because he wanted to tell the troll into place.  
“i am NOT a ‘thing’. I am higher than dirt. And if you so DARE as to try and put one of your disgusting lazy dumb ass FINGERS ON ME. I’ll get Kanjigar to beat your ass, or Draal, or both, and that’s IF you’re lucky enough that I don’t do it myself.”  
“ohhhh suddenly the little pet is going to go run away and cry to his master. So what. Or are you going to cry to Draal the dim. His little fuck toy feeling upset? I know I could make you feel better and stop behaving so rudely”

“yeah, I’m not into an ugly low life gutter looser. I have class. I actually want to be mated to someone who actually has a point in his life, and does something with it. Not some low life gutter filth that lays around slurping glug and stuffing his ugly fat face with whatever shit he picks up off the ground. I’m better than YOU ARE” THAT put a fire in the troll’s eyes. He shoved Jim away  
“you abomination. You freak. Disgusting impurity. You dare call ME LESSER THAN YOU?!”  
“i call it as I see it. Bro.”  
“i think someone needs to remember his place.”  
“yeah, you. Now go ahead and lay back down into your own shit and filth” Jim was shoved again, accidentally into the guard this time, who pushed him away and snarled  
“ew. It touched me.”  
“i am not AN IT” Jim’s anger was rising, he noticed his glow started to come up. He tried to calm himself down, prevent it from becoming noticed.  
“now I need to go scrub myself clean. I don’t want to catch whatever thing you have.”  
“Trolls can’t get sick you-” Jim was shoved backwards, then the other troll shoved him. A dumb little game of push around. Both trolls just snickering. 

Jim backed up a bit, finally breaking out of their little game. He breathed to steady his nerves while he dusted himself off. Jim spoke in an aggressive tone  
“okay that’s it. Now I have to wash myself off so I don’t catch whatever-” The guard troll stood up straight and tried to look and sound intimidating  
“you trying to stand up to me? To both of us?”  
“yes. I am, and I can kick both your asses, at the same time, both arms tied behind my back, and it MIGHT be somewhat fair.”  
“ohhh suddenly the little pet abomination thinks it’s tough just because it’s claimed by the trollhunter. Well your master isn’t here.”  
“I. am not. An IT. Go ahead. Hit me. I won’t run away or tell anyone. Do it. I’ll let you take the first swing.”  
“is that a challenge?” Jim said with a calm and happy demeanor  
“no, it’s a demand. To show how weak YOU are. Calling yourself a proper guard.”  
“I’ll wipe that look off your face.” the guard snorted and threw a punch, Jim easily dodged and watched as the fist pounded right into the face of the other troll.  
“oh no. guard brutality! what’s wrong? can’t hit a little abomination? Something so small and weak?” The guard swung a few more times, each time, Jim easily dodged at the last second, saying a stream of taunts. The guard had enough and started to jab his spear at Jim, who laughed and said he couldn’t even hit a wall! Jim dug his nails and claws into the ground as he quickly slid out of the way of a spear jabbed at him, Only to watch it embed itself into the civilian troll. The three looked at the action, no one moving or reacting for a good few seconds. The troll civilian dropped to his knees and groaned, Falling to the ground hard, splashing blood onto Jim and the guard. The guard started to panic, he didn’t want to kill anyone! He was just angry! Jim made a taunt to both of them, the dying troll and the guard. The dying troll because he was so weak he couldn’t even see the spear coming from a mile away, the guard for  
‘oh no you just killed an innocent person! Wow, what an amazing guard you are! Truly competent at your job!’

The guard was more than furious, he pulled the spear out and thrust it forward at Jim, who moved around at the last second. The guard slipped in blood and The spear had slammed into the rock wall, breaking apart. The spear head dropped onto the ground as the guard fell on top of it. As he fell, blood splashed onto Jim.

Jim looked at the scene and on himself  
“….oops...” 

 

Guards suddenly arrived to the scene after hearing the noise, looking at the now two fresh corpses and a blood splattered Jim  
“HALT! DO NOT MOVE!”  
“uh…...i can explain”

 

…………………………………………………………………………………

“aaaand so now we’re up to date.”  
“well Jimbo...i...guess you really didn’t TECHNICALLY kill them like you said” Usurna felt….scared…...her guard...attacked Jim...the son of Gunmar! Gunmar could take her head if Jim reported this to him! Then again, it wasn’t her fault! The guard didn’t know! She wasn’t around to make the scene from...well...escalating to that! What if Jim was hurt?! Or killed?! By her own guard?! She didn’t even want to imagine what horrors Gunmar would put her through if that were to happen.

“i am….relieved to see you are not harmed in any way”  
“thanks Usurna, I’m fine! don’t worry. Like a common guard could take me on and win” in truth, he was an elite, the strongest of the strong. Only ones who ever joined her entourage…..Usurna mentally panicked  
‘if he wasn’t able to even make a scratch on Jim….how strong was Jim?…..maybe he truly was the son of Gunmar. Maybe he was actually capable of things...not just a half troll but...’  
“-o?” Usurna blinked as she came out of her heard  
“well?”  
“forgive me, I was thinking of the current situation. Will you repeat that please?” she really wanted to start kissing ass now. He clearly is strong enough to actually be around for a lot longer than she had imagined. What if he even somehow heard of what she said about him?! She didn’t speak of it out loud a lot, but still…..who knows who will stab whoever in the back just to please their lord Gunmar, she knows she’s done that more than enough times….this would be more than enough proof to have her considered a traitor. Speaking ill of Jim. Thinking little of him for what he was. Usurna made sure to be on nothing but her best behavior as if she was in the same room as Gunmar himself from here on out.

 

“i asked if you’re going to help me, you know, not die horribly or banished or...well...anything”  
“of course! I would never allow a son of Gunmar to have any kind of ill fortune placed upon them. Please, I have nothing but my deepest apologies for what my guard had done. It is in no way a reflection of my own thoughts or actions. I will do everything in my power to show you are nothing else but absolutely innocent”  
“thanks! Okay, you and Vendel are on my side, I can already tell. Hmm….2 out of five is a good start...well I have a few ideas and plans thrown together. I might not look like it, but I’m a lot more crafty and intelligent than others take me for” if Usurna had heard that or anything like it before that day, she would have scoffed and highly doubted it. Now? She is going to completely accept it without hesitation. He clearly had more capabilities than he showed. A prancing fool of a prince is what was secretly said in only the quietest of whispers. No one dared to truly speak out against Gunmar and his son’s, still. Everyone had their own opinions of them…..mostly aimed at Jim  
“i would never have doubted that, a son of Gunmar, nothing less than the most powerful” 

Jim smiled. A mixture of 

‘aww thanks!’ 

to

‘HA! Brown nosing me now?! I remember what you fucking said allll those years ago. I saw how you acted when Toby talked about what he does. This is going to play to my advantages sooooooooooo perfectly.’

Jim knew for a FACT that the changelings secretly hidden everywhere around the world greatly preferred to work for Jim than ANYONE ELSE. Jim was the one to protect all of them. He was calm and rational compared to both his father and brother. He was enjoyable to be around. Total opposite of his father and brother. They would happily go against anyone if Jim wanted it, no matter who it was, as long as it wasn’t Gunmar or Bular of course. So having a changeling or two spy on Usurna, no matter how loyal, would instantly betray her trust if Jim wanted it. In a way it was like working for the big boss instead of a manager. Who wouldn’t want the chance to get brownie points with the top of the top? Jim always told everyone that he remembers favors and the like, which made the changelings work even harder when requested.

 

Everyone has always tried to kiss ass. Jim could knew all the tells easily, from tone to words to body language. It was as easy to read as a children's book. Jim wouldn’t show that he knew she was kissing ass. Always feign stupidity, innocence, blissful ignorance. It always helped in the end. People say and do things around him thinking he doesn’t understand it, when in reality Jim does. It helped make plans and gather info and lie through his teeth easy peasy. Being a half troll did pay off at times, extremely rare, but it did. Being seen as stupid, lower, something that couldn’t hurt a gnome. sometimes helpful. Even some of his most loyal and trusted guards and changelings didn’t know if Jim knew something or didn’t understand it. Jim made sure he never looked like he did fully, or didn’t fully. Always keep everyone unsure about everything. Only Walt truly knew how he thought. Walt was a master liar out of a full room of them. He could convince someone of anything. Jim knew Walt never kissed ass, he never needed to. Even if he ‘did’ jokingly, Jim would joke right back.

 

“thanks! Well, hmmm we-” the door opened up and a guard stepped through it, announcing that they were to return to the court once more

……………………………………………………..………………………

“I’d really rather not push this off. I reeaaallllyyy don’t want to be in a cage any longer than I have to. I’m fine, I can think, all of it’s out of me. let’s get this over with” Jim said calmly to the tribunal  
“very well. We shall proceed. Now we simply must debate on how to debate”  
“fun!”  
“we will need to find someone to represent you-”  
“I’LL TAKE THE CASE!” Toby called out in a pleasant and proud mood. The sudden loud laugh of Draal echoed throughout the room, only a single HAHA before he covered his mouth. One of the troll leaders looked down to Toby in shock and slight disgust  
“you? A human?”  
“yes! I can do it!...i mean….I’m the best!...ish….I’m his best friend and know him-well like I’ve already said”  
“hm….unorthodox….then again...this entire trial is. Very well, if you are committed on doing this, then it shall be allowed” Toby made a small ‘yes’ under his breath and ran over to Jim  
“don’t worry! I said I’ll bust you out of there!”  
“Toby...do you know ANYTHING about law?! Or troll law?! I highly doubt.”  
“I’ve seen every episode of-”  
“just because you’ve watched a TV show with your nana doesn’t mean you know how to do this!”  
“let me try!”  
“okay...well…..it will help at least...fine….just please don’t get me killed or anything”

………...……………………………...……………………………..…...

“lady trolls and gentle men trolls...and...floating….rocks...face...the defendant-” Jim slapped his face from hearing the terrible accent.  
“ugh. God. Hey if I plead guilty can we end this?”  
“Awww come on Jimbo! Let me try!”  
“the accent though?”  
“too much?”  
“what do you think? Never mind, you’d think it wasn’t. Drop it.”  
“fine….make it boring...Today I’m going to-”

suddenly Toby’s phone went off.  
“Hey, mama, how's it going?  
Can't see your body moving  
Don't leave the party dying  
(They call it lonely diggin')

Your booty shaking, you know  
Your head has no right to say no  
Tonight it's "Ready, set, go!"

Baby, can you move it round the rhythm?  
So we can get with 'em  
To the crowd, and get us a rock and roll 'round  
Just a downtown body body coming with a super-hottie  
Let's go, yes, no, hell no  
Baby, can you move-"

He quickly tried to dig it out of his pocket and click it off  
“sorry Eli was calling...never mind...”  
“your ringtone is caravan palace lone digger?”  
“what? I like the song”  
“good enough reason I guess. Wait when did you change it to that?”  
“when-” Kanjigar loudly cleared his throat, giving a glare of  
‘get back on task so Jim doesn’t die! Do you want him to die!? No? Then shut the fuck up!’

 

“right, yep, okay so….where was-oh okay! Ahem. The defendant is guilty!  
LOOK AT HIM! HE’S A MANIAC! THAT CAGE CAN’T HOLD HIM! HE HAS NOTHING BUT MURDEROUS INTENT! LOOK AT THE BLOOD THIRST IN HIS EYES! HE’LL KILL US ALL! THE SECOND WE CLOSE OUR EYES AND TURN OUR BACK’S HE’LL SEND US ALL TO THE GRAVE!” gasps were heard, right after a very tiny whisper of  
“Deya give me strength” under Kanjigar’s breath as he rubbed his face  
“gee Tobes. Thanks for having my back.”  
“….or is he?”  
“uh god.”  
“what? All the best episodes start out like this”  
“this isn’t an episode on TV!”  
“or recording?”  
“or that!”  
“relllaaaaxxx I got this under control”  
“oh do you?! Is that what you think?!”  
“We know Jim was at the scene of the crime! We know he’s in heat! We know those were two alpha trolls! We know that he was covered in blood! We know that they were both dead! We know he’s a half troll! What we don’t know, is WHY!”  
“fuck me with a metal baseball bat named Alan WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TOBES?!”  
“let me do this! I know what I’m doing!”  
“this is it. This is how I die. I didn’t think it would end like this.”  
“what DID you think it would end like?”  
“either me getting gang banged in Vegas on a high stakes poker table while threatening the mob, or on the ground bleeding out in the parking lot behind a Denny’s at 3am while fly me to the moon plays in the background”  
“….i….have so many questions”  
“about what?”  
“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN ABOUT WHAT?! In what POSSIBLE WAY do you even find yourself In that scenario?!”  
“well, the gang bang’s easy ca-”  
“I MEANT THE SECOND ONE!”

“oh...well, see, I imagine it starts out when I get this text message on my phone from a different version of me somewhere else in the world, not like, time travel, more along the lines of some ungodly scientific experiment gone horribly wrong, telling me to go to this one specific museum at night where I’m actually ambushed by three people dressing up as the predator. They think I’m a Xenomorph from being lied to by the other clone me. The other clone me realizes that two of the same individual from the same timeline can’t exist at the same time or else a reality paradox will tear open and causes a micro black hole sucking everything inside of it, instantly killing it, mostly from me being fearful that this was in fact due to a dimensional rift opening up. Kinda like a ‘mirror within a mirror within a mirror’ thing. ‘i dreamed of a world where I looked at myself who was looking back at me who looked beyond the horizon to see every me looking at the true face of the primordial chaos that eventually and gradual eroded life by pretty much transmitting cellular structure to form things and basic atoms.’. In order to prevent that possible outcome, I’m to be killed since, why the fuck would the other me want to die? So after escaping my assassins I then try to find out what information they were given and then by WHO at what time and place and date. So then there’s this whole mystery involving a beautiful mind room, slowly connecting the dots to one another and breaking into a fit of hysteria until I finally understand it all. Meanwhile the entire time my clone me has started to become paranoid that I would ‘return the favor’ by trying to send someone else to kill him, seeing as I would have figured the same thing out and sent a hit out on him. This as the only way to prevent the end of all life as we know it. In a fit of paranoia and possible sleep deprivation, my clone starts to hallucinate things and eventually runs away to some underground troll city to hide out until I’M the one who dies first. Except there is less and less time due to the string theory start to unravel. Then after I find out that I have a clone from some ungodly science experiment gone horribly wrong, I try to tack myself down using various bribes and threats to try and worm my way into places to get information about my clones location. Thing is, along the way I start to doubt if I’M the real me. While at the same time, my clone starts to doubt the same thing. So now it’s a simple back and forth trying to become more mentally sane and realize that maybe I’m not the actual one but the ACTUAL JIM was killed long ago and the only way for me to live on would be genetic cloning. So before I died, I had already started up the process of creation. Thing is, learning about this I wouldn’t have just stopped at a single individual, I would instead want to experiment on myself for mental and social experiments to see what would happen and see how long I could last until I eventually snapped. Scattering fragments of my own DNA strands around the world to slowly develop and hopefully figure this out to see who the ‘truest Jim’ would be. There can be only one, survival of the fittest. This experiment would actually mean that it would only improve myself in every way, you know, cunning, intellect, physical and mental reflexes, planning ahead for the future, learning how to survive in any environment at any given time. Eventually from either hiding or killing each other or figuring out what the fuck is REALLY going on I actually stumble into a realization that I was just REALLY high on acid and was going to my dealer to get some extra hits, only for shit to go south real fast and we end up getting caught up in some police situation, so we have to book it away so we don’t go to prison for possession of illegal substances. I end up betraying him by stealing all his shit and trying to run away. I get suuuper hungry and go to Denny’s to get some grub, only to remember that it’s ALWAYS the ONLY PLACE I ever go, to get food when I’m on an immense high ride. My dealer finds me stumbling out and trying to get another hit into my body when he sees me and stabs me in the neck, leaving me to die and bleed out in the parking lot. Fly me to the moon is playing in the background because that’s the music that’s playing inside of Denny’s. That clear things up?”

 

EVERYONE IN THE ROOM WAS ABSOLUTELY SILENT WITH MOUTHS AGAPE.

“what? I explained how I thought I’d die! Oh well, the first thing had to involve me slowly getting into an intense gambling addiction. I end up making good investments down the line, and due to my naturally longer lifespan than regular people, and knowing how the surface world works along with the economy, I use that to slowly build up more and more advancements and a greater fortune to my name until I finally manage to build a monopoly on various things, all making sure I wasn’t the actual face of anything, and instead using a fake image of myself. Never truly revealing what I look like, and when I am FORCED TO I instead either forge my own imagine as a human or hire an actor. I then start doing a shiiit load of shady underhanded dealings to get more property and buyouts, as well as blackmail and fraud and political corruption and all that, really making myself a name in the underworld, literally under the world and within the social world. So eventually I run into the mob who fights with me over who should own what. I tell them to fuck off and I can pay anyone and everyone off to hunt them all down to extinction. My threat is then returned with their own threat, and we play this game of illegal chicken. Eventually I stop hearing from them and assume they’ve finally backed off. So I hit Vegas to feed my gambling addiction. I start ordering tooooo many drinks and getting really shit faced, meanwhile I’ve also had my own personal entourage of sexy dudes, trolls, humans, half trolls, everything really ‘attending me’. So there I am getting plowed in my own makeshift orgy when I get a phone call and answer it while betting up more and more, raising the steaks, go big or go home, something I also say in answering why all the dudes I’m with are all super burly and total beefcakes. So it’s a messenger from the Mob who’s once again riding my ass, not unlike the guy who’s actually physically inside of me at that very moment. They start saying how they’ve already killed me, I’m like  
‘why the fuck do you think you’re talking to? I will hunt you down and your families and friends and friends families and really make sure who you are and fuck you over, again, not unlike the various dudes inside of me right then and there.’ turns out it was a ‘pre warning’ call for me, as some mobsters eventually find me and gun me down mid fuck. Well, that’s the end of my legacy really.”

 

Absolutely no noise could be heard in that room except for the ambiance around them

“what? Why are you all slack jawed and looking at me like that? Is my fur a mess? I mean I know it probably is but still”

A good amount of moments go by with everyone still in shock and trying to even understand fully wtf Jim just said. Eventually Toby broke the silence with a simple  
“you’re a fucking lunatic...”  
“WHAT?! DON’T YOU JUDGE ME TOBY! AT LEAST I CAN LIVE A COLORFUL LIFE! AND THEN GO OUT WITH A BANG, LITERALLY FOR BOTH SITUATIONS!”  
“i really wish I recorded that”  
“i bet Mary and Claire would get the biggest kick out of th-oh fuck wait I’m on trial for murder I totally forgot”  
“HOW DO YOU JUST ‘FORGET’ YOU’RE ON TRIAL FOR MURDER?!”  
“hey! A lot of shit just went down in my head and now that I’m really hearing it out loud I realize that I’m probably going to need more spies working for me in either vision really. Oh and write up a will. I’m leaving everything in a single treasure hidden somewhere in the world where the only clue will be a very vague phone recording at my funeral nice and clearly for everyone to hear and understand. Then I prob will have already set up little extra clues every which way for people to run into and get even more confused. I’m really fucking hungry, can we go get sushi or something? I’m feeling the need to eat something with rice and fish or chicken, either way I want rice”

 

No one even moved a muscle, still trying to just take in what Jim said  
“wow, haven’t seen a room full of this many shocked faces since I came to high school on my first day on the surface. Shit I was cringy back then. Uh, oh god I just remembered my really intense anime phase. Hey Tobes, remember when we first got burritos? That was fun…..well until I tasted ‘the spicy’ and was about to amputate my tongue. Ohh yeah and remember when I almost killed Steve? That was a fun day. Well not so much for Steve, but, me. Ohhh yeah that was also the first day I went into a human house. Man, I was sooo shocked! Oh god Tobes I wish you were there! Oh and Claire’s parents?! They were freaking out so much. It was amazing……..what’s with the faces? Wow it got quiet in here…..hey Tobes remember when I thought birds were flying dogs? also do you think I should get my fur done like Guy Fieri’s hair?”

………………………………………………………………………………..

After that little…….

 

Everyone decided to take a short recess. Mostly to clear their heads and figure out WTF just happened. Jim was with Kanjigar and Draal.  
“Jim. That was….”  
“amazing right?”  
“i was going to say mad. Insane. Lunacy!”  
“oh, well tomato potato I’m hungry, please feed your Jim! Pleeaassseee! he’s hungry!” Jim gave big puppy dog eyes while Kanjigar rubbed his head  
“you will get food after this trial.”  
“awwww but I’m hungry nooooooooowwwwwww!”  
“i understand you aren’t exc-” the doors opened up as Usurna and Vendel both came into the room. Vendel huffing  
“what. Do I even. Possible. Make of what. Just. Happened? Trollhunter do YOU have ANY possible idea of what your pet has even spoken of?”  
“well I was just ab-” the door opened up as Toby ran into the room. Tripping on a rock and falling, then getting back up, dusting himself off as he took deep breaths  
“okay! Okay! I’m here! Good news! I just power watched all the good scenes of mistrial and error! Well, skimmed it….kinda…..okay point is I know what to say and not have you...ya know….die” Jim sighed and closed his eyes, slumping his body against the cage  
“if I mastered blood magic I would have read the entrails of a goat to predict the future by now. Or a magic 8-ball…..do we have any of those laying around somewhere?”  
“i think I saw one in some old chest nana had...somewhere….wait maybe it’s in storage…..or maybe I’m just thinking of a pool ball. Wait did anyone play pool? I can’t remember anytime anyone actually played it. Nana never said she ever played it. Wait then why the hell do we have that?”  
“oh my god Tobes. I don’t think trying to solve the mystery of a possible yes or no pool ball and why you have it really matters right now. Now I’m actually starting to get a little scared that I might actually die.”  
“awww have more faith in me! we’ve hardly done anything yet!”  
“yeah, I wonder why”  
“okay FIRST OF ALL I’M not the one who went into that whole song freak out thingy, THEN made the whole weird possible death scenarios in the future…...wait what would be mine? I can’t think of it, Jim make one for me”

Usurna was mildly amused, but mostly concerned. Maybe having HIM attempt to prevent Gunmar’s son from death isn’t the best idea. Especially since she’s involved with this entire thing  
“are all humans like this?”  
“eh, sorta. we’re all different, buuut the same too. it’s like, waaay complicated. I mean you have cultures and attitudes and religions and food and social norms and different places and different philosophy's and different rules and different ideas and different point’s of views. Then you have to factor in on who’s leading who and who makes up what should go and happen and become where why and how and all that mumbo jumbo. Then of course you have to look at what people want to have the future become and look at the present but all tied to the past and stuff and then you have different feelings of different...well...everything from what you have and then you have wars and media and styles-”  
“Tobes. Pretty sure she understands it by now. Trolls really REALLY are a LOT more simple than humans are. By a loooong shot”  
“okay okay! Well point is we can do this! Okay, I just need some scratch paper, like, a year, and like, actually study how the judicial system works. Shit okay, I hardly remember it, okay not at all for actual factual stuff, BUT we learned it in highschool! Well I sorta got dismissed from that class for…..different viewpoints with others...”  
“Steve kicked your ass and you took advantage of the excuse so you auto passed the semester instead of actually having to study and well, do the class”  
“hey! You didn’t have to attend either!”  
“i was JUST coming to the surface! Walt convinced everyone that it wasn’t fair I’d be at such a disadvantage trying to learn it when I only lived with trolls my whole life...well for 87 years at least. Besides, if it wasn’t for me convincing him to let you pass you wouldn’t have been excused! Now thinking of it, I should have made sure your ass was kept in it so YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING!”  
“okay fine. Fair point. Counter point, none of it matters since this isn’t a human trial! Well, human-ish hybrid trial! Well I mean it IS a trial for you, just not in the way humans do it SO THIS WHOLE ARGUMENT IS INVALID! Oh wait! Can we use that as an excuse!?”

Kanjigar, Draal, Vendel, and Usurna all said at once  
“no.”  
“dam….okay so, give me the how to’s to troll law-ish stuff….maybe like...the cliffnote version?”  
“why would we have the notes on a cliff?”  
“no Tobes means a shortened version of only the most important parts. Pretty much everything narrowed down to a fine print of the most important stuff related to me” Before anyone could talk, a guard was sent into the room stating that everyone was to come back into the court room.

………………………………………………………………………….

“yes! Continuing where we last left off!...again!...today, we are here to...well...prove that Jim is innocent! Well I mean...i guess I’m the one to prove his innocence! And not have him tormented!...i think” Jim started to snicker  
“saw...”  
“Jimbo don’t you even!”  
“what? Do you mean Tobes?”  
“you know dam well what I mean! Don’t bring that up! And don’t laugh!”  
“you know I think it’s funny! You know my humor is really dark!” Vendel hit his hand on the counter  
“does this have ANYTHING to do with this trial? Is this...whatever you’re talking about relevant?”  
“no”  
“yes”  
“Jimbo!”  
“whaaat? it’s about torture!”  
“gore porn is NOT what we’re bringing up right now!”

“excuse me? What is this exactly?”  
“Well-”  
“Jimbo don’t. Tell them. They DON’T need to know!”  
“…..Saw is a movie franchise that-”  
“Jimbo”  
“-that has to do with torture. Pretty much humans go through these really intense ‘games’ that literally are life and death”  
“and it’s very bloody and gruesome and we don’t need to talk about it!”  
“you’re just scared”  
“hey! I don’t want anything like that to happen to me! You know I was scared of pigs for the longest time!”  
“so, in the first movie they have this one scene. So a woman wakes up trapped in a room with a bear trap on her head. She watches a video telling her that the timer on the side is going down and it will literally crack her skull open if she doesn’t remove it. Thing is, it’s stuck on her. In this head gear cage thing. So she get up out of her chair only for the timer to turn on. Every second is closer and closer to potential death. She is told what she has to do. The ONLY key to unlocking the trap on her head and getting it off of her in time before she is brutally killed, is inside...get this….someone’s body. There’s this guys body on the floor next to her, her dead cellmate. She has to LITERALLY CUT HIM OPEN AND DIG FOR THE KEY IN HIS GUTS! Thing is, he’s still alive. So there she is jabbing the blade into him, cutting him open and digging out the key from inside of him! So she finally digs through the guys stomach and gets the key, unlocks her cage and throws it off her head THE SECOND before it opens up!

 

Live or die. Make your choice. The little games are to test if you’re willing to live and what you’re willing to do to be able to live. Most people are so ungrateful to be alive. Is your will strong enough to help you stay alive? Make it through the tests? So there are a bunch of movies and a lot of different ‘tests’ to see if you’re willing to live or not. they’re done to really show you how much life there is and if you’re willing to survive for it. Are you willing to let others die so your own life can be saved? Or risk your own life and have a slight chance of saving the both of you. There’s this one scene, I forget which movie, but this girl has this thing attached on her shoulders and they have a bunch of shotgun shells around her on it. If she keeps this one guy alive during a surgery, she can go free. If he dies. The shells go off, and brutally kill her. Oh and there’s this one character that wears a pigs face as a mask, all bloody and stuff. Hence why Tobes was saying he was afraid of pigs. It’s really brutal only for the sake of brutality, so it’s nicknames torture porn or gore porn, because it’s just made for no other reason but to be as violent as possible”

Once again, everyone was slack jawed and silent  
“see Jim! I told you not to tell them!”  
“what? isn’t the concept neat? The people have all done something wrong in their life and this is sorta their baptism for a new one. Truly show that you were wasting you life away on something and this is to show you how valuable your one and only chance of living is. it’s one big game! Just like life! who’s gonna be the winner and live? who’s going to loose and die? Not everyone can win, so who’s going to be the one to make sure they can survive? No one’s going to just choose themselves to loose on purpose without some specific reason”  
“People don’t need to be brutal for no reason though! Especially to ourselves and others and everything!”  
“yeah but it’s a movie specifically made for that, not like you’re forced to watch it”  
“Steve made us watch it! Together! And you sat there laughing while I wanted to cry and go home to pet my cats and not be horribly afraid!”  
“it’s a movie, movie’s are made to entertain us. Like everything else they made”  
“don’t you mean we-? Ohh yeah cause you’re not...okay I see what you said there”

 

Kanjigar spoke up quietly, still filled with shock  
“humans made these….to entertain themselves?!”  
“well, if you really think about it and look at literally any time in human history, they kinda aren’t doing this as something newly discovered”  
“..that’s….fair. Humans are….sexually aroused by this?!”  
“yeah, sometimes. Humans are pretty much sexually aroused at ANYTHING! it’s called a fetish. Well, it’s one definition of the word. it’s sexual attraction to something that isn’t inherently sexual” Toby rubbed his head, not wanting to remember all the horrible moments he had….also the cringy memories of yesteryear.  
“like bondage stuff”  
“actually Tobes that’s a misconception, THAT is PURPOSELY for sexual attraction, so it’s not a fetish.”

Kanjigar once again asked in a quiet shocked tone  
“i fear to ask what exactly do you mean by bondage Jim?”  
“it’s exactly as it sounds. Bondage. People being really turned on and getting off to the whole thing. Restraint. Ropes, handcuffs, muzzles and collars, leashes, chains, sometimes degradation, torment, in a light sense not like the heavy stuff, well...sometimes I guess…...also cages are a turn on” Jim smiled and ran a finger over one of the bars of his cage  
“there’s sometimes a dominate and submissive, two people who...well act as such. Masochism is someone who enjoys suffering put upon them, it doesn’t technically have to be sexual gratification, but usually is. Being subjected to torment and degradation, mistreated, abused, humiliated, could be inflicted by another or self inflicted. Sadist is the opposite term. In the sense of someone who gets sexual gratification by inflicting and doing all that to another. Common misconception s that they enjoy one another, when in actuality, they don’t. Sadist’s enjoy when they DON’T like it, so involving someone to ‘that activity’ who doesn’t enjoy it, THAT’S what gets them sexually aroused. Then there’s sadomasochism which simply put is both of them combined, or either one. As for ACTUAL fetishes, THAT is waaaaaaay tooooooo many to actually go into. Like, what I said, pretty much everything can be sexually attractive. there’s one thing called teratophilia which simply put, is the sexual attraction to monsters. So werewolves, ghosts, vampires…..trolls….pretty much everything along those lines and more can be a sexual-well you get what I mean. Then of course if you try to explain the difference between sex and gender, which humans-you know what, that’s a heavy debated thing and a looot of people have their own viewpoints and-well point is I’m not going to delve into it…...OH! that’s right! My trial for murder! let’s get back to that”

………………………………………………………………………………

After a few moments to…..gather themselves. They went back to….the ACTUAL TRIAL THEY’VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR ALMOST AN HOUR

“ahem. Now, then, as I will show the innocence of my client!-”  
“wait I’m your client? You know I’m not paying you right?”  
“-your friendship is payment enough”  
“aww thanks tobes”  
“where was I….YES! The innocence of my client! Is to be determined today without a shadow of a doubt! My client is about as guilty for this as there are aliens in space!”  
“what are you speaking of?” The tribunal looked confused and somewhat concerned.  
“ignore what he said! He was just making a joke! it’s a human thing, don’t think anything of it. isn’t that right Tobes?”  
“yep!”  
“what did he mean-”  
“it’s nothing Vendel! don’t worry! Like I said, it’s just a human thing. Nothing to think about. Anyways yeah! So, Tobes, help show them that I’m innocent”  
“yeaaahhhh! Yep! Okay! let’s rewind and start over...uh….without a shadow of doubt! he’s innocent and I’m here to prove it! First!...uh….um….hm….okay OH OKAY! We need witnesses!….was there anyone else who was there Jimbo?”  
“not that I could have seen”

 

Usurna spoke before Toby could again  
“we must know what took place before we can actually call on witnesses. We have yet to even hear any story to as what happened”  
“oooohhhh! I KNEW I was forgetting something!”  
“yeah Tobes. Literally the entire reason.”  
“you, hush. Now the-actually you need to tell them, so, uh, unhush”  
“you got it my wonderful lawyer…….so….well this is what happened...” As Jim began to tell of what happened, Toby quickly went over to Kanjigar and waved him to lean down so Toby could whisper. Kanjigar rolled his eyes and humored him  
“okay, while he’s doing the thing, we need witnesses, evidence he’s innocent. so. uh. What and how do we do this? Not like I’m from around here and I can’t just wander off, for multiple reasons”  
“well. I will, as soon as I hear of what actually happened. I know about as much as the tribunal knows, remember?”  
“...oops...yeah….huh…..” Kanjigar didn’t care to put much effort in even trying to sort through the humans ridiculousness.  
“after I’m done listening, which I’m trying to do. I will pardon myself to look for evidence. Talk to witnesses and the like. You stay put. Stay. Put. And make sure Jim doesn’t be proven guilty. I don’t think I need to tell you of how much faith I have in you. Do I?”  
“...was that rhetorical?”  
“yes.”  
“then okay!” Toby gave a big smile and thumbs up before turning around and quietly heading back over to the cage. Either someone noticed it and didn’t care, or didn’t notice it at all, either way no one from the tribunal asked about what Toby just spoke to Kanjigar about.  
“-then the guards came, I raised my arms in surrender and well here I am and everything” Vendel groped his beard and asked  
“so this is the entire story? You left in a haste before anyone could even utter another word. All this happened in the short time you were gone?”  
“yeah pretty much”  
“what about the time in between that?”  
“oh...uh…..it’s….not important” Toby cleared his throat and tried to look professional and in control of something he had no idea about except for his intense memory of media.

“really? Soooo nothing seemed to happen? I think it’s important to know allll the details. So, WHAT ARE YOU HIDING FROM US ALL?!” Jim rolled his eyes and ran a hand down his face  
“unbel-actually, it is believable. This entire thing is unorganized and chaotic.” someone from the tribunal mumbled  
“exactly what I was thinking...it’s. Nothing. Important Tobes.”  
“I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT!”  
“i don-”  
“DO IT!”  
“uh. God. Okay, I walked around doing nothing. Sightseeing I guess. I don’t know. Then I went to that one place rot guts. Got a couple things, went back to my nest and put them there, then walked, and then all that stuff happened and blah blah here we are”  
“what did you get? A MURDER WEAPON?!”  
“gee Tobes usually the one who’s supposed to be helping isn’t the one who’s trying to make things worse.”  
“DODGING THE QUESTION?! SUSPICIOUS!”  
“the only murder weapon there, was the spear. Oh my god. Now I wish Claire found out about my life instead of you”  
“THAT IS TOO FAR! HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME LIKE THAT! YOU THINK CLAIRE COULD BE DOING A BETTER JOB THAN I?!”  
“yes. Yes I do.”

 

“wow, way to have faith in me.”  
“EXCUSE ME!? DON’T EVEN ACT LIKE THAT! YOU’RE LITERA-oh my god, why am I arguing this? All I got were a couple personal items. that’s all. Drop it.”  
“what KIND of personal stuff? Hmm? HMMMM?!”  
“personal. Drop it.”  
“why so keeeen on not answering? it’s not like it’s anything weird like a drug or a sex toy-oh my god it’s totally a sex toy isn’t it...”  
“DON’T YOU JUDGE ME! I’M IN HEAT OKAY! I SAW IT, I WANTED IT, I GOT IT.”  
“the other thing? it’s not another thingy thing right?”  
“no...it’s...not”  
“then what was it?” Jim looked at Toby and then to the tribunal. Jim groaned and rubbed his face with both hands.  
“it….was a…. book about….child bearing. Okay?” that made the air quiet and awkward just as suddenly as Jim finished his sentence. Toby rubbed the back of his neck and felt terrible.  
“oh...uh…..sorry Jimbo I didn’t….”  
“whatever. it’s out there now. I don’t know why I wanted it. I guess…….. cause I’m in heat and I saw it and….i don’t know! My brain just told me to get it. I wasn’t even planning on reading it….i think...i don’t know…..I’m just…..really confused right now.”

 

Jim groaned and tried to look away at ANYTHING ELSE. He felt terrible. Emotions suddenly conflicted. His biggest one was like if a parent discovered the internet history of a horny 14 year old boy. Nothing but awkward weird shit and shame. Jim’s heart thumped with severe pain when his eyes crossed with Draal’s for a brief second. In that second it felt like his entire body was melting like plastic in a furnace starting from the inside and working its way out to the surface. Draal’s expression was….Jim didn’t even understand it. 

 

Worry? Excitement? Nervousness? Uncertainty? Doubt? Hope? The amulet Jim wore around his neck and tucked under his shirt felt more like a terrible burden. He wasn’t ashamed of wearing it, he loved it. He tucked it under his shirt so it wouldn’t move and flop around everywhere whenever he moved quickly or jumped and everything in between. He had intense pain, wishing it wasn’t touching his skin. It suddenly felt as hot as a brand and heavy as a metal ball, like the kind they used on prisoners legs. Jim wished he had a real one around his leg, instead of the feeling of having one around his neck.

 

Jim really really wished he could just turn into air and blow out of the cage and down into some chasm. Turn invisible at least so no one could look at his face. He was almost tempted to whip out his amulet and teleport home and just hide under his nest for the rest of his life. Away from everything and everyone. He hated that Draal could see him. That he couldn’t find some place to hide or turn away or even cover himself. He wished he had a cloak or something to hide himself with. Hell, he would have happily accepted one of Bular’s hides to wrap around himself. Well, at least he didn’t have to talk about the third thing now…..now….that was for only him to know. No one else needed to understand why he had it, well the REAL reason he had it….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED!!!! DA DA DAAAAAAHHHHHH! 

 

;p  
……………………………………………………………………………………….


	34. ....not really haha~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE TRIAL CONTINUES!
> 
> Poor Draal.
> 
> Poor Jim.
> 
> Toby stfu
> 
> Jim's plan.
> 
> an impossible riddle.
> 
> a half trolls job.
> 
> Jim's inner suffering brought to light.
> 
> Banjigar, please hold your half troll
> 
> Draal the dangerous, please help Jim
> 
> Just let Jim be happy. 
> 
> HAHA NEVER! >;D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just....i love making Jim suffer....  
> A FEW NOTES! just in general  
> honestly the different versions of how i make characters is amazing to me.  
> cannon Jim: "I'm going to protect the world and everyone in it, including all the trolls! with my best friends by my side we can do anything!"  
> my Jim: "HEY DRAAL COME FUCK ME LIKE A WHORE AS I TEAR INTO THIS DUDES JUGULAR VEIN! oh god i ruined Toby. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY LIFE!"  
> Cannon Bular: "I WILL RIP OUT YOUR ORGANS AND DRINK YOUR BLOOD FROM YOUR SKULL!"  
> my Bular: "I'm learning human things because i want to love my brother. Take care of him when he needs it, like any true brother would.  
> ALSO I WILL RIP OUT YOUR ORGANS AND FEED THEM TO MY BROTHER!"  
> Cannon Toby: "woo! let's go have fun! Let's eat burritos, hangout, and save the world!"  
> my Toby: "HAHhahHHAHAHAHhahahHHAHA! the end of the world is right next to me! oh god everyone's gonna die. hey Jim let's go get some burritos and play that new game, also can you kill these people for me? thanks! HAHAHA I'M BROKEN INSIDE!"  
> Cannon Gunmar: "I WILL SLAUGHTER EVERYONE AND BRING ALL OF HUMANITY TO EXTINCTION!"  
> my Gunmar: "my sons, i love you both so much. Jim, please always know, i want to be in your life. i want to be here for you, i want you to have a father since you never had a mother. LET'S GO KILL EVERYONE TOGETHER! AS A FAMILY!"
> 
> i super love the whole joke of a parent saying to their kid   
> "listen here you little shit. i brought you into this world i can take you out!"
> 
> wooo! i now have the most words than any other fic in the fandom! dope =D yay to long stories!
> 
> I've been going through past chapters and checking up/editing stuff and correcting things and such, make sure everything's cleaned up and no continuity errors either. wow i was a shitty writer in the past XD well, spelling and junk i guess
> 
> so had some thoughts of this dumb Bloodborne Au thingy. just like a thing i guess? not like im gonna write anything, but i thought It would be neat to mention. so  
> Jim would be....well...the hunter  
> Draal would be like the cleric beast. haha, Jim walking him around on a leash! playing fetch with like, some dudes head  
> Arrrg and Blinky would pretty much be similar to how the doll help's hunters in the hunters dream  
> i feel like Claire would be a member of the healing church, a choir member before learning about the awful stuff the church was actually doing  
> Toby i feel like he would be the type to want to protect the beasts. he sees them still as the regular people they once were. he would pretty much be like Djura  
> Then Jim eventually becomes the next great one. basing that off of him becoming part troll in the show
> 
> i made this joke that Jim, Bular, and Draal are daddy issue trio. they form a band that plays soft rock in cafe's and cry into their drinks. they refuse to play anywhere big, sticking to only small places and cafe's and etc
> 
> the dumb joke of getting sent to ER  
> "Jim! you're literally bleeding internally!"  
> "yeah Tobes but that dic tho"
> 
> had this joke of lilo and Stitch. pretty much the scene of Toby praying for a friend, an angel. and then cut to Jim coming out of the ground laughing all evil like, bloodthirsty and wanting to kill and eat people
> 
> WOO THIS FIC NOW HAS OVER 4000 HITS! i NEVER thought it would ever get this big! =DDD I'm so happy so many people have looked and read it! i honestly thought this would get like, a couple hundred views AT MOST! let alone this many! well get ready cause this fic is no where near being even 25% done! i have major plans for this story! it's gonna be a looong crazy ride. i always get the mood of  
> 'ohh i LOVE this idea! i wana write it' but then it's not till waaaay later on so i have to chill out  
> 'don't rush or spoil shit!' so anyways, thanks so much for reading my story! hope you're excited for more!

So a friend (you know who you are, you coward) asked well more like begged, for me to write the ghost stories letter scene but with this fic. So I said, fuck it. Why not have some shitpost in this? This is NOT CANON IN ANY WAY just to clarify. Just for shits and giggles. Oh also it’s edited to fit with the story, obviously, so some stuff isn’t exactly like the scene from the show. Now then….

 

A gumm-gumm hands Jim a letter. It was sealed tightly, a bit difficult to open. He looked at it and read each word carefully, knowing this was the one and only thing his mother ever gave him

“Dear whoever the fuck gets this,

I’m sure you’ll be-actually in all honestly I have no idea when you’re going to get this letter. Not like the dam gumm-gumm’s have some sort of good mail delivery service around here. I’m leaving strict instructions for this letter to be delivered to you when you’re young, but still old enough to understand so that we can read it together. Like a surprise, not the ‘oh no your test results came back and you have some sort of horrible sexual virus’ kind of surprise, but the fun kind. Like when you get candy, or the skull of your most hated enemy. Your father was romantic like that, I’m being serious, I honestly loved it. That bitch deserved it ‘oh I’m Dereza, I think I’m such a cool person because I own land and have my own legion of soldiers’ who’s laughing now Dereza?! WHO’S LAUGHING NOW?! Well anyways, I’m writing this only days before you will be born. At least that’s what the medics say. Any day now! Hopefully the gumm-gumm’s don’t accidentally destroy and damage this letter. Not exactly like they can be soft and tender, I swear the last time I had a check up I almost wanted to sever the doctors head from their body, I mean it isn’t hard to learn how to was your god forsaken hands and warm them up before touching me! I can’t wait to see you born into the world, us all living as a happy little family together with no one horribly dying from some unforeseen accident that ruins your life. I can’t wait to see your little face. I really do wonder what you’ll end up being. Of course your father wants another big troll alpha son to help rule by his side. I want someone cute and sweet. Someone who will learn how to love and grown, and murder a man 13 different ways with just their teeth, just like mommy can. I’m eager to watch you grow and laugh and learn how to rip into a jugular vein with your teeth.

 

I would like to write something heartwarming, or words of wisdom, or anything really that would be good advice, but I’m really strung out on this weird painkiller the medics have me using, so I’m good just holding my pen. Oh before I forget, let me get down to business. I hope when you read this you know not how to, well, die. If your father forgets to teach you how to kill, and for some reason Blinkous does, and for some reason I’m not around, make sure to really REALLY beat your fathers ass for forgetting about it. Then again, you wouldn’t know how to fight, now would you? I’m genuinely asking. Wow, I’m really loosing it. Haha, I’m soooo high! Oh also I’ve maybe sort of kind of pissed off, like REALLY REALLY PISSED OFF some assassins. I really hope they don’t end up killing you. They’ll probably come to kill you, here’s hoping they don’t! I raised a drink for you, don’t worry, it’s milk. I am REALLY addicted to goats milk, you must like it a lot for some weird reason. Anyways I hope the assassins are all wiped out before you’ve grown up. If not, well here’s a warning if you didn’t find out yet for some reason. There are these rebels in our dark home. You know, they complain about ‘wah oh boo hoo we don’t have proper care, we don’t get taken care of, we can’t pull our own weight’ well tough shit. Did you SEE what I had to endure!? I pulled myself up from the dirt and filth and rose to the fucking top! Literally, I was pushed into dirt a lot. Oh I hope you end up killing them for me, if I hadn’t for some reason.

 

Oh! also, your brother is a really really big sour bitch. Make sure he doesn’t push you around. Also aim for his left shoulder, it’s where he’s weakest. You should see the way he pouts when I beat him into the floor like the angry barking bitch he is. I have NEVER seen or heard a gumm-gumm complain as much as he has! And does your father do anything about it? Noooo   
‘if you don’t like it then deal with it’ so I do. A lot. Now he shuts his meat hole whenever I’m around. Speaking of big sour bitches, let me tell you some various things about your father. So, to start, he really never remembers how to not scrape his horns against things, he gets this itchy feeling sometimes and he rubs up on things like some cat in heat. I’ve lost so many curtains because of it. Sometimes he leaves messes around, like the god dam gumm-gumm warlord can’t learn how to pick up after himself, does he REALLY expect a servant to pick up after him at all times? God the amount of times I’ve tripped over these skulls he collects, and other body parts he collects, he’s really into spines at the moment. Not sure why. Another little fact is that he’s always chewing with his mouth open. I don’t expect him to be the cleanest gumm-gumm but come on! you’re little big sour puss of a son has better manners than you do! He loves when his shoulders are rubbed, especially the right side. If you ever need to sweet talk him into anything, do that and he’ll melt like ice.

 

I know how to put your father in his place, you should see this scrunched up face he makes when he knows he’s wrong. it’s priceless. Hmmm, let’s see. He always likes to chew on crystals, so bring him some from time to time, heartstone too of course. don’t know where you’ll get any though. I know a troll city is somewhere under Arcadia. Your father HATES when his tail is pulled, so do it. A lot. Say it’s a gift from dear old mom. I love to tease him. When he gets angry it turns into passion and the gumm-gumm is packing a weapon like no one else! They should call him Gunmar the great sword! I mean WOW! The hot bed breaking, wall cracking, floor pounding sex we have! I like it rough, I mean ROUGH! we’ve literally broken stone walls before! Oh and when I’m in heat he has this look like he’s begging for mercy! Little bitch hates it when he’s not strong enough for anything! And just draining his balls ends up hurting him more than anything after the 17th time in a row! I hope you get your mothers stamina, and your fathers sword, or my pussy if you’re a girl. I went to this place called India one time and I read all about these various sex positions and ball busting moves and WOW did I know how to make him submit like the bitch he is!

 

For all his flaws. I truly love him. I’m glad that whore before me died. He loved me so much more than her. Let that cunt turn to dust. Drama I’ll explain when you’re older, unless you are older, then I’d already tell you about it.

 

I can’t wait to see you take your first little crawls over to him. He’s a stone headed stubborn big dick packing grumpy asshole of a gumm-gumm, but I love him so much. Oh I can’t WAIT to flaunt you around! Especially to your brother! I want you to torment the ever loving life out of him. He needs to learn some manners, along with being humble. Then again, I guess being humble isn’t in him and your father. God I hope you don’t become some prideful jerkoff alpha. I WILL kick your ass. Just letting you know. I know I’m going to love being your mother. I’m trying to imagine what it would be like but the medics just gave me even more meds. I’m seeing color’s and it’s bonanza right now. Like a god dam kaleidoscope. I’m sooo loosing it right now! it’s amazing! Really wanting to suck your fathers dick right now. Do you know how horrible it is not being able to fuck because we might hurt you? You are a little pain in the ass already. God I can’t wait until I recover so your father and I can have wall shattering sex again. This must be really inappropriate for you to read, but I’m really high right now and I can’t tell what I should write or not, I’m good just focusing on this paper and pen. I swear it’s looking at me like it wants to fight. FUCK YOU PAPER!

Not sure what else to write so I’ll hum instead. Wait, shit you can’t read hums, can you? Oh shit I think a fly is trying to kill me. Does it have a knife? I can’t tell. Hahaha I’m so high! Why did I write my laughter? Oh god It won’t leave me alone. Oh god dammit I smashed it on this paper. I am NOT re writing this so get over it. OH! I really hope you’re a boy. I’d love to have a daughter but if I have to leave for even a single day and leave you with your father, I’m afraid he might kill you by accident just because he doesn’t know what to do. And talking about periods? I can’t even imagine it. I mean literally. It almost looks like I’m writing a hundred pages, wait am I? Oh! And sometimes Blinkous doesn’t know when the fuck to shut up, poke one of his eyes out for me, I’ve been meaning to. If I have to hear him talk about the Tudor era again I will gouge it out with a dull butter knife. OH! And our top hound, Arrrg, I’m sure you’ve met him, is the sweetest softest troll I’ve ever met. Well, when he’s not biting a man’s head off. Literally. Scratch his beard, he likes it. OH! One last thing about your father. Kick him in the gronk-nuks from time to time. Just because. that’s all. Alright well I’m about to pass out. I hope you read this and enjoy it. I honestly can’t tell if this is real or not. I love you, so very much, my dear sweet child. Oh! One last thing before I finish. Remind me to teach you how to fuck like a pro. I want your mate to beg for mercy like your father does. Make THEM the bitch”

 

 

Jim, Toby, Bular, and Gunmar are just in shock after reading it. Toby looking at him with an expression like he just heard a reality shattering secret  
“Dude…..your mom…..suddenly a lot of things about you makes sense”  
“wow……...okay”  
“oh I’m a sour bitch huh?!”  
“truly wished she didn’t write about us in our intimate moments in this.”

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

THE STORY CONTINUES NOW!!!!

 

;p

………………………………………………………………………….

 

Earlier before the trial…..

 

 

A panel opened up with an eye looking through it  
“hello welcome to rot-oh, it’s you. The little half troll” another one opened up and a second eye looked out  
“who is it? What half troll? Ohhhh this one! Haha, he smells funny again!”  
“don’t talk like that! you’re being very rude. Especially because he belongs to you know who.”  
“Who?”  
“you who”  
“who me?”  
“no you know who”  
“wait is who me or who you?”  
“oh for the love of-i meant-” the panel closes  
“hold a tic” Jim hears muffled arguing as he crosses his arms and waits patiently. he’s been in plenty of lines for customer service, he’s seen the way workers have been treated. Jim’s always made it a habit of being polite, unless someone else is being a total dick. However, before he lashes out, he wonders  
‘are they ALWAYS like this? Or just stressed and lashing out.’ after all, whenever he’s way too stressed or on the verge of snapping, he isn’t exactly all that warm and friendly himself. So he always gave other the benefit of the doubt, unless they really are just assholes in general. Then he also might eat them later.

“-ng. I’ve never said that. Now then, where were we...ah….that’s right. Ahem. How may I help you? I wouldn’t dare send Kanjigar’s pet away unsatisfied with our business!”  
“thanks. I think. My name’s Jim, I’d really prefer you calling me that instead”  
“not a problem! So pet Jim, what do you need?” Jim just mentally groaned  
‘well….better than property like others would say...’  
“wanted to stretch my legs and walk, was walking by near this place, got curious, and here I am! I know you’ve got a lot of magical stuff so I thought I’d check it out, see if I might want something. So, what do you have?” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim had regret saying that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He couldn’t tell who was who, but the brothers constantly went on and off of various subjects and topics, explaining things and then arguing about them. Jim found this funny, but a little irritating too….he didn’t have the impatience like his brother had, far far from it, but that didn’t mean he had enough to deal with this….

 

Finally a few things caught his attention. Sure the other magical stuff was mildly interesting, but a magnet that only attracted snails wasn’t exactly attention grabbing. The first, a nice sex toy. Just a strange looking object similar to a typical human vibrator. However this one could change speeds, temperature, the size of it, slightly growing or shrinking, and even it’s own color! And it glowed! Interesting enough, so Jim wanted that. He told them to put it on Kanjigar’s tab. The second was a book that had his mind body and heart stop when he heard it listed off. He typically would never have even given it more than a passing thought. This time however. He felt the need to own it. A book on childbearing. Jim always wondered about it. Mostly wanting to see if anyone else ever had similar problems with their bodies. Only being able to handle a single child….one of Jim’s biggest fears were pregnancy. Not simply because of the typical worries of if he’ll be good enough as a mom, but because of how his body is. Would he be able to go full term? Or would it just not be strong enough to hold on and have the child…...and if he DID manage to have it…..would his body give out like his own mothers had? Maybe an answer would be in the book. Jim hoped it would be, or something similar to it. Anything was better than nothing. Last, was another book. No one would think anything of it, no one would suspect anything. After all, it was a book about….stories. Not just any, but rumors, legends, secrets, curiosities. Jim wanted to know it all. He wanted to see if there were ANY fragments of truth to anything told in it. The biggest reason of wanting to know? To get stronger. Magical objects to improve himself in any way. Secret spells and other oddities to enhance his own abilities as best they could. Maybe when reading the book he would uncover some old secret that would help lead him to some ultimate treasure. Or maybe it would just be fun to read! The BIGGEST need of investment however wasn’t just for him to become stronger. It was to learn. To...understand things more. He had learned of a story one day, one that could kill his father. Everyone knew Gunmar couldn’t be killed. Only trapped. However, this story said that there would be a way…..and Jim wanted to find out how….

 

No. not to kill, but to protect. If Jim showed that HE was the one and only to learn on how to kill his father, then he would earn respect from others. Fear. Admiration. To be looked upon with joy and pride. To be seen as one of the most deadly things in life. He wanted to have others hold him in their heart as an all powerful creature like his father was. No one would look down upon him any longer. His entire reason of growing and getting stronger would finally pay off. No one would see him as just a meager half troll, But as a dangerous creature, that could kill you in seconds if desired.

 

Magic was powerful. Some of the most dangerous things came from it. Science and magic were two sides of the same coin. One could do something the other couldn’t. Some problems can only be solved with magic, and vice versa. If you mastered on how to combine the two, then you could potentially unlock capabilities very few could have ever imagined.

 

Stories of ancient, powerful beings, objects, and places. All information about them lost or destroyed for whatever reason. Jim wanted to be the one to uncover them all, gain the power and information for himself, use every single advantage he had to play in his favor. He would become unstoppable. A true legend for the ages. Blinky told him that with every story, there is always at least some truth to it. Even if it were deeply hidden within the story, it could be understood, brought to light.

 

So a book about all things esoteric and mysterious, was right up on Jim’s top list of things to uncover. How to kill his father was the most important. Then second was to become immortal. The third, how to revive the dead. Then the fourth would be how to make an endless amount of food, hey, when you ate a slice of cake or pizza that was amazing, why not make more of it exactly as it is? Sometimes just cooking/baking the same thing didn’t always come out just as good!

 

“will that be all?”  
“for the time, yeah. Next time Kanjigar comes by, just say I took a couple things, I doubt he’d mind”  
“of course! I hope you enjoyed your service, and don’t forget to mention it to your master!”  
“will do!” Jim smiled, saluted and walked away thinking  
‘fuckin kiss ass’

……………………………………………………………………

 

On the way walking back to Kanjigar’s cave, Jim flipped through the book, it was a fairly large and thick one, all in troll, not a problem since he could easily speak and read it. Most things were just childhood stories or dumb riddles. Some topics did have an interest, but it was usually mundane, like learning how speed read with magic. That made Jim think Blinky was always using it. One thing that Jim had to read it over a few times, stop walking, eyes widen, was a tale of a few figures. Mysterious, old, powerful. Some names forgotten, others destroyed on purpose.

Blinky once told him that there was once a scholar who figured out how to kill Gunmar. He was being hunted down, chased and sought to be killed. He had written only a couple tomes, each mundane and simple copies of books already well known. Blinky said he hypothesized that the books held the secrets within them. However, the tomes were lost. The most difficult? They were copies of the most common books. No one knew which ones where which, so everyone gave up trying to find it.

 

Jim figured one way to know where they were though.

 

When he returned to Arcadia, he needed to talk to Walt…..

…………………………………………………………………………………  
In the present time….

…………………………………………………………………………………

Jim yawned as he slumped up against his cage, licking his lips a little before giving a small sigh out through his nose. It was a few minutes later after the whole…..situation that Toby brought up. Now, the human was rambling on with whatever he could come up with. Most of it was just word garbage he simply repeated from what he heard on his shows, but it had JUST ENOUGH actual sense to the current trial that no one could interrupt him since he was technically keeping everything to the subject and actually pushing everything forward. Meanwhile Kanjigar had left to go gather evidence and round up any possible witnesses he could. Draal stood near the tribunal, leaned up against the stone wall feeling incredibly bored. He had regret not going with his father. The only thing that made his attention, and heart, stir were the rare glances from Jim in the general direction. Their eye’s didn’t always make contact, but the moments when they did felt….intense. Neither of them wanted to actually look directly at each other. They would typically steal glances from each other. Both knew it was going on, but nothing was spoken about it.

 

Draal did in fact have a glimmer of hope in his heart when he heard about what subject the book was about. He tried to kill it, or at least push it far away, knowing it wouldn’t happen. Jim wasn’t ready to have a child. No matter how nice Draal imagined it. His mind would always have the sweet, lovely mental images of them raising their whelp, living together, and one happily ever after. He didn’t have the complete story of what Jim was going through, and he didn’t want to pry. Jim would tell him when he was ready. Draal didn’t want to force anything out in the open, never. So, he waited. He could. He has. Only three things had the strongest pull on his mind at the current time. Jim’s heat, the trial, and being hungry. 

 

That sweet sweet alluring heat wouldn’t get out of Draal’s head, along with his loins….He truly wanted to snatch Jim away and run to some quiet lifeless area and just get busy. He didn’t want to think of anything else, but he had to focus on the present, not the intense almost overwhelming sexual lust he had. His hunger was, well it was simple enough to understand. He hadn’t eaten in a while. He had slight fear about the trial. He knew Jim wouldn’t hurt a gnome. He was innocent, no doubt whatsoever. Now that everyone knew the story, it was easy enough to see as plain as daylight that Jim truly was innocent. The only fear Draal held in his heart was that, not everyone was ‘fond’ of half trolls. Even if they had clear evidence of Jim’s innocence, that wouldn’t mean they wouldn’t place blame on Jim for troll death. Sure, it could technically be seen as Jim’s fault, in a dumb simple minded twisted way, but no matter what, it wasn’t Jim’s fault. Draal knew that Vendel and his father would easily help convince the others that Jim should walk free from his cage within the next hour, the other 4 members of the tribunal might not feel the same way.

 

This entire trial was all about troll ‘superiority’ over half trolls. that’s what it truly is when boiled down. A half trolls life is nothing compared to a trolls. So a case about a half troll costing the lives of not one, but TWO trolls? He should be punished. His very presence was an affront to troll society, now he’s cost two superior beings to die simply for being involved. If he were a regular troll, this wouldn’t have happened. it’s his fault for allowing this to happen. it’s his fault he didn’t give proper respect to the two trolls, it’s his fault hes a half troll. That’s how most would see it.

 

Before Draal met Jim, he honestly didn’t have any opinion on them. He had never met one face to face in his entire life. Why form an opinion on something that has nothing to do with you? Something that doesn’t affect you in any way? No reason to. he’s hardly ever hated anyone simply for being what they are. Actions, attitude, history, THAT’S what Draal needed to know if he was to form an opinion about someone. Sure, judging a book by it’s cover is easy, Draal’s done that more than enough times, but it’s his father that taught him not to do so. Kanjigar’s heart and mind were too good to simply form an opinion by someone’s physical appearance. Draal wanted to follow in the same footsteps.

 

The single half troll Draal’s eyes have ever seen was a servant walking behind his master, checking lists and schedules on what’s to be done when and where. Holding whatever items his troll master wanted him to. Draal only watched in curiosity for a few small moments before moving on. He did have his curiosity tickled when he saw the way the half troll talked, moved, walked, carried himself. It really was a mixture of both human and troll. It was strange to see something so…..odd. Out of place, misshapen, alien. Words like them and in that area were the only opinions Draal formed about that half troll in those fleeting moments. Just as quickly as Draal looked, he moved on. The very last thoughts of the half troll formed into a question of where he came from. Draal just assumed the half troll was purchased from some former master. It almost went hand in hand with their species, being bought, traded, sold, like any other kind of object. Exotic pet. Whatever tag you wanted to place upon half trolls, it would always fit.

 

Draal sometimes had a small moment or two where he wondered when his father would own one himself. Every trollhunter had owned one at some point. It was almost a tradition in a sense. Your title, your style of fighting and living, your lineage, your personality, and your ownership. All of those made the biases of a trollhunter. Half trolls typically were buried along with their masters, or someplace where their master chose, since they typically would outlive them.

 

Draal wanted to be the next trollhunter, it wasn’t that hard for most to understand, he did wonder where he would find his own half troll when he became the next trollhunter. He was never one to go against tradition. Now Draal would smirk at the joke of Jim being the one he owned. After his father passed from his duties, Jim would technically be legally allowed to be owned by another. Draal would easily have him since they would both want it.

 

It would be a fun experience, training and fighting, living out their lives together, except unlike typical relationships between the trollhunter and their half troll, their lives would be intimate, mates. It would technically be the first time that’s ever actually happened. Throughout trollhunter history, the small notes of their individual half trolls typically spoke of how their relationship was. Sometimes it was a simple servant. Sometimes like with Deya and Angus, it was friendship. And a few small times did the half troll and their trollhunter be intimate, not as a loving gesture, but as only sexual pleasure, then moving on. Just another toy or play thing to relieve them when their itch needed to be scratched.

 

Before Draal started his….whatever defined his relationship with Jim, he did wonder what his father would treat Jim as. Friend, servant, sexual object, sometimes as a simple careless object only to be showed off like some glorious prize won from a competition. The last part almost entirely wouldn’t happen, but it wasn’t like others hadn’t done the same with their half trolls. Just to tag along and make their trollhunter look good. Having someone by your side constantly praise you for your efforts, speaking only positive things aloud for all to hear, would be an ego boost that most would enjoy. A half troll prance around saying stories of their masters adventures and feats, how wonderful they are to the public, help keep their image the best they could possibly be, if not better.

 

Someone to just hold the door open for you, clean and tend to everything you own. Keep everything in order and putting them in their proper place. Never having to do any dirty work, mundane chores, or grunt work. Wouldn’t that be enjoyable? To simply relax as someone else does everything you command at the snap of your fingers. From as simple as cleaning up after you, to drawing a bath, to always making meals for you, and everything in between really. Always holding up your expectations at all times, or higher even.

 

Draal didn’t want to do that with Jim. Never. Although, if he were to admit, he really would have treated his own half troll as an object. Before he met Jim, before he understood. His servant to do everything for him. Why go get drinks for yourself when you could have them do it for you? After a long day of training, coming home to having everything you wanted and needed to be done, completely finished perfectly. Draal would love that life. His own half troll constantly singing praise of his feats for all to hear, how much of a true warrior, a true champion, he was. Sitting down and drinking glug as his half troll ran around fetching food or doing whatever entertainment Draal wanted at that time. It sounded perfect. The half troll of course would never talk back, no matter what. They would be eternally grateful for who they serve.

 

Jim would never be as such. Jim opened up Draal’s mind in more ways than one. He no longer cared about a servant, no longer pushing his own problems onto another to deal with. He cared about being happy, being in love. He respected and loved Jim more than he had ever done to another, that wasn’t his father of course. One day he hoped to have a child and become proper mates…..if he were to be honest…..he wanted it as soon as possible…..

 

However, he didn’t listen to that voice or focus on those thoughts. He loved Jim enough to wait for however long he needed to. He was thankful for being able to spend any and all time he could with Jim. He would prefer it like that over anything else, well besides being actual mates of course.

“-which then kept the case open to be freely looked at by any who would think they could solve the mystery” Toby smiled and made a small thumbs up to Jim at his side. Jim just gave a bored one in response. Kanjigar had come back into the room quietly, slipping over to his son’s side. He whispered out to Draal  
“how goes it?”  
“as bad as you’d think it.”  
“well, at least that’s better than the alternative”  
“did you find anything to aid our dear half troll”  
“our dear?” Draal gave a look like someone would when they blushed. He looked away on the ground, suddenly being very interested in a few rocks. Kanjigar chuckled and put a hand on his son’s shoulder.  
“worry not. I care about him as much as you do. Although both in our own ways” Draal just grunted in reply, trying once more to steal a glance from Jim’s bored form currently still slumped up against the cage  
“his heat must be driving you crazy” Draal shifted a bit, not exactly wanting to be speaking about this with his father  
“i….might….be a bit…..distracted by it….”  
“i only jest out of love my son. I promise, once this is all over with, I will give you both plenty of time to yourselves. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to finally get to understand Jim’s closest friend. The four of us go our separate ways for a time”  
“that does sound…..agreeable” Kanjigar chuckled a bit, patting his son’s shoulder.  
“you act like when you were a whelp yourself when it came to this sort of talk. Well I did only managed to find one troll who had witnessed the event. Although I highly doubt it. Still, better than nothing I suppose. No other evidence at the scene that what was already there. Hard to make out scents with Jim’s heat and all. The scratch marks on the ground match Jim’s alright, his nails seem to be sharp, perhaps he hasn’t filed them down in a while”  
“half troll nails can cut into the hardiest of hides”  
“oh? Would you know that by experience?” Draal felt an even stronger blush sensation  
“n-no. I only meant...I’ve seen it and heard about it and-”  
“relax my son. I’m only making another jest. You truly need to loosen up more. I don’t see why you can’t be more relaxed”  
“sorry...father….this whole ordeal has me...stressed”  
“i know it does son. As it does I. Vendel and I both speak nothing but innocence for Jim, that will aid this case”  
“foolish one. The others aren’t exactly keen on a half troll inadvertently taking two lives of his ‘betters’”  
“i know. I’m not exactly happy for that either. I think Usurna might be on our side, it’s hard to tell though”  
“what is her relationship with Jim?”  
“unsure. I doubt it’s much. The two have only seen one another a few small brief moments. Shes wanted to speak with him in private, I suppose to find out the truth”  
“well, I hope she’s seen it herself. The only other time I can recall is when she was alone with Jim in the heartstone the day-” Draal stopped himself. He didn’t want to relive the terrible time.  
“yes. I prefer not to even think of what happened...then…..but you are correct. That was the only other time I know of. The other three tribunal members, I can’t read what they feel about this case”  
“Gatto thinks little of this. that’s for certain”  
“he’s only ever cared for himself, or strongly preferred it. Having little love for half trolls isn’t something he hides-” the two stopped and paid attention to Toby as he mentioned something about the heartstone

“-besides isn’t it if trolls fight the heartstone thingy gets all sick or whatever?”  
“Tobes that’s not a thing really….i think”  
“well I mean that’s what happened when Gunmar was born right?” every troll in the room gasped when they heard that  
“Tobes shut up.”  
“wait why?” One of the tribunal members growled out  
“why does he know about THAT?!”

Jim had to speak up before Toby could open his mouth and make things worse…..again  
“i taught him...sorta….it came up”  
“and WHY did YOU know about it?”  
“well….half troll, it is my history”  
“it isn’t YOUR history, it’s OURS. Something neither of you should even know about.” Jim tried not to smirk, which he failed. It LITERALLY WAS his history. He was literally the SON of Gunmar. If anything it would be considered a birthright. Usurna noticed that smirk, along with the subject currently being talked about. She didn’t like how this was playing out  
“and why exactly are YOU SMIRKING ABO-”  
“i think it would be right for him to know” the others turned to Usurna with questioning and judgmental glances, all except Vendel who was genuinely curious  
“and WHY do YOU think that Usurna?”  
“because he might not be a full troll like us. He shouldn’t be excluded from his own history. He might live a different sort of life, but he is still part troll and I feel like it’s our responsibility to-”  
“since when have YOU suddenly grown affection for his kind?”  
“I’ve never once spoken ill will of any kind of half troll. He might be….what he is, but that doesn’t forgo that he is part troll, which means he is half of us. If he doesn’t learn of his own history then how is he to help make sure it doesn’t repeat itself”  
“suddenly HE can help it? How exactly could he possibly help prevent another one of you know who from coming to life”  
“all I’m saying is that-” Vendel slammed down his fist to silence the bickering tribunal  
“ENOUGH. That isn’t the subject at hand, what matters is the current case, NOT bickering about if he should know of troll history or not.”  
“BAH! It doesn’t matter anyways! This half troll cost the lives of two trolls! he’s guilty! He should be pu-”

“HEY!” the tribunal all turned to Jim from his sudden loud shout  
“thank you. Now, Gatto is it? Mr floating rock face. I’m innocent. And if I weren’t a half troll, you wouldn’t even this kind of hate towards me.”  
“so? What about it.”  
“i have a fun game.” Kanjigar grunted out  
“Jim, this is no time for games”  
“ohhh yes it is. So, I hear you’re a riddle master.”  
“oh? From where?”  
“can’t say. I don’t know troll history. No one taught me. Anyways, let’s have a game. A deal.”  
“what could YOU POSSIBLE WANT?”  
“my freedom. The rules are simple. A riddle is answered, if I win, you vote me innocent. No matter what. Your vote will be my innocence.”  
“hm. I highly doubt you’ll be the one to win. Fine. If you can somehow show even the slightest amount of intellect and win, I’ll vote you innocent. I highly doubt. Now, what riddle should I say-”  
“no actually how about I tell YOU a riddle?. You already know I’m too stupid to know the answer for any of yours. Why not make it just a tiny bit more fair for me. Sound nice?” everyone turned to look between a smug Jim, and a scowling Gatto.

“very well. I’ve never gotten a single riddle wrong. I accept your terms. And if I win, you have to admit your guilt and be punished. One less half troll in the world seems better to me.”  
“alright. You win, I die. I win, you vote me innocent.”  
“hey Jimbo I don’t think this is such a good ide-”  
“quiet Tobes. Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” Kanjigar said in a worried tone  
“Jim. I don’t think you understand-”  
“what I’m getting myself into? Oh don’t worry. I know. None of you have lived on the surface. I have. Now then, your riddle. Oh and just so you all no. there has NEVER BEEN A SINGLE TROLL TO HAVE EVER GOTTEN THIS RIGHT! No troll can even understand it. This will simply be something you could never fathom. Only a human has ever gotten this riddle correct. As well as myself.”  
“HA! What would a meager human know that I wouldn’t? Alright. Enough waiting. Tell me my riddle.”

 

“ahem. Now, pay attention, I won’t be repeating myself.

 

 

‘i am something that only humans will ever have no matter what. I am something that no matter what time, place, scene, moment, I will always be lit. I am a flame from a dying ember, to a roaring blaze as strong as the sun. I am the single thing that has always linked all of humanity through every single second of our existence. No matter what differences we have, I am always the same. I am the birth of light encased in the darkest of times. I am something that can never be snuffed out, as long as a single human still draws breath. What am I?’ just to make this fair. I’ll give you a hint. I am under the edge of the jar.” everyone in the room was silent until Toby spoke  
“ohhh I know it! It’-”  
“shhh. Let the trolls figure it out little human. I doubt they ever can. I’ll even give Gatto a little extra time.” so, everyone was trying to think of their own answers. Jim giggled  
“trolls may be older, but they have never understood the truthest kind of humanity. In my short time. I have. My knowledge of them is more than all of your memories combined. So Gatto. What am I?”

“a small annoying half troll that won’t shut it’s mouth”  
“is that your answer?”  
“no.” some more time passed. Everyone waited with baited breath. Gatto has NEVER taken this long to solve a riddle before. Jim’s life literally hung on a single answer. Jim’s smug grin grew into a full smile. He had them allll beat. Trolls just didn’t understand what it meant to be human. What was always there to begin with and will always be there when it ended. The one thing to gave humanity an edge in all of their time. Why humanity has always persevered throughout the ages. Jim walked his fingers along a bar and said with the greatest false kindness  
“well my big troll riddle master superior, can you answer a small disgusting low life half trolls riddle? I mean, it would be awful to be unable to solve it, being as you’d be...hmm….what should I even say? Embarrassed right in front of your equals? Shamed that you couldn’t answer something so simple? Shown up by something as inferior as I am?” 

 

Gattos eyed went back in forth quickly, he muttered to himself in deep concentration. No matter what. He just couldn’t understand.  
“well Gatto? you’ve had moooore than enough time for a riddle master to have. Your answer please? My life and death?”

“the answer is….erm….hm….the answer is hunger”

 

Everyone waited for Jim to respond. Everyone was watching Jim’s smug attitude, not a moment of it faltered. He waited and made everyone become impatient

 

“nope. Wrong”  
“WHAT!? I’VE NEVER BEEN WRONG IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. YOU LIE!”  
“the answer? Like I said, no troll could ever imagine it. Or even truly have known. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The answer? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s hope.

 

 

Hope is what drives humans through everything. No matter how dark, how terrible, how ungoldy the situation, it’s hope. The inner light has never been snuffed out for even a single moment in all of life. As long as a single human has it. It will never die. it’s what’s built entire empires, cultures, histories, beliefs. It’s what is in the hearts of everyone who defies the answers and logic of life. it’s what has sent humans to the very moon and back, it’s what will cultivate mars and send them skyrocketing to the great beyond. it’s whats help discover every single thing they know. it’s what is them in their entirety. Name a single second in time where it’s not been within humanity. Where it hasn’t led revolutions and life itself. Growth and change, the very thing that’s shaped the entire surface world and above.

 

Slack jawed? All of you? Truly? that’s right. No troll could ever have possibly answered, because you wouldn’t have known. You might be able to remember, you might be able to think, you might be better than humans or half trolls. But no matter what. Humans won’t go away. They will cling to life and stay where they are for as hard as they need to be. They can be wiped out time and time again, but humanity will never fall. Humans might hate themselves and slaughter each other, but everyone’s always had that same spark within them. You could know every single culture by memory. You could have read and watched them rise and fall throughout the ages. But you’ve never LIVED with humans. Thus, you’d never be able to understand. From something as simple as hoping they’re not late to something, to passing a test, to hoping the ill get better, to wishing for a better life, to wish they could recover or receive whatever it is that they need or want. it’s hope. And it will never go away. Not until the very last breathing human has died.

 

If you lived among humans for even a single month, not even a year, but a single day even. You would know what lurks in the hearts of them. They might be different than one another every second of every day of their lives. But they will always share it. Its what they have in common. No matter how awful life is. Hope only flares brighter. Humans will always band together in the darkest of nights in order to make that light shine brighter than the sun. it’s what light the ways and blazes a path across the world. No matter what.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s hope. So then. How does it feel to be out mastered by a single. Answer. See? I told you, no troll could ever answer it, because you don’t truly know humanity. Through day and night, humans will always have hope. Hoping that they don’t run late to an appointment, to wishing for love over a text message, to crying over a bed of their dying loved one, wishing they recover from deaths door.

 

Now then. My prize. I know I have one vote for my innocence. Anyone else?”

 

……………………………………………………………………………………

 

Gatto had never been more furious in his entire life. As much as he hated it. The answer was easy. It was right in front of him the whole time. it’s what has kept humanity from dying out like the bugs they are. It was the one thing every human had in common. It was so simple, so easy to answer. Yet he got it wrong. To make it worse, not ONLY does he had to say a half trolls life is equal, but that he was WRONG. He was humiliated in front of his peers. He was shown up by an abomination. Now? Now he HAD to say that Jim was correct. That he had to SUPPORT that...thing in that cage.  
“what if I vote for your death?”  
“well. that’s not very fair is it?” Vendel and Usurna agreed. He did make a deal. Kanjigar and Draal agreed. And soon after, the other two tribunal members agreed. If Gatto couldn’t keep his ends of his deals, then how was he to be trusted by everyone else?  
“you cheated!”  
“oh? How so?”  
“you said so yourself! No troll could answer such a thing!”  
“i know. BUT! YOU’VE ADMITTED IT YOURSELF! YOU are a riddle MASTER! Thus I think it made it fair. If you weren’t, then I wouldn’t have given you an easy riddle, except impossible for trolls. Trolls DO have hope. But NEVER as much as humans have, and will. See? Toby knew it right off the bat, because he’s human” in all actuality, Toby was going to say food. Jim knew it, but he wanted Toby to say he knew the answer, juuuust to taunt Gatto into believing it truly was super simple. Kanjigar was proud that Jim really could best someone like Gatto in a simple thing the troll excelled at. Jim was far more cunning and had far more intelligence than he gave the little half troll credit. He was more than ecstatic the little half troll was in his life. He wouldn’t want any other one. Usurna was….afraid in a way. Jim was far more cunning than she had ever imagined. Once again, he blew her expectations out of the roof. Something so simple, he knew how to make it trip up even the mightiest of trolls. In all her life she has never ONCE seen Gatto beaten at his own game. He was far more crafty with words and manipulation than he showed. She would be walking on eggshells even lighter now.

 

Vendel was surprised and happy tha Jim did such a thing. He couldn’t help but grin at Gatto’s defeat. The troll always was too prideful. Vendel hated his constant boasting. Now he’s been beat. His pride hurt drastically. If it were just a regular troll, Gatto’s pride would have only been hurt a little bit, but the fact that it was a half troll, it was hurt HORRIBLY. He will NEVER live it down. Draal was far more thank shocked. Shook even! He honestly gave up after a minute. He was never a thinker. He was so thankful he wasn’t the one on the spot, or he’d end up loosing his life right then and there. Jim really was smart. Draal wanted to make sure to praise his….potential mate, for it. Jim wasn’t prideful or boasted annoyingly, another thing Draal loved about Jim. He knew how to be humble.

 

Toby cleared his throat and decided to move on, he felt less pressure, now at least he knows he has Usurna, Vendel, Kanjigar, and even Gatto’s vote of innocence. they’d practically already won. But as he’s learned from playing shooter games online, he can’t get cocky and lower his guard. He hadn’t won yet.

 

“so. I believe that we now need to call on our witnesses! First! Banjigar!”  
“Kanjigar Tobes”  
“Kanjigar!” just like that, Kanjigar’s own hope flew out the window. He grabbed and rubbed his face before walking over….

………………………………………………………………………….

“Mr. Kanjigar is it?”  
“Tobes.”  
“alright fine. What exactly would you say about Jim?”  
“nothing but positive things. He might be annoying and childish at times, but he is nothing but an outstanding citizen, and overall person. Even if he is a half troll, he’s proven himself to be more times that’s hes more then capable of being a good person. I have yet to ever seen him harm even a gnome” Toby almost cracked up. He had to clear his throat and focus. If Kanjigar KNEW what Jim does, he wouldn’t be saying that…  
“would you say he was guilty in the crime?”  
“no. absolutely not. They harassed him, he didn’t even lift a finger to fight back. If he wasn’t a half troll, then I believe he wouldn’t have been harassed in the first place. This trial is about him being a half troll, that’s what it’s truly about, that’s what I believe”  
“so you believe his innocence, and this is simply a racial case?”  
“yes to both of them, as I’ve already stated”  
“what would you say was Jim’s most aggressive and violent act?”  
“uh...hmm….when he’s been childish at serious moments. As everyone here’s witnessed…..although I blame that….attitude on his current state. Yes, he would have been childish, but I feel as if it’s simply amplified by his heat, as well as it clouds his mind. In more ways than one.”  
“no further questions. Next, I call my second witness Draal the dangerous!”  
“deadly Tobes”  
“Draal the deadly!

……………………………………………………………………..

“So Draal is it?”  
“Tobes. Knock it off”  
“okay okay fine! Kill joy. So Draal, how would you describe Jim in your own words?”  
“a...erm...” Draal didn’t feel comfortable he was so close to Jim. He felt awkward enough, now the omega is literally a little bit behind and above him.  
“he is….innocent”  
“is that all? What exactly IS your relationship with Jim?”  
“Tobes. Knock it off. don’t go there.”  
“Draal, what’s your answer...simply I mean”  
“he and I are...um...hm...it’s….complicated...”  
“what would be the most simple way of putting it? Your relationship?”  
“Tobes. Drop it. I’m serious.”  
“we are…...i honestly don’t know how to put it” Jim’s eyes widened as a sudden realization hit him. Hard. Usurna is there…..she works and reports to his father…..if he finds out about what happened….just BEING in trollmarket in general……..not JUST that, but hearing how he and Draal are….complicated….she can say that to his father as well. he’s in a bad spot. Not just in a cage. He had to think of something fast……..

 

“okay, well, how do you think….wait….what do you think about the case?”  
“much like my father, this trial is….about him being a half troll, nothing more nothing….less” Draal’s mind started to drift away as the scent of Jim’s heat started to get to him….he was so close….it was so strong….Draal was more than thankful than he’s been in his entire life for his kilt being tough leather and rivets. It thankfully wouldn’t show his growing erection. At least he hoped….

 

“so you think he is innocent in all of this?”  
“yes. More than anything”  
“and his most dangerous moments with you? His most aggressive and violent behavior you’ve witnessed?”  
“as my father spoke, he is playful and childish, but I have never once seen him become aggressive before, panicked at times perhaps, but I feel like those were times he simply felt overwhelmed in situations, such as in large crowds” Jim made a mental sigh of relief. Draal didn’t suspect a thing about him being a gumm-gumm or anything else even remotely dangerous and ‘evil’.  
“no further questions. My next witness I call his brother BUL-” Jim felt like his entire life was about to shatter, he kicked Toby hard, almost knocking him to the ground  
“OW!”  
“Tobes. My brother isn’t here. Or around. He can’t prove my innocence. Remember?”  
“oh….OH FU-yep yep!”

Vendel stroked his beard  
“who exactly is your brother? Bul?”  
“he’s...uh...well he doesn’t like his name said. He is embarrassed by it. But he’s known as the black bull. that’s his title. Long story short, it’s kinda humiliating, well not really anymore. So like….wow I don’t even know how long ago, he’s a full troll so like, suuuper long ago. Anyways, he and a few of his friends were in spain just doing whatever, spending time on the surface at night, getting drunk. They found this bull pen and his friends challenged him to wrestle a bull. He took the challenge saying he could easily win. So he found a bull, and lost horribly. So they laughed and asked how a simple animal beat him? He was embarrassed and hated it. They nicknamed him the black bull because it was black colored. So it became sorta a taunt, but as time went on it wasn’t really taunting, more just his title. So no one really thinks of it anymore, other than that just kinda being his name, well title”  
“the black bull….hm...never heard of him, well, at least that answers my question...enough at least”

Usurna felt relieved. Jim knew how to think of things on the spot. An entire background? Formed in just a second? He really did have a silver tongue, far more charismatic than his brother ‘the black bull’. Usurna almost laughed. Bular was in fact, a black bull. Toby rubbed the back of his head  
“ohh yeah, yeah now I remember. Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve heard that story. Pfft, dumby Toby haha...okay then my next witness is WALT!...wait” Jim smacked his face.  
“Tobes. Walt can’t be here to help. Hes not here, something you NEED to call on. Someone here. Not above.” Kanjigar was the one to raise the question now  
“who’s Walt?”  
“he’s my old highschool principle...uh...person in charge to see to it that everyone in the school is getting a proper education”  
“ah. Thank you for clarifying”  
“uh okay who to call on...hmm...no not her...not him...Eli would go crazy if he were here...not your dad-”  
“Tobes. Someone here. Only. Remember? Really memorize it”  
“yep! Got it! Sorry!…..yeah I got nothin...usually at this point some ultra important evidence that shocks everyone and then goes into this final act...not important to talk about, right right, sorry...uh….yeah...” Kanjigar raised his hand to get every ones attention  
“i found one witness. Or else he claims to be. Shall I bring him in?”

…………………………………………………………………………..

“uh. Hello. My names Tagl.” Toby snorted  
“Tagl?”  
“what about it human!? Why is he here?!”  
“sorry, my bad, wasn’t expecting it. Humans have dum-weir-silly-THE POINT IS HUMANS HAVE NAMES WHERE WE FIND IT FUNNY! Okay. Okay moving on. So, can you describe Jim in your own words?”  
“Hes a half troll. Nuff said. Already bad enough” Jim yelled out  
“that’s racist! Hes just being negative!”  
“ooookay well mr Tagl, you say you were a witness to the tragic event. What did you see?”  
“he lunged at them and attacked them, they fought back to defend themselves and he killed them because they claimed they were better than him….which is true. He does what his kind do best, ruin perfectly good troll’s lives” Jim banged on the side of his cage  
“HEY!”  
“see? he’s being aggressive! He should be sentenced to death!”  
“HE’S LYING! HE DOESN’T KNOW SHIT!”  
“oh yeah?! What are you going to do in that cage?! Fight me? Kill me like the other two?!”  
“I’ll kick your ass! I’ll kick everyone’s ass! I’LL KICK MY OWN ASS! I’M NOT AFRAID TO DIE!! I ONLY FEAR FIVE THINGS IN THIS LIFE! HALF-LIFE 3 NEVER COMING OUT! MY FATHER AND BROTHERS DISAPPROVAL, DISAPPOINTMENT IN ME, REGRET, AND HATE! MY FAVORITE CANDLES BEING DISCONTINUED! NOT BEING ABLE TO CARRY A CHILD FULL TERM OR IF I DO THEN DIE LIKE MY OWN MOTHER AFTERWARDS LEAVING MY CHILD MOTHERLESS AND SAD THEY NEVER EXPERIENCE ATTENTION AND LOVE AND AFFECTION ONLY A MOTHER CAN PROVIDE! AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PROTECT THE ONES I LOVE!” Jim yelled trying to stretch his leg out as far as he could to kick or at least scrape the troll with his nails. Everyone else got quiet after that…

…………………………………………………………………………….

The tribunal had decided that was all they would end up getting for the trial. No more witnesses, evidence, or information. Kanjigar had joined them, however he felt like he shouldn’t leave Jim’s side after his little….outburst. Draal didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to be by Jim’s side, else his mind only focus on one thing, and that wasn’t something Jim wanted at the moment. He also didn’t want to just leave Jim when he needed affection and support. Clearly what he spoke of was deep mental and emotional issues he needed help with. What could Draal do though? He wasn’t a thinker, he didn’t know how to comfort another. Draal sighed and left, knowing he’d probably do more harm than good…

…………………………………….……………………………………….

It was roughly ten minutes or so until Kanjigar had come back. He only saw Jim in his cage, Toby no where to be seen. Jim’s back was turned to the court stand. A leg lifelessly dangling out of the cage. He wasn’t moving what so ever. He was completely silent.  
“Jim” Kanjigar gently called as pressed a button before he approached  
“Jim…..Jim” Finally Jim took a shaky breath before replying in a low tone, clearly sounding like he was just finished crying, or interrupted while doing so.  
“yeah?”  
“you’re free to go”  
“huh?”  
“you’re innocent. Everyone ruled on it. It was unanimous, or at least the last two didn’t want to vote guilty knowing they would have just lost anyways. I asked if I could come deliver the good news myself” the cage was now on the ground. Jim still not moving, or at least only enough to adjust his leg. Kanjigar opened up the cage door with a key he was given  
“you won’t be punished in any way. you’re free to go, no strings attached”  
“cool.” Jim really wasn’t showing any kind of emotion. Or even turning around.   
“Where is your friend?”  
“he had to go pee. So he asked a guard to take him to a toilet.”  
“ah” Kanjigar just looked at Jim’s form. Slightly hunched over and still.  
“Jim” the half troll didn’t reply. Kanjigar stepped into the cage and pulled Jim into a gentle hug, rubbing his back. Jim just started to weep into his chest. He couldn’t hold his emotions in anymore….


	35. A bittersweet vision.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sad hurtful pain. then a shitty sitcom. then ice cream soup!
> 
> Toby why TF are you so perfect at your job?  
> (other than me just writing it haha)
> 
>  
> 
> A vision of love! laughter!....and death...
> 
> Kanjigar. Deya said to love Jim no matter what. will you?
> 
> oh shit, Jim don't get caught! also Gatto's a lil bitch. someone give this boy a shirt! also tell him to stop flirting with the guards
> 
> 'BIG DICK ENERGY IN DA HOUSE!
> 
> A sweet sweet thank you......or a warning underneath it....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been really pumping out chapters! suuuper excited and inspired for what's to come! waay too eager i just couldn't sit still and take a break! hope you're all gonna love it!
> 
> been re watching the twilight zone, i love that sooo much! it's on netflix rn! check it out if you're a fan and didn't know! all black and white and really has different perspectives for so many things! suuuuuper big philosophical nerd so that show is amazing! my fav eps are  
> five characters in search of an exit, the masks, eye of the beholder, the monsters are due on maple street
> 
> if anyone wants to talk to me via tumblr, ask questions, talk about fluff or angst, maybe even smut~ etc, my tumblr blog is (as of writing this rn) called  
> garbage-boy-sass-man
> 
> http://garbage-boy-sass-man.tumblr.com
> 
> I will reply private message with you if you'd like!
> 
> really trying to play the division 2 on ps4. trying. why TF is it so fucking long to download!? HOURS! first, it said 99+. then 27. and i can't pause it, or else it goes back down to zero progress. maybe it does that for all games, not sure, cause IT'S NEVER TAKEN SO FUCKING LONG! oh, and if i CHOOSE to do it, guess what? it eats my entire fucking internet! my comp can't go online! nothing can! so i either have to wait over an entire day JUST TO DOWNLOAD oorrrr i can do everything else i need/want to do. ugh, why did i even bother with ordering it. i should have learned my lesson from the first game. can't fucking even return the game cause i lost the fucking receipt. i bought it on disk like i do all my games cause i thought that it would naturally take most of the burden off of it, well doesn't fucking matter. 65 dollars down the drain. well, maybe i can try to gamestop it and get 12$ back. ANYWAYS enough of my bitching for rn!
> 
> so a friend (Moonfrost614 hiii moonfrost! how's it going?) and i have been talking a shit ton for the couple months are so, and she's given me a bunch of ideas and help! just wanted to thank you officially on here like i said i would!
> 
> had this funny (fucking stupid) idea. just that if claire actually worked for morgana more. she and angor would get into dumb fights at times  
> "yes huh"  
> "nuah!"  
> "yes huh!"  
> "nuah!" morgana possesses claire  
> "what's going on here?!"  
> "she started it!"  
> "well im ending it!"
> 
>  
> 
> That's all i can think of for now! enjoy the chapter!

Toby and Jim sat down at a table in Kanjigar’s cave. The two blue bulls had left to give Toby and Jim some alone time. it’s what Jim wanted, at least that’s what Toby said. Toby was the Jim expert. So they trusted him. When Toby found out about Jim’s current mood, he knew Jim needed ice cream asap! So he, along with Draal, went to the surface to buy a couple cartons before returning back to trollmarket. It was an easy enough mission, only difficult parts were the confused and sometimes fearful looks people had when watching Draal walk through the store with Toby. Now currently Toby was making airplane noises and flying a spoon around  
“and here comes the ice cream spoon! Oh no it needs to make an emergency landing!” He gently mushed it against Jim’s face  
“come on Jimbo open up! The ice cream spoon needs to land!” Toby continued to pretend fly the spoon full of ice cream around Jim’s face as Jim just stares off into the distance, lost in his own mind  
“Tobes. Am I normal?”  
“no. now open wide!” another ice cream spoon mushed against the side of Jim’s face.  
“why do I feel so….i don’t even know. Like, wet slosh. like melted plastic inside of me. I just….suddenly feel gross. I’m not empty. Somethings in me. But I don’t know what it is”  
“it’s the gumm-gumm ichor of Gunmar sloshing around, all up in ya GUTZ! Come on! Ice cream plane! Whoosh!”  
“i just…..i feel like something broke inside of me. Like some internal dam and…..my head got flooded, melted, and is now leaking down into me. It feels so heavy and...dark….like a poison inside of me just spilled out into me all over.”  
“I’m just gonna keep flying this ice cream plane around until you open up!”  
“i want to fall into a chasm, tuck myself under a mound of dirt and just turn into nothingness.”  
“that’s the spirit! Mush mash! Come on before the plane makes a crash!”

 

“it’s like….something inside of me I never even knew was there. Or WAS there and I never thought much of it, just….suddenly flooded me...like….something from so long ago I haven’t even thought of or felt. Suddenly one thing happens that...makes me think of it, and suddenly it’s like this flash flood of water I didn’t even know was there. Suddenly I feel like my life is just one color drained half smeared slideshow of pictures that aren’t me. Just these messy life of black and white dreams. Something that used to have color….meaning….now just...old and water damaged. Like you just went up into an attic and dug around in a box you haven’t for years, things you actually forgot about. Suddenly you pull something out of it and all this….nostalgia washed over you. Except it isn’t happy or fun. I don’t have any good memories. Just messy half remembered black and white photos. It’s hard to even tell what is what. Everything’s so….smeared and ruined. Like throwing water onto paint or chalk. Just melting to the point where you can hardly see what the original image was.”

 

“we should go run off into the woods, live there for the rest of our lives. Butt naked and living among the forest animals. Learn how to talk to squirrels. Oh maybe I’ll learn how to ride a bear! I wonder if I can make some loincloth out of leaves or something”  
“we all might be born alone, or hell some of us are born at the same time. But no matter what, we all die alone. there’s no one there to hold your hand when you die. No one you walk with to deaths door and beyond. You just go into your own dark tunnel all alone. I don’t want to die. I just….don’t want to be here. Like, I wish I could just turn into dust for a while. Just not be conscious for a while. Feel nothing. Be nothing. Feel weightless and meaningless. It would be relaxing. Not feeling anything. Not having a corporeal form”  
“oh! Maybe we should live in a nudist colony! That would be pretty weird. Well for us at least. I know I’d feel weird walking around butt naked. Well at least when a bunch of people can see me. wouldn’t be weird with just the two of us, we’ve seen each other naked plenty of times”  
“i mean, you know my biggest fears. I just didn’t even imagine my mom was…..in me. I never cared about it before. Why now? I didn’t even know that I wanted a mothers love that much. I mean, yeah I’ve always wanted my dads. But…..it’s like it wasn’t ever even a choice. I guess it never was, but it still feels like I could somehow choose it, but I never did. Now I regret it. And I don’t know why”

“come on! Open up! Just two cool dudes in the never had a mother and father club!”  
“and the stuff about me and my kid and all that….i dunno….i feel like I’m always pushing it away, wanting to deal with it later. Like some annoying pop up thing on a computer.   
‘i don’t feel like doing this right now, I’ll do it later’ now I feel like I HAVE to deal with it right now. Like I can’t just ignore it for later”  
“want to have my baby? we’d be awesome parents! I could come home after a long day of paper work, put my hat on the rack, I see you in the kitchen cooking for us, meanwhile our weird hybrid Toby jr is running around all adhd wanting to watch some movie for the 5th time that day. I’d kiss you on the cheek as I walk in and sit down for dinner, only to see you brunt the food again. We laugh and behind us is a laugh track and it turns out we’re on a Canadian sitcom that only ever airs at 4am” Jim burst out laughing so much he started to have a hard time breathing  
“t-that’s a-a lot to unp-pack!”  
“how so?”  
“f-first, I’m a stay a home mom, s-seco-nd Toby jr?! Third I burnt dinner AG-AGI-N?! Fourth, why A CANADIAN SITCOM?! And finally, why 4am!?”

“well, I don’t think I’d be a good stay at home dad! You have waaay more paternal instincts then I do! Our whacky sitcom would only ever be allowed to air for truckers and anyone else up at 4am for whatever reason. Also I feel like Canada would be more into our TV show than anyone else would”  
“great, now I’m stuck at home tending to our kid. What are our ratings?”  
“we’re average. A solid 3/5. we’re not good, but we’re not bad. it’s one of those shows where you put it on in the background while doing something else so you have something to entertain you when you occasionally watch or focus on when taking a break”  
“okay, I’m into it. So, Toby jr?”  
“yeah! A son would be nice! he’d be cute! Little orange fur, looking like a wild untamed child, wanting to chew and eat everything while running around chanting commercial songs, the kinds that get stuck in your head forever. I’d probably have a bunch of bite marks and scars all over me. Maybe I’d have to feed Jr too, just like his mom”  
“hey! Family dinner! At least our kid would have both his parents in his life”  
“we’d be an awesome family, you’re in heat, your nest is over there, let’s go make a baby!”  
“Tobes if you could knock me up, I’d have your kid right here and now”  
“no more Draal?”  
“I’d choose you over him any day stud”  
“okay, but no blow jobs, I don’t trust those sharp teeth of yours” Jim chuckled and licked his fangs  
“you sure? I’m pretty good at making sure I’m careful” Toby reached up and started to pet Jim  
“so, feel any better?”  
“i hate that you know how to cheer me up.”

“i know you do Jimbo”  
“so….about that baby, you ready stud~”  
“ohhh am I. Been waiting for your permission for years now”  
“whaaaat it’s totally the other way around! I would have TOTALLY bent over for you years ago!”  
“dammit! I could have been dating a half troll back in highschool! Mannn I’d be suuuper cool and popular! Plus you’re the bottom! So I don’t have to worry about arguing over who’s on top!”  
“ohh yeah lucky you, like I’d EVER be a top! Well, sorry, but you missed out on all your chances back then. Been giving you the green light ever since day one”  
“dam. Just my luck to be a dumb ass and miss them”  
“ugh god. Sooo many cringy memories”  
”ohhhh yeah. Same. Ugh what’s your ‘favorite’”  
“dam...hmmm…..shit there’s a lot of good ones. I think tasting you for the first time. When I put your fist in my mouth and said….shit what did I say?”  
“you said that you saw, wait no heard, two guys say that when one boy likes another boy, they put a body part in their mouth”  
“actually not sure if it was two guys I heard it from, I think just like, in a hallway?”  
“was feeling kinda weird when you moaned and licked your lips when you said ‘you taste like human!’ now looking back, a shiiiit ton of stuff makes sense. Thanks for not eating me by the way”  
“you were my first friend! I wouldn’t eat you! Hey, to this day, you still taste just as good! By the way, that was your first green light”  
“oh was THAT my first green light? I thought when you wanted to ‘see human male genitalia’ was my first green light”  
“ugh god. And I asked Claire if I could see hers. Would be cool to go back in time and tell myself shit, I would have changed soooo many things”  
“same here. Ugh braces, I’m always haunted by them in my dreams. I cringe whenever I see the dentists office, or when I hear about something I did when I had braces, but like, important stuff”  
“ohhh like when you freaked out when you heard about that gunrobot movie coming out and you peed yourself”  
“hey! I spilled sprite all over myself! You were literally there! And then tried to lap it up”  
“ugh, so cringy. Another green light you missed”  
“dam! I could be getting blow jobs back then! Maaan I COULD HAVE GOTTEN LAID BEFORE ELI DID! GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!” Jim burst out laughing hard again to the point where he couldn’t breathe

 

“once again, Toby saves the day! And you said you wished Claire was the one who found out about your life”  
“o-o-oka-okay I take i-it bac-k”  
“you know what, now that we’re on the subject. I think it would hurt having sex with you”  
“because I’m rough?”  
“yes, in every way. I mean you’re part stone! Like trying to have sex with a flexible brick”  
“eh you might get used to it and enjoy it”  
“speaking of, COULD I knock you up? I mean like, half trolls can’t have human kids right?”  
“no, biologically we could only have half troll or full troll kids. So your seed wouldn’t take”  
“kinda funny if you think about it. You came because a troll and a human fucked suuuper way back when. But a half troll can’t fuck a human to make a human”  
“huh, guess that is kinda weird. Speaking of rough, geez a full human and full troll going at it. No wonder my kind are super rare, how the hell do people even HAVE my kind?”  
“i guess that’s why you’re so rare with biological stuff. I mean, If I was the one to be having the kid, I would be SUUUPER scared”  
“I’ve always wondered, who was the FIRST person to fuck or get fucked by a troll?”  
“the ones who started it all! Dam when the first half troll popped out, they must have been shooook”  
“i would be, I guess I would thank them, if it wasn’t for teratophilia then I wouldn’t exist”  
“i would thank them too. If it wasn’t for wanting to bone trolls, then you wouldn’t be here”  
“thanks Tobes”  
“thanks Jimbo. So want to ironically flirt more?”  
“nah, I’m cheered up now, thanks though, we’ll have to do more later. Well, I’m ready for my ice cream plane!”  
“oh shit the ice creams all melted.”  
“awww…….well, Ice cream soup I guess”

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Kanjigar had entered the void, the familiar yet always strange suction and vibrations flowed through him until he fully entered the half life half death state. He had once more traveled to the trollhunter afterlife. A few past trollhunters welcomed him into the void, to which Kanjigar said thank you and greeted them in the same polite manner. One spirit spoke  
“what council do you wish to receive this time?” another spoke  
“you have been here frequently, more than usual within recent time” another spoke  
“or do you just miss us? I wouldn’t mind talking about a nice round of boxing” another spoke  
“he isn’t here for that!…...is he?” Kanjigar smirked and waved off the spirit orbs floating around  
“no no. none of that. I actually wished to speak with Deya….in private preferably” a few various spirits said one after another  
“secret’s secrets”  
“are no fun”  
“secrets secrets”  
“hurt someone”  
“shut up and stop pouting like a child”  
“no YOU shut up”  
“both of you shut up! Centuries of having to endure your constant bickering is driving me insane!”  
“ohh like YOU’RE one to talk! You argue here with us more than any other!” Deya’s spirit forms solid and ways off the others  
“enough. go. Kanjigar didn’t come here to be wasting his time listening to all of you bicker and argue” the spirits mumble and fade away, leaving the two trollhunters, one past and one present, all alone  
“hello Kanjigar”  
“it is good to see you once more Deya”  
“likewise. What wisdom might I offer? You requested for me personally. I am more than curious”  
“well, ah….i require your wisdom about…..you and your half troll”  
“Angus? What about the two of us?” Deya’s voice started to have a hint of sadness  
“I truly am sorry if I bring up any old pains of the past. I know how much he meant to you” Deya closed her eyes and smiled softly  
“he did. He meant more to me than all others. I miss him so”  
“if only Merlin could allow us to take our half trolls here with us, spend eternity by our sides, just as they accompanied us in life”  
“i would give up a lot for that, not like I have anything to give up anyways. I don’t believe half trolls were born when he was alive” the two shared a smile

 

“no, recent creatures, truly”  
“so what brings him up?”  
“i need advice on….my own”  
“ahhh Jim”  
“i know how much fondness you have of their species, which Is exactly why I wished to speak to you….in private”  
“you don’t want to listen to the older ones, talk about their own ‘opinions’ on their little species. I find half trolls Such sweet things”  
“yes, they are, from what I’ve heard, and even experienced myself”  
“they are a blessing in disguise. The others just won’t hear it”  
“agreed, hence why I wished to speak to you alone. Out of all our fallen line, you were the only one to ever treat a half troll...as….erm...”  
“a living being? Not an object to play and toy with. Nor something to hold your items or dance around playfully singing songs of victory about your feats and adventures. Yes, I have no need to tell you how the others felt on how I treated my sweet little Angus. I am proud of you, I’ve been meaning to say that”  
“proud? Of what?”  
“of you. How you see your Jim. A living being. A creature with emotion and life. Thoughts and hopes and dreams. It warms my heart to know that you love him as him, not what he is”

 

“he is lively, childish but lively”  
“he is young, practically a babe” Deya laughed. Kanjigar’s heart felt warmed up by it  
“yes. I have trouble…..handling him though. I see him as…...a son”  
“well, well, well someone’s feeling fatherly? Ohh if the others heard that, I’m more than sure they’d say how deranged you are, how mad you’ve suddenly become”  
“yes. All the more to speak to you”  
“oh? Not Unkar?”  
“yes. I’m sure”  
“do you know his story?”  
“of his half troll?”  
“poor thing. As a ‘gift’ for him being chosen, he was given a half troll on the spot. Before Unkar could even get to know the half troll, she was…..Well…..Unkar suffered the same fate not long after.”  
“I’m confused”  
“his little half troll perished in the midst of training”  
“ahhh”  
“hardly a century. Poor thing worked on a farm. Yet they up and pulled her out of her life just as a gift. The small half troll didn’t even know how to hold a sword, let alone toss her in the midst of training. Of course Unkar complained about it. Not that he was upset over her loss, but that she was ‘defective’” Deya growled with disgust  
“defective. He was defective. You know I speak very little ill will towards others. I will never safe any true negative things about another trollhunter…..but he got what he deserved. He didn’t even attend her burial. Her parents were broken. Their daughter, forced to suddenly be plucked off their little farm, only to learn of her death within a few short hours later. It sickens me to hear another treated like that”

“you always were compassionate to others”  
“someone must defend the smaller, the innocent, the poor souls who just want to live in quiet peace. Well, enough about that. So, what wisdom did you wish for me to imbue you with?”  
“Jim is young. Naive, a truly free spirit. I have never seen another so filled with life and joy. It warms my heart to see him bouncing around happily. He truly is lovely to be around. He makes the cutest purrs when pet. He has a deep sadness to him though”  
“i remember you explaining it. Care to go into more detail? You only said very few and very basic things about him”

“to make it brief. The poor thing lost his mother the day of his birth. He grew up surrounded by full trolls only, deep underground in an isolated kingdom. Very small. Very quiet and tucked away. He told me that for almost his entire life, his brother and father wanted little to nothing to do with him. I have never seen or heard him tell a lie. I can see and hear the sadness in him. He speaks truthfully and I will never have doubt in my heart about it. he’s been emotionally and physically neglected to the point where even basic conversation makes him happy. Not that it’s the problem, the problem that he’s been neglected for so long, even the most basic things mean the world to him. It greatly saddens me. Love and attention is something he should have, not earned. He once said to me as a joke that sometimes if he did well enough, he might get his fathers attention for but a brief fleeting moment. It hurt to hear that. I told him that, attention and love isn’t something that should be a reward, it should be a given. He shouldn’t have to work for the most basic of things. His birthright, to feel the simple love of his own family. He grew up cold and alone. I told him that his father shouldn’t hold his own affection over his head like some reward to be earned. He should already be receiving it, at all times.

 

I told him that he might be my pet. I might own him. But I love him. I love him like a son. Even now, he still looks stunned and heartbroken to hear things like that. I told him that I will protect him, not just as his trollhunter, but as someone who loves him, wants to keep him safe and cared for. Even if he acts out, my love is unending. No matter what, I will love him, forgive him, we all make mistakes, we all do actions before thinking of the consequences. We all follow a path we aren’t sure of. A path we might think right but it only hurts us in the end. I’ve taken more than enough of those. No matter what, we all find the right path to travel along eventually. No matter what he does, no matter how much of a failure he thinks himself, I told him that he will always have a home with me. He will always have someone who loves him. Someone who will care for him and keep him safe. He will always have a place in my heart. He wept into me for a long time after that”

“poor thing. No one should have that happen to him. I know more than enough on how emotional their kind can be. He sounds very emotionally stunted”  
“i believe he is. He makes jokes about his own mental and emotional health frequently. I wish to help him, although a lot of the time I am not truly sure how. He is almost entirely human. In the sense of speech and dress”  
“i am proud that you care so much for him”  
“thank you”  
“and yes we all know. Oh yes, I know”  
“you do?”  
“yes. We witnessed the….trial” Kanjigar made a small intake of breath in surprise  
“you...did?”  
“yes. Almost all of us. We couldn’t help it. You called my name and I had to see what was happening for myself. Your Jim is cute”  
“the trial was….”  
“i found it funny. Enjoyable and….bittersweet. Especially at the end”  
“so you see what I mean”  
“yes. Oh yes. He really is hurting deep deep down. A pain that will never fully heal sadly. It will only scar. Except this scar will never fade. He has been hurting too much for too long. It can never go back. He can never be fully recovered. In his heart, in his mind, he will always hurt, no matter how happy, how healed he is. His scar will never fade”  
“it kills me to see something so….innocent. Pure of heart, go through such pain. I wish I could….do something to help him” Deya reached out and put a hand on his shoulder  
“but you ARE helping him. You are giving him something he’s never had. Love, comfort, warmth, a place where he can feel safe at. I know you mentioned that his father and brother have finally started to come into his life, that makes me smile knowing hes getting the attention and family love he deserves” Kanjigar silently nodded to that.

“now then, about his attitude. You want to know how to correct him without harming him? Yes, he is childish, he is young and excited and eager, eyes full of wild sunshine and a need to have fun. My Angus was the exact same. If Jim were a beta and a couple centuries older, he could practically be Angus reincarnated. You want to know how to properly handle a half troll. that’s the point of talking to me, isn’t it?”  
“yes”  
“well, I will teach you how to punish him when he needs to be, without harming or breaking him. No matter what, YOU are in charge, not him. He doesn’t follow your rules or your words at times. I’ve seen it. I will teach you how simple things can make him understand his place. Beside you, not above you. Sometimes, punishment is for the best. One thing to note about Jim, I notice how you speak of him, how you act of him, what words you’ve spoken in particular. You said you see him as a son, someone who should have the love of their father naturally, not earned. It sounds to me much like how you treated your very own”

 

“yes...i….i know the irony. I know the reflection. I learned my lesson. I want Jim to be treated right. It almost feels like I can start over. Help a lost child learn about life without all the pain to endure for it. Like I can help teach him right and wrong, to have him avoid so much pain many go through just to learn a simple lesson. I know, I truly know”  
“another reason I’m proud of you. You know when you’re right and wrong, when you’ve learned and what to make a change for the best. Now then, let’s talk about punishment and how you can have him heel when he has to without bringing out a whip”  
“yes please. I don’t wish to harm a hair on his head. he’s gone through so much pain for an entire lifetime in such a small amount of living, I would hate myself if I ever added physical abuse to his already long list of pain. He doesn’t need physical to pile onto his emotional and mental pain”  
“which I exactly why you’ve come to me, like I’ve already said many times. At this point I’m just repeating myself aren’t I? Well unlike the previous line of trollhunters, I never once harmed a hair on Angus’s head. The entire way I trained and treated my half troll, was seen as disgust to the others. You however, will value it and see it as wisdom for the ages, I already can tell. so. let’s begin”

………………………………………………………………………………..

Jim had stretched out and yawned. After drinking his ice cream soup, Jim said he needed to go speak to Usurna. Jim explained how the entire ‘sticky situation’ he was in. Toby almost gagged on his own ice cream soup when he heard that.   
“Usurna could say something to Gunmar and ruin everything!”  
“which is exactly why I’m going to talk to her. So, stay here for the time being. I’m going to go say something like ‘i don’t talk about what happened here if you don’t talk about it either’ knowing her trying to kiss ass I can already tell she’s going to shut her mouth for good. Well, let’s hope this works” Toby raised his carton of ice cream and pressed it against Jim’s as if toasting  
“please stay here Tobes, don’t wander off. Even I don’t know every street and corner of this place, I mean, you’ve SEEN how massive this place is”  
“yep! Stayin put! You got it Jimbo!” Jim smiled before leaving and heading out to!……

Jim stopped in his tracks.  
‘crap. Where the hell do I go? If I were a gathering of troll leaders where would I go….wow I feel stupid. Heartstone duh!...shit! The heartstone! I can’t fucking just walk in! My body will act all stupid. Fuck it, I’ll think of what I’m gonna do when I get there. I’m already emotionally drained. I’m getting their mentally too. Dam, if Draal fucks me at least once tonight I’ll call everything worth it’

 

With that, Jim continued walked to the heartstone!

……………………………………………………………………….

“Sometime Angus would get a little too riled up. Sometimes he would get too anxious being in large crowds, he would anxiously act up. He typically played jests on others. He loved to do simple things like switch peoples cloths, misplace others belongings. For example. Once he snuck into a home. He literally took every item in their home he could grab, he didn’t steal anything, instead he hid it all within their home. Yes, all of it. 

 

(get the reference? 100 sweet treats if you do! I’ll even give you a hint, it’s in the elder scrolls Oblivion game)

 

So the entire cave looked empty. Meanwhile everything was just hidden behind cracks and stalagmites and such. He technically didn’t steal or do anything harming onto another, so he couldn’t be punished for it. He was crafty and tricky, I let him get away with it. He even surprised me many times. One day a town was sick of his antics. He never caused harm or damage, so no one could complain that he had broken any laws or cause any injustices to happen, but they still did not want him pulling anymore jests onto them. So, as his owner it was my responsibility to take care of him. He had this smug face. Oh I miss it. I wish to see it one last time that isn’t just in a memory. One of his fangs would always peak itself out from under his grin and he had this gleam in his eyes, wanting a little excitement in the moment. So, he made a little tongue at me and made that smug face of him

‘my dearest trollhunter! I’m but a humble innocent half troll!’ he would say. I smiled and simply replied  
‘you are about as innocent as the sun is safe to a troll’ he would always giggle at that. So, what did I do? I put him somewhere and made sure he stayed there until his time was up. This also helped ease his anxieties when he felt overwhelmed. Do the same for Jim. Somewhere quiet, away from all distractions, and make sure he sits in that spot until you say so. From what I know of Jim, he’s going to say he’s learned his lesson, just to get off early. He hasn’t. Angus did the same thing many a time, I caught on to his little tricks. Eventually I had him trained enough where if he got that gleam in his eye, I would look at him and he would know to calm himself before getting into trouble yet again”  
“so….put Jim….on a time out?”  
“yes”  
“isn’t that for young whelps?”  
“it works for half trolls just as much. it’s harmless, and will teach them not to act up. Another very important one? His scruff. Pick him up by it. It won’t hurt him, and it will make him understand he’s done something bad. I would carry Angus to a spot I deemed appropriate for his time out time. He would groan and want to leave. I only added on time if he talked back. He learned not to soon after. Light simple punishments can be very effective when done correctly. No harm whatsoever done to them. Another simple punishment is to revoke their play things. Much like a child. For Angus, I would take these small metal pieces he loved to fiddle and play with. Always looping them around each other, building small trinkets before dissembling them and rebuilding something else. I would take that away for however long I deemed worthy. When Jim’s plaything is revoked, he will learn not to act out as much, knowing you’ll take it away, whatever it may be. His little human, what is he? An Emotional support human? Well, he is very important to Jim. Yes, he needs him, but he is a privilege. Take his Toby away from him when he acts out. Make sure Jim is telling the truth when he says he needs him. Never take his human away from him when he truly is in emotional distress. If Jim simply lies and doesn’t actually need him in those moments. Take his human away form him longer. Oh one thing Angus always feared, was the letter punishment. If Angus acted out TOO much, I would make him write an entire letter saying what was wrong, why it was wrong, why he did it, why he won’t do it again. A good amount of writing, not too much and not too little. Then having him read aloud to you what he wrote. Eventually Jim will no longer wish to do it, so he will learn to stop acting out. Hmm, let’s see. Angus was a beta, very easy to deal with. Not aggressive like alphas, and not as emotionally chaotic as omegas. Jim is sensitive, which isn’t a bad thing, but it CAN become bad. His emotions shouldn’t be bottled up, but he shouldn’t be allowed to act out when he isn’t supposed to.

 

If he needs to talk, let him talk somewhere quiet to you. If he wants to lash out and rant at the top of his lungs to others, don’t let him. Of course, if he’s trying to defend himself, then let him, ONLY if he does so in a calm way that gets his point across without being...hmm….a brat. I’m sorry I cannot aid with wisdom of his heat. I truly don’t know how to deal with that. That will be your own wisdom you forge for yourself. At the current time, I can’t think of any other punishments to do. Usually Angus was simple. After a short while of punishment, he stopped acting out of line. It never stopped his fun behavior, it only made sure it didn’t let it spiral out of control. Like what is always to be learned, when and how to speak when in the presence of certain individuals. When I attended a court or something important, Angus was taught not to act out or be too ridiculous. When we were alone, I let him run free and rampant, well from what I let him at least. He always was so ridiculous and silly. He always knew how to make me laugh and smile. I miss him so much. Here, let me show you a vision of my past”

 

……………………………………………………………………………..

Jim had past the guards all lined up against the exit, he said he was to attend business on Kanjigar’s behalf for the time. Also Jim needed to speak to the tribunal, regarding his case. Some guards snorted and were clearly against it, while others gave strange looks of uncertainty. With a little convincing, and maybe a gentle rub of a hand on the broad chest of one of the guards, the guard melted like butter and let him on through. A cute face, a silver tongue, and a heat typically helped to deal with bulls being stubborn. As Jim walked through the heartstone, it took all of his will power combined not to shout  
‘BIG DICK ENERGY IN DA HOUSE!’ Kanjigar isn’t there to take the bullet for Jim’s action. Plus Vendel wouldn’t exactly let Jim get away with that. Sure, Jim pressed his boundaries, he always did, but he was smart enough not to do certain things.

 

As Jim approached he made sure to make a little noise, to show that he was coming. He typically did it on purpose just to alert others that he was nearby. Mostly so he wouldn’t give guards heart attacks. After all, when the son of your despot randomly pops up next to you, you’re not exactly calm and casual. A little scratch with his nails on the floor, just enough to be noticed, and not to be ear hurting. Jim did admit, he did use his claws on chalkboards at times, just to mess with others. Ah to be young again, back in your 80’s.

‘scrtch scrtch’

slowly one by one the heads turned to face him. Gatto’s angered expression started to form, Jim’s smug smile couldn’t help but form. It was just too good. Sweet honey on something plain

“hi everyone, sorry to interrupt”  
“doubt it.”  
“don’t be so angry Gatto. Bad for your blood pressure, actually trolls don’t have to worry about that kind of thing so never mind. Human expression”  
“why did they let it in?”  
“him, not it. I needed to speak in private to Vendel and Usurna about private things. Privately”  
“well shoo! We aren’t finished yet.”  
“no need to shoo this half troll away. I’m here in place of Kanjigar, my lovely master” Vendel raised an eyebrow. Jim’s never used that excuse before, why now?  
“Jim you may stand nearby, with silence of course”  
“of course Vendel. I wouldn’t want to interrupt” Jim sent one last slow devious smile to Gatto before walking away over to a corner, pretending to be distracted by all the various tool’s and objects. He started to mindlessly hum the tune he always heard as a baby, a wee lil whelp way back when. The memories of the slow quiet lullaby notes playing on his old music box. Sometimes he hummed it without even realizing it, sometimes he did when he was bored, and sometimes he did it just so he could get an annoying song out of his head that was stuck in it for far too long. Like some annoying commercial jingle. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that all faces were turned to him  
“oh uh, humming too loud?” Vendel’s eyes grew worried and scared even  
“Jim. Do you know what you were just humming?”  
“yeah, it’s this old hum I was...well...hummed to when I was a wee ol lil babe 92 years ago. I also had this little music box that sang it. I miss it. I wonder what happened to it. I think I might have eaten it by mistake. I always did chew on everything. I remember my brother being really angry that I kept teething on his horns, and arms, and his swords even. I think some of them still have the little bite marks dented into the leather”

 

“Jim. That is a gumm-gumm lullaby.” Jim’s heart thumped and he felt his face start to freeze up and crack. He tried to give no reaction other than curiosity  
“really?”  
“yes. They would hum that melody to their whelps when they are young and growing. Its a common practice they would do, believing that hearing the melody would make them stronger, although that was just superstition”  
“huh….weird”  
“where did you learn this?”  
“just my family humming it to me, and my mom when she was pregnant with me, at least that’s what I was told by my dad”

 

Gatto growled out  
“the boy is a gumm-gumm! Kill him!”  
“wow. Way to think rationally Stonehenge. If I were a gumm-gumm, then how the hell did I not be prevented in coming in here?” Usurna actually wondered that herself. She never thought much into it, now that’s a direct question, how DID he manage to come here?  
“Jim is correct. There is no possible way he could have slipped past the wards”  
“you know as well as I do that it wouldn’t affect him!”   
“why wouldn’t it affect me?”  
“half trolls aren’t effected by magic like a regular troll! Everyone knows that!” those words sank in. was THAT why he had such hard time using magic? Not JUST because he was a novice  
“i didn’t. Wait why doesn’t it affect us the same?”  
“even magic takes little love for your abomi-”  
“ENOUGH GATTO! We all know your distaste for his kind well and clear. That talk isn’t welcomed in trollmarket. Jim is not a gumm-gumm. Even if he had a single drop of blood in his veins, he would still be unable to enter.”  
“BAH! His human blood dulls it! Waters it down and lets him slip under things li-”  
“ENOUGH GATTO. If it will keep the subject at rest, I can assure you, I’ve taken blood tests to determine things not just of his heritage”  
“why would YO-”  
“i do not have to answer personal questions to you. We are here for business. We are here as allies and friends. I will not have you speak ill will of him simply because of his race. He is a fine upstanding creature that even Kanjigar speaks words of praise for. Everyone, more or less, knows that Kanjigars emotions to others isn’t spastic. He has fine judgment and even if for some reason he didn’t, I personally know Jim and can assure you. He is as harmful as a stone.”  
“hmpf. That trial proves nothing” Usurna was the next one to talk, wanting to change the subject over Jim’s nature. She had the power to do so. At least convince the others to stop this train of thought.  
“it proves everything. That has already happened. The boy is innocent. End of discussion”  
“even-”  
“yes. Gatto. It was one of my guards. They aren’t perfect, he should have been better trained I know. I will see to it nothing like this will ever happen again”

 

Jim made an ‘innocent’ smile to Gatto, making him all the more furious  
“yep! I’m as dangerous as a bitch in heat!….actually I am one, Is that irony?” Vendel gruffed at him  
“Jim. don’t speak of such things.”  
“sorry”  
“now. Lets get back on track.”  
“fine. But I want my question answered is to HOW he knows it, or at the very least his mother, how could she have possibly obtained a music box that hummed that specific tune?” Jim rolled his eyes  
“fine. If it will shut everything down. My mom found it at some yard sale super long ago from some human dude selling a bunch of his junk. Apparently the guy was moving and needed to dump a bunch of stuff. How HE got it? I don’t know. Knowing him, as a human, he found it or got it from someone else who got it from someone else, from some troll digging around in trash and so on and so forth. Humans trade things like they breathe air. We all know this well enough. That answer it? No one knew it was that specific tune that had to do with gumm-gumms. Mom just thought it was nice, bought it, and here we are”  
“there Gatto. you’ve received your answer. Now can we please get back on track?” Jim winked and turned around. The tribunal went back to speaking of business. Jim’s mind looked at the heartstone. Suddenly he felt...hungry...it looked so….good….so...sweet….so delicious…...it was almost like looking at food porn. Such amazingly well crafted cakes and ice creams, professionally hand made with only the best of things. He licked his lips and felt a sudden need to just…..eat….just touch the surface. Sweet. Warm. Loving surface. So much power. So much food. Right there.

 

Jim couldn’t stop himself. He put a hand gently on the surface in front of him. It felt just as amazing as it had the first time. He closed his eyes and the world dissolved away. The warm, smooth, dazzling surface was like pure paradise to consume. He felt the incredible high slowly start to come to him. Tiny black dots started to form, Jim’s hand glowed faintly and traveled up his arm and to his chest, up his neck and face and into his eyes. Jim moved himself slightly closer to the surface, almost like trying to open your mouth wider when eating something. Jim heard something fall and break onto the floor, he felt his shirt wet. He opened his eyes and the world flooded back into his head. He quickly took his hand off of the surface and breathed heavily. He was thankful the glow dulled and the small black dots started to fade away, back into the original color  
“god fucking dammit...” Jim said softly under his breath. He spilled an oil can into him, thankfully it was almost entirely empty, still, a good enough amount was soaking his shirt. In a way he was thankful for it, that happy little accident brought him back into the real world. Jim slowly started to take off his shirt, making sure to not get any oil onto his face or fur. He lifted the back of the shirt over his horns and down face until it was just a balled up soaking wad of oil

‘-im. Jim.” Vendel’s voice finally woke him up fully. He turned around to see the tribunal looking at him again. Vendel’s expression bordered on annoyance to curiosity.  
“are you….glowing?” Jim’s eyes went wide before he started to rub them, hoping his body would quickly fade away to regular deep blue skin color  
“no, how would I glow? I’m not part Kubera….that would actually be pretty cool come to think of it….would my dick glo-uh sorry I spilled oil on me, maybe that’s why, and like, the color of the heartstone reflected off of it or whatever….heh...” Vendel’s eyes must have deceived him, Jim looked perfectly normal now. The nasty large ugly scar on his stomach trailing up to his left ribs could be easily seen. Jim mumbled under his breath as he looked at the wet wad he was holding  
“great now how the hell am I going to wash this….oil can’t just come out...ugh god I hope this doesn’t stain...was one of my favorite shirts...” Jim’s mind remembered he was in heat. Now it would only smell stronger since his entire upper torso was exposed. He should get that scent stone he had back at his nest in Kanjigar’s home

“Jim. Perhaps it would be best you leave”  
“it’s okay Vendel, I promise. I’ll stand still over here. I promise not to touch anything. No more talking or interruptions. I swear on my life as a gumm-gumm” Jim smiled and place his hand over his heart. Vendel couldn’t help but make a tired smirk. Jim did know how to at least bring life to the room….if perhaps too much…

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Deya’s memory had come to life. Kanjigar and Deya now watched as the memories of her past played out in front of them like an old recorded show….

 

Deya was walking through a troll city, many chanting her name, praising her for yet another recent victory over the gumm-gumms. She smiled and waved, thanked others, and overall be polite. She was never one to boast or celebrate herself too much, like many previous trollhunters had done. She truly was very different than the others. She thought more than she acted in various important moments when waiting to form a plan, no rushing in like anyone else would. She hardly celebrated herself and her victories, hardly ever attending her own parties stating she didn’t want to over boast, to which many replied she was being too humble. She was kind and caring. She enjoyed life, although she had a constant deep stream of thoughts of what her true destiny was, what it meant to be a trollhunter, WHY a trollhunter is alive. It must have meant more than just killing off enemies and threats, didn’t it?

 

A bit behind her a smaller figure tried to make his way through the busy crowd  
“pardon me, please. Pardon me, please don’t step on my-ow you just did. Excuse me, please forgive me for getting in between you both. Let me just slips through here real fast. don’t mind me” He always had trouble following his mistress. Deya always made sure Angus was by her side or at least within eye sight. No out of overbearing feelings, or possessive nature, simply from worry. The half troll always did like to scurry away and cause a bit of mischief. The biggest worry was him simply being bullied and pushed around. He was small which made the bullying all the more worse. Deya turned around and searching through the crowd until she found a small pair of horns poking out of thick fur trying to make it’s way in the crowd, only to be bumped into, shoved aside, or pushed behind the crowd. Deya closed her eyes and shook her head. Even after all these years, everyone else wouldn’t see Angus as nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded as see fit.

 

She reached into the crowd and asked others to step aside until the small figure was saved  
“thank you Deya. One day I truly will be cracked and stepped on like a poor twig come snowfall”  
“come. let’s rest”  
“i wouldn’t love anything else my trollhunter” holding his hand and moving through more trolls, they eventually left the busier parts of the troll city and came to the quiet more abandoned parts  
“ah. I feared I might finally be trampled on”  
“not while I still draw breath”  
“ha! Even with my attempt to trail behind, I only get left behind to be crushed into a yet even more slim physique”  
“i truly should be putting more food in that belly of yours, I could practically grab you fully in one hand”  
“i suppose being fed some more wouldn’t be something to complain about. You truly are the greatest trollhunter! Now I might get a few more grains of wheat before bed! I might even have a whole handful of it if I squint hard enough” Deya shared a laugh with Angus before grabbing his head and scratching it  
“for that compliment, I’ll give you three extra grains”  
“i truly shant starve this month!”  
“speaking of this month. Empty your pockets.” the scratching stopped and an open hand in front of Angus formed  
“what do you speak of?” Angus gave an innocent curious look, almost a whimpering fear  
“give.”  
“i haven’t much to give except my affection! Even that isn’t enough. Oh, well I suppose I shouldn’t be loved. I am what I am. Maybe I can go back to living behind the trash head, covering myself in some of the thrown out worn down sheets. Maybe tonight I won’t shiver in the cold. Maybe I might actually find a small scrap of bread come morning”  
“give.” Deya wiggled her fingers and she gave a serious look  
“I’ve nothing! Honest!”  
“give. Now. Do you want to write a letter?”  
“alright! Alright! No more joy for me” Angus sighed as he slowly pulled out a small pouch stuffed with crystals  
“bad Angus.”  
“i couldn’t help it! They were sooooo pretty!”  
“bad Angus.”  
“this is the first time I’ve stolen this month! I swear on my lucky horn!”  
“give.” Deya extended her palm again. Angus just looked away and pulled his cloak tighter to his chest  
“give. Or letter.”  
“FINE! No happiness for little Angus” he grumbled out before emptying another pocket. It was a string of engraved beads  
“give.”  
“i swear I’ve nooo more!”  
“give. Last chance.”

 

Angus groaned as he emptied his last pocket. A few simple stones  
“give.”  
“i don’t have anything!”  
“letter.” Angus whined and pulled a small bag out from behind his back and gave her the entire thing  
“good boy. Angus. Is this ALL?”  
“yes...”  
“Angus?”  
“i swear-”  
“not on your ‘lucky horn’. On your devotion to me” Angus sighed as he pulled out three more hidden bags in his cloak  
“that’s all my trollhunter. I swear on my devotion to you”  
“good boy. See? That wasn’t that hard now was it?” Angus had a little bit of twitchy fingers at times. Sticky fingers whenever he saw anything. Be it from simple rocks on the ground to expensive crystals. It could be meaningless and plain, or highly rare and valuable. If he liked it, he took it. Simple as that. One day Deya was called on to stop a spree of break ins and theft. She waited patently for dawn to happen, right before the nearby human town fully woke up and the trolls finished with their nightly routines. She heard a crash and summoned her sword, she looked around to see a groaning half troll, leg stuck in a wall  
“what are you doing?”  
“AH. Oh uh, nothin...just….playing leg in wall...”  
“what’s at your feet?”  
“my...foot...uh... it’s just….nothin”

 

She walked over and noticed the half troll try to move out of the way, wiggling his leg out but wincing in pain when he did.  
“are you the little bandit going around?”  
“no….just….a poor dirt loving half troll. I’ve never hurt anyone! I have proof!”  
“what’s shimmering in your cloak? And I see a small satchel behind you”  
“those are erm...nothin important...”  
“those look like exactly what’s been reported stolen.”  
“i didn’t take anything that didn’t look appeali-I MEAN important! I like to collect rocks! Is that so wrong?” she moved closer to him, only to hear him wince in pain and shiver  
“alright alright. It was me. You caught me like a dam rabbit in a trap. Just get it over with.”  
“get what over with?”  
“you’re not here to beat me?”  
“why would I?” Deya looked directly into his eyes for the first time. They were bruised and strained from a lot of crying. She inspected the rest of him. Dirty, bruised, practically skin and bones. He was shaking, small, afraid, and clearly hungry  
“why have you been stealing?”  
“well. Why do we breathe? Why do we sleep? Why do others eat? I dunno...just...my heads all stupid and I can’t help it. Go on. Beat me. Get your joy. Have your turn with me.” Angus lowered his head and stopped struggling to get free

“why do you assume I’ll beat you?”  
“everyone does. Just the ugly little half troll living in the dirt. don’t go a single evening where I don’t earn another bruise. Well have your pick, I’ve not much space left where it isn’t color deformed.” Angus just surrendered and gave in. relaxing himself and accepted what was to come. What always comes. Deya summoned her sword once more and walk towards him. He whimpered and flinched as she cut toward his leg. She broke apart the wall enough where his leg was no longer caught. He fell into the dirt onto his back and just kept his eyes closed  
“didn’t expect an amputation. Well, not like I need two legs. Less of me to hurt I guess”  
“what’s your name?”  
“filth.”  
“i meant a real name”  
“oh sorry, revolting”  
“actual name”  
“oops, didn’t realize what you meant. My real name is disgusting half troll”  
“jesters typically die laughing”  
“i hope you’re the one to laugh. I know I don’t”  
“why not?”  
“joy’s wasted on a half troll”  
“says who?”  
“I’m sorry. Are you from around….life in general? I know I smell like dirt and mud and muck, but can you REALLY not tell what I am? You blind? Either I’m actually slowly drifting off into another beating dream or I’ve meant someone so foolish as to think I exist other than to be harmed and taunted”

 

“nice way of making friends”  
“well, my best way is when rotten things are thrown at me, sometimes they aren’t all moldy and filled with bugs that I can get for the first time that week” Angus curled into a ball when he heard Deya moving closer to him, sitting down by his side  
“open your eyes young one”  
“I don’t like to see it coming. Its more of a surprise when I don’t. I get to guess where I’ll hurt next”  
“i plan on hurting you as much as the sun harms you”  
“yep. That confirms. I’ve had another one too many blows to the head. Well I hope I at least managed to crawl under a tree so the rain doesn’t make me ill, again. you’d think a body would eventually turn into illness itself from being it so often. I can’t even remember what healthy felt like. Do you? Does it feel like a color? I can’t remember” Deya giggled a bit  
“no. not a color. Open your eyes. I want to give you something”  
“i prefer not to fall into the ‘kind and caring. Finally taking pity on the disgusting stomach churning half troll in the mug and filth, only to just have a false sense of hope before they’re dashed with another hit. Or if I’m lucky, a sharp blade. Steel works best, but iron is fine too. Whatever suits your fancy”  
“open your eyes”  
“fine. If that helps you enjoy it more. So be it. At least I might make another feel good about themselves, another good deed done and all” Angus slowly opened one eye after another to see Deya sitting next to him, smiling  
“well. where’s your blade? Will you at least slit my throat. I’m too much of a coward to do it myself. Same with finding a sturdy enough branch. I’ve got the rope though. So I’m halfway to paradise at least”  
“you shouldn’t joke about ending your own life”  
“whats the point of living if dying can’t be funny?”  
“one should never take their own life”  
“which is why you’re the saint with the sword. Finally, whatever god or goddess or giant tree granting wishes out there has finally heard my wish of the sweet release of death has finally come true. So, which way till night are we going to? You going to start with the left side of me and work your way to the opposite end or….” Deya pulled some bread along with some scraps of meat

“here. Eat”  
“dying from poison? Well, not like I haven’t felt sick before. Guess your fancy is slow and painful. Well, at least my final vision will be a smiling face”  
“Eat.”  
“i prefer rotten to poison, guess it can be the other way around though”  
“eat.”  
“alright. If this helps end my life so be it” Angus reluctantly reached out a hand before skittishly taking some food out of her hand and stuffing it into his mouth in one go. He moaned through his mouthful and swallowed  
“wait, REAL FOOD?! You really are the most mad troll I’ve ever met”  
“what’s your name”  
“garbage”  
“name”  
“trash”  
“name”  
“filth”  
“name”  
“illness”  
“name”  
“pile of shi-” he stopped midway when Deya emptied more of the bag into her hand. Angus’s mouth watered  
“name. Now.”  
“Angus” he answered hypnotically

 

“Angus. Good. Beta. Good. Half troll. Good. Alright, come on”  
“huh? Ohh leading me astray to get your kicks? I’ve never laid with anyone. I won’t be good. Unless you want to torment me in private, well at least I wont have a group laughing and kicking mud into my-” Deya shook the full bag in front of him  
“come.”  
“yes” he answered hypnotically

 

She gave him the food in her hand before walking forward. He wolfed it down in a few mere moments before licking his palms and fingers. He would walk a few more steps before being given more food. Eventually he was brought into an empty hut  
“here”  
“an entire bag of food? In one day? Wow, my lucky horn might actually be lucky for the first time”  
“suppose so. Now. Stay put in here”  
“wh-”  
“you do. You get more food. You stay. Get food. Stay. Food.” Angus just nodded in understanding, unable to truly comprehend him being mentioned and the word food in the same sentence.

 

“Kanjigar, I plucked Angus from the mug and filth. I helped him rise into true heroism. It wasn’t long after until I came back. I plopped him into a big tub, ran hot water and soap, and scrubbed him clean. Covered every part of him. Well, he did wash his own private parts. After a scrub, I cut his fur, filed down his claws and nails, fed him two more bags of food, gave him more than enough fresh water, and a new cloak. Free of tears and holes, mold and mildew. The entire time, he just sat there and let me groom him, unable to process the entire thing. I polished his horns too, oh did he purr like no other. You should do the same with Jim, I doubt he’s ever gotten his done before, I know he will love it”  
“what happened next?”  
“watch for yourself”

 

Angus was licking the last pieces of food off his palms and hands, licking his lips and moaning. That was the first time he’s had ACTUAL food in at least three months. The time before was a simple dash and steal. He was small and easily hidden when sticking to the shadows. He found some human trade market, the second he had an opening to grab some cooked meat and bread he took it, then ran like his life depended on it which it actually did. Starvation was just as easy as slipping in the mud for him

Deya looked him over in concentration  
“let’s see. Bathed you. Fed you. Gave you water. Polished your horns. Tended to your claws and nails. Clothed you. What am I missing….”  
“your common sense that’s what. Well, I truly did enjoy this. It has been the truly greatest day of my life. Last one should be best I suppose”  
“oh? What makes this your last?”  
“I am almost entirely certain that you’re about to kill me within the next sunset”  
“what makes you so sure of that?”  
“some folk pamper their cattle before sending them to the slaughter. Meat tastes better than way. You did tend to me, only makes me assume I’ll taste better. Fed me, fattened me up for more to eat”  
“oh? Now you believe I’ll eat you?”  
“had a troll take a nasty bite out of me before. don’t see why this would be any different. Ha, I can’t smell any grime on me anymore. Almost forgot I was even a beta”  
“yes, that’s far better now. don’t think I could stand you any second longer if I didn’t bathe you”  
“ah, so it was for your own sake. Sweet woman. Saint with the sword. Speaking of which, where’d it run off to? I certainly didn’t nab it”  
“you couldn’t have. it’s made of light”  
“and I’m made of sunshine and puppy dog faces”  
“do you know who I am?”  
“a mad troll”  
“truly think I’ve lose my mind?”  
“why else? I am a half troll” Deya smiled before pulling out her amulet  
“do you know what this is?”  
“ohhhh shiny! I might take that when you aren’t looking dear”  
“do you know what these engravings say?”  
“no. can’t read. Or write. Education would be wasted on a half troll, save knowing how to hold someone else’s sword for them”

 

“do you know what the trollhunter is?”  
“heard some dogs barking about it. Some hot shot went and killed a bunch of creatures that go bump in the night. Another white knight in shinning armor come to sweet the others off their feet”  
“I’m the trollhunter”  
“and I’m royalty. where’s my tax payment? Suppose you did just give me the royal treatment. Guess you’ve paid your dues” Deya said her incantation, donning the armor and summoning her sword. Angus was completely unfazed  
“ahhhhh see! This is EXACTLY what I thought was going on all along!”  
“and what would that be?”  
“someone finally cracked open this skull of mine and I’m passed out bleeding to death behind some garbage heap I usually sleep next to. No wonder I’m imagining such wonderful things. Colorful too”  
“this is real Angus”  
“and I’m a divine being fallen from the stars themselves and sent down to live among mortal folks”  
“why is this so hard to believe?”  
“if I were a troll, hell even a human, I could believe it. THIS, this is unbelievable”  
“anything I could do to make you finally understand this is believable?”  
“cut me down till I die. Maybe feeling the pain might wake me up to the real world of real pain”  
“how about instead you spend a day and night when me. Prove to you that this is real”  
“like I’ve said before. Never laid with anyone. Don’t know how good I’ll be to you. I’m about as soft and cuddly as sunshine to a troll. An ugly mug not even a whoring mother could love”  
“i don’t intend on sleeping with you”  
“then doin it standin up?”

 

“i don’t plan on laying a single finger on you that would involve anything regarding sexual or romantic intent”  
“ah, then just proper beatings for little old Angus. Makes sense. Starting to go back to some sense. Maybe my head’s starting to save a little last of it’s blood”  
“how about we make a deal”  
“ohhh? A deal for little old me? Two beatings for the prince of one?” Deya undid the amulet’s armor and tossed it to him  
“you spend a single day and night by my side. You get to keep that”  
“and if I refuse?”  
“i know you won’t”  
“and if I just decide to run away when you blink?”  
“i know you won’t”  
“you trust me too much”  
“i believe in you”  
“like something out of a fucking fairy tale. Alright. Deal. Easy enough prize”

 

 

Kanjigar turned to the spirit in disbelief  
“you gave him the amulet?”  
“yes”  
“why? Obviously he didn’t run away with it”  
“oh no he did, try to pawn it off for a slice of pork within that same hour. I found him, bought the entire ham, and gave it to him”  
“you….didn’t...punish him?”  
“no”  
“I’m as confused as Angus”  
“I simply put the amulet back in his hand and told him to follow. He did”  
“…….maybe you are mad” Deya laughed happily at that  
“wouldn't be the first or last I’ll ever hear that”  
“so, what exactly stirred you into doing all this?”  
“i told you. Someone needs to help those who need it. I found someone who needed help. I helped. I would have done the exact same even if I weren’t the trollhunter”  
“what kept him by your side? If he would just run off”  
“oh he did. A lot at first. Each time, he’d come back to my side. Sooner and sooner, until he simply never left it”  
“what kept him wanting to return?”  
“love. Love and attention. I always knew he would return. I could see it in him. A need for love. For companionship. He never had It his entire life. Now it was free for the taking. He always liked to take things. So I let him. Each time I looked into his eyes I could see his loyalty grow and grow. Every bite of food fed to him, every word of kindness. It grew. A few ties he’d run off, try to steal and pawn something, typically the amulet, I found him, bought what I he wanted or made him return the stolen thing, and he came back to my side. That day alone he ran off 5 times. Each time he would follow again and return to my side. Always asking why I’d done that. I told him, because I wanted to. His curiosity got the best of him and so he made sure to keep following each time. Humans are curious creatures, half trolls are the same. I never told him of my plans for him, or else he would just scurry off for good.

 

So I only did things little by little. Step by step. I wanted him as my half troll. Simply because I could see how his heart truly was. I think fate lead me to him, so I didn’t look at it any other way or questioned it. One of the few times I didn’t question fate. That night he ran off one last time. This time I didn’t chase. A few hours later he came back and returned the amulet to me. I gave it back to him. He was starting to slowly learn that I would just keep doing the same. His inner self started to recognize me not as a potential master, but as a kind friend. When he slept I stayed by his side the entire time. I gave him some blankets and a warm dry bed, he stayed without running away or snatching anything. He always had that habit, but he always got better. Little by little. It was only a week later until he completely started to no longer run away, stay away from my side. He would always trail close, asking me questions. I answered them, but always made a hint of curiosity in him. Make sure he wants to follow.

 

I could have just chained him to my side. Beaten him, branded him, whipped him. I didn’t. Which is exactly why he stayed. He CHOSE it all by himself. If you harm someone, they will only stay in fear or even try to run. You keep them close with rewards and affection with no punishment in sight, they will stay and take it. Within that month, he finally accepted this was real life. I asked if he would be by my side for the rest of our lives. He laughed and said I’d easily outlive him. I agreed, I picked up the brand, he bared his neck without hesitation. He was my friend that moment onward”

 

“didn’t he have any family?”  
“no. no one else was in his life. His father was killed defending his mother. His mother traded him for some money when he was hardly a whelp. She was killed by some hateful trolls sometime later, he was unsure when. The troll he was traded to simply kept him alive until he was grown enough to start working, said Angus was an investment. He would be worth a fortune to the right buyer. He was. He was bought by another troll, who then sold him to another, and then another, and finally when Angus was grown enough to fend for himself, he left. He went from place to place simply wandering around, trying to find some remotely safe place to spend a night and rest without being shooed or scared away. No one would ever hire him, so he never made any kind of wealth. Besides, no one would ever trade with him no matter what he had. He had ‘soiled it’ from simply being a half troll. So, through the years with him, I taught him respect, which wasn’t too hard. Again, treats and positive reinforcement. I taught him to read and write, hence why he was able to write letters.

 

Yes, everyone still bullied and had little faith in him. Soon no one would openly say it, at least out loud when I was around. I learned how to handle him, punish him when he acted out of line. Never harming a hair on his head. It made him want to stay. He learned not to get into any trouble….well….as much anymore. We went on adventures together, traveled from place to place. Each time he did something good, I tossed him a treat and gave him a pet. Whenever we did a feat, I was praised yet again, Angus was left in the dust. He always accepted it with no problem. Knowing well enough he would have had it happen anyway. I told the crowd I couldn’t have done it without him, to cheer him him as well. Almost everyone stopped cheering and starting to part, saying they suddenly forgot to do something or someone was giving birth somewhere, or they chose not to and didn’t want to dishonor me by staying there. He had a few claps and cheers, although it seemed more like pity than actual praise”

 

“wonderful people”  
“truly”  
“eventually, he really was starting to be praised, ever so lightly, but it was no longer out of pity. He never enjoyed boasting or being the center of attention, made him anxious, so he stole to calm his nerves”  
“funny”  
“right?”  
“so, you owned him for a couple centuries”  
“that I did, was the happiest time of my life”  
“then the end….” Deya sighed and closed her eyes  
“the most painful day of my life. Even more painful then being slain by Bular”  
“what happened? If you don’t mind me asking. I know the story, only the basic details at least”

“we had a fun day, going around enjoying life, until a nearby town needed aid. An invasion of gumm-gumms. Far far too many to handle. Angus did his little grin and had that look on his face. He started to casually walk towards the danger. This time asking if I was going to follow. I knew that I taught him well, how changed he was. I know how thankful he was, he always appreciated every second and never took anything for granted. We fought, he laughed. I told him to be serious, he told me I was the he was the only one keeping her from frowning. We had almost killed all of them. Then I lowered my guard for a second, something I shouldn’t have done. I had assumed we’d win. It was too late. The gumm-gumm was about to cut me down when Angus took the blow for me, he stabbed the gumm-gumm as a final act of his life. He gave me one last grin and weakly said that if I die, he wouldn’t have a reason to live anymore. I wanted to bury him. I couldn’t. Because it was the poison, he turned to stone and crumbled as he laid dead on the ground. I honestly could hardly remember what happened next. Before I knew it, everyone was dead around me. I was the only one standing. I had save so many lives, but lost my own that battle.” Deya looked like she was crying, if she were alive, she would be able to.  
“life never felt the same any longer. It hurt too much to be surrounded by others, but hurt worse when alone. I was never able to hold the amulet the same again, without remembering him trying to pawn it off so long ago”

“I’m sorry Deya”  
“no need to be”  
“he truly had the happiest life because of you”  
“something he reminded me daily. No matter how angry, no matter what Jim does, no matter who or what he becomes. Love him. Tell him how much he means to you. Angus did make me angry plenty of times, but I never stopped loving my little thief. One day in whatever way, you will loose Jim, its just a matter of time. Something morbid I know, but just cherish his every second. The moment you loose him, will be the most painful moment of your life. At least mine was.” Deya relaxed herself and smiled  
“he always hated when I was upset in any way. He would always try to cheer me up however he could. Right now, if he saw me this way, he would be a little smart ass to make me smile. I try not to cry over him, that’s not what he would have wanted.” Day took a bit of time before speaking again  
“i...apologize. You came here for advice, only to get a sad story in return”  
“no need to apologize. I asked for it. I wanted it. I got it. I swear, I will never harm Jim no matter what. No matter what mood he turns me into, I will never strike him or do anything to harm him in any way. No matter his actions, I will always remind him how much I love him”  
“good to hear. Good to hear. So to sum up, a proper punishment is love”  
“i will do it well”  
“that’s all the advice I can give, sorry”  
“no need to be, I have learned plenty”  
“well, I won’t keep you any longer. Go, return to the world once more and punish your half troll” the two shared a warm final smile  
“i will. Just as you would have” Kanjigar started to leave, return to the physical world. Deya took one last look at Angus’s face  
“stupid smart ass. I miss you”

………………………………………………………………………………

The tribunals meeting had finally come to a finish. Jim had manage to retrain himself from both being a smart ass, and touching the heartstone. Somehow restraining himself from being a smart ass was far more difficult than touching the heartstone. He had to focus. Remind himself not to, also not to touch the heartstone. He had to focus on the ‘positive’ side of his life, ignoring the dark gnawing hunger. His friends, fun in the sun, Toby, video games, laughing, burritos, cringy high school moments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His love for Draal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His love for Kanjigar. For trollmarket. For the warm happy fulfilling life he has here. Jim opened his eyes when he heard his name being called once more. He turned around to see Usurna and Vendel still at the table while the others had taken their leave.  
“sorry, what?”  
“i was asking what you needed to speak to us about. In private, privately”  
“ohhhhhhhh. Oops I forgot” Vendel looked annoyed once more  
“I’m kidding! I wanted to thank both of you for setting this birdie free from his cage”  
“i knew well enough you were beyond innocent”  
“as did I Jim”  
“i knew you’d BOTH see me as innocent! Thanks for that. Also sorry, I really….well….I’m not exactly here for ‘master Kanjigar business so I had to step in for him’. I just used it as an excuse to get in here and stay in here. Sorry for the shirtless thing too. And the humming. And being a pain in the ass” Vendel’s smile was slowly creeping back onto his face. Jim was so warm and amusing. It was hard to stay mad at him  
“i figured that out the moment you said it”  
“well, get used to it, that’s probably going to be my go to excuse from now on”  
“i look forward to it”  
“hey, do you mind if I talk to Usurna real fast? Privately in private? Only take a second!”  
“very well. If she wishes to. I’m going to get a drink. This entire day has been-”  
“exhausting? A pain in the ass like me? Emotionally and mentally taxing?”  
“all of the above unfortunately” Vendel gave one last smile before leaving the room. Jim casually walked by the table, running his claws across it and humming until he stood across from Usurna  
“Well. Now, let’s talk. Privately in private”  
“of course, anytime, anyplace”  
“good to hear!”  
‘fuckin kiss ass glowy racist bitch’  
“well, I wanted to thank you of course for getting me off! Super dope of you! Dope is a human term for excellent. Now, I’m not going to tell dear old daddy. About you, about you helping me, about none of this. Why? Nothing against you. I just don’t want him finding out about this. don’t worry, it’s nothing against him and nothing that will affect you in any way. I just don’t feel like having him waste his time going into detail and then concerning himself and of course, bringing YOU into this. Neither one of that wants it. SO, nothing happened here. No one say or saw or did anything. This entire day never even existed in the first place. Like I said, this isn’t going behind his back, this just isn’t important enough to bring up. ALSO! me. don’t say, or EVER say I’m here. Or involved with anything, and anyone. Never speak of it. Ever. Again, just not important. My dad already knows about it, already knows what’s going on, etc and all that. Just trying to keep my cover and yadda yadda. My drama with Kanjigar and Draal isn’t anything to worry about. Just personal dumb problems, won’t affect anyone but myself. Not to worry, already sorting it out.

 

Don’t worry, nothing here happened, no one says anything under any circumstances, unless he asks, but I highly doubt it. Whats more important, running...well...everything, or asking about a dumb trial. Also don’t worry, I don’t think that you are responsible for the actions of your guard. I want to make that nice and clear. His actions and thoughts have noooo reflection on yourself. Oh, and if he ever asks about you, not necessarily about this day, but in general, I’ll make sure to tell him that you’ve helped me a good amount of times. Nothing but the best of her abilities and beyond even! Also, I never forget kindness, and helpfulness. Know I’m on your side, as long as it doesn’t go against dad-well you get my point. So, in summery, great job! Thanks! No hard feelings! No one needs to find out about any of this, if they do it might not look that...good on you. He still was technically in your entourage, he should have known better, but like I said, I don’t hold you accountable for his actions at all. Like I keep saying, I won’t say a word if you won’t. So in conclusion, thumbs up from me!” Jim smiled wide and gave a thumbs up. Usurna looked calmer and made a happy smile  
“thank you for speaking to me about all of this. I must admit, I had my worries that you might have thought about any of that...otherwise”  
‘ohhhh I do. I just won’t use it against you yet’  
“like I said, everything’s fine! And if for whatever reason dad DOES hear about this, I’ll make sure it’s nice and clear you’re not at fault. He might….not think so, but I’ll try to convince him. But, well, he is who he is. You don’t need to give a reply to that at all”  
“thank you again for speaking to me, you’ve made it nice and clear about all of this. No one be the wiser, no point like you said”  
“Exactly! No one’s going behind anyone’s back what so ever just to really make it clear. If it WAS, then I’d tell dad. But, it’s not, so no big deal. Well we better go, see you around and all that. OH and about us meeting in here for the first time that day, yeah things were going on and getting crazy and well, everything’s handled and fine. No need to worry about anything ‘weird’ like that happening again, at least hopefully. Alright! Do you need to say anything before we leave?”  
“nothing at all. Thank you for making everything clear”  
“cool! Alright let’s get out of here! Also need to wash my shirt before it stains…..well, you have your own queenly business to do, time to go our separate ways for now”


	36. A fitting punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A smart move from Toby!
> 
> Jim's just a little too hot
> 
> Draal. is pain REALLY the ONLY answer to your problem? almost drowning yourself on purpose doesn't really seem like a good idea...
> 
> BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF TOBY! HE SHALL CLEANSE YOU OF YOUR SINS!
> 
> Bular has eaten one of Jim's shirts. poor shirt
> 
> Jim, the gnome whisperer! also Toby....don't...give that idea to Jim....he might actually do it....
> 
> A daily life in Kanjigar's day job. are you REALLY surprised by how people act?
> 
> A heart to heart has never hurt so bad. Jim's goals, realized. he will never fail. he refuses. Please, don't let Jim have to suffer anymore than he already has today. please, no more crying. no more reminders.
> 
> WTF REALLY?! he didn't mean it like that!
> 
> Training begins mr! time to be a good boy or else you get the spray bottle!
> 
> DON'T STEAL HIS SPECIAL SNACKS JIM! HE NEEDS THOSE AFTER A LONG STRESSFUL DAY
> 
> Don't worry! clearly everyone's gonna buy that you meant being a DJ and nothing else! not a single person, nope!
> 
> How does Jim keep getting more and more innocent?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend just gave me an Arceus in pokemon, holy shit, i forgot that god was a pokemon XD love him, one of my fav legend! like i explained before, absolute judgement
> 
> my friend just showed me the picture of the mc donalds ad but its missing some letters. so it just looks like its saying  
> "eat your friends, heck, eat them all!" and i fucking lost it. now i want jim to have that as a poster in his room. also if he ever showed  
> it to toby he'd be like "HUH? HUH?! SEE! IT'S A SIGN! LITERALLY! oh man i am SO eating you guys now!"
> 
> Been watching GameGrumps play sonic adventure 2. the sonic harem fanfic. i love it. once again, something wonderful has shown me how much i love fanfiction
> 
> that's all for now! enjoy! remember, i always love comments! even simple ones make my day =D

Kanjigar had walked back inside of his cave, only to hear Toby singing to himself and playing on his phone

“do dododod doo dod doodod  
cool! New level. Shit that took forever to beat. Should send Eli a screenshot, tootally be jealous”  
“where is Jim?”  
“GAH!” Toby yelled out while accidentally tossing his phone  
“sorry, didn’t mean to startle you”  
“no...it’s….my bad...wasn’t paying attention! I mean, this is your home...cave...place” Toby smiled awkwardly after picking his phone back up. 

 

 

SMART MOVE!

 

What is it you may ask?

 

Toby and his wonderful brain of wisdom had bought THE MOST INTENSELY STRONG, GRADE A PHONE GUARD! It covered his complete phone, with a sensitive but powerful screen cover that tugs in tightly to the actual casing

 

Jim said he wanted to chew on it, prove it would work. They decided not to. Mostly from Toby having to pull it out of Jim’s mouth before he can chomp on it, causing it to be covered in slime while Jim kept laughing and pretending to tug on it like a dog  
“NO. GIVE. DROP IT. SPIT IT OUT NOW!” Jim just laughed

 

“where has Jim gone?”  
“oh he went to-uh...um….he went to...”  
“to what?” the two suddenly heard Jim run into the cave, panting heavily, clearly from running quickly. Shirtless and panicked looking, he saw the two and then suddenly bolted up against Kanjigar. Hugging and rubbing up against his chest, purring the entire time  
“Mmmh Kanjigar~”  
“well, you’re affectionate”  
“thank you so much for owning me”  
“you’re welcome, any particular reason as to why you’re thanking me?”  
“eh sorta~ oops sorry, kinda trying to...mark you….haha...omega in heat…..i shouldn’t be rubbing up on...others….already do that enough to Toby...not like a big...alpha….like you needs it” Jim cleared his throat and backed up a bit embarrassed  
“it’s fine”  
“great now you smell like my heat”  
“it is alright Jim. No harm done”  
“mh~ I want you...UH I MEANT WHERE’S DRAAL?!”  
“heads a bit clouded. That’s quite alright, I’ve dealt with plenty of omegas in my life, especially as the trollhunter. No need to feel embarrassed. I know you don’t mean anything truly. Hmmm, I’m not sure where my son has gone. Where is your shirt? And why were you running?”  
“oh I ran from the heartstone. Long story short, just wanted to thank Vendel and Usurna for helping me and all that. Then while I walked, moooore than enough alphas looked at me, most with some…..interest if you get what I’m saying. I don’t mind the occasional compliment, but I was getting a bit too much attention. And then some growling and arguments started to happen. Typical riled up alphas ‘i saw him first, no I did, why not share him?’ and to be honest? I really didn’t trust myself…a lot of them...looked….nice….and being shared...mmh~so much attention~so much muscle~so much growling and biting~…..UH I UH, NEVER MIND. Anyways I need Draal, like right now. I don’t want to just be sleeping around, I don’t need to start being seen as the new trollmarket whore. Already starting to be called that, as well as Draal’s little fuck toy. So I REALLY DON’T want to succumb to others….offers….i haven’t had sex in so long...it’s….killing me almost….not literally but...oh and I spilled oil on my shirt and just need to wash it. didn’t want to go someplace to wash it cause no matter where I went, some….alphas were there….so many beefy bulls...” Jim shivered and had to do breathing exercises just to regain a clear head, or at least enough to function properly and not start trying to get Kanjigar to hump him

Jim rubbed his face and sat at the table. The cold stone feeling wonderful to his overly hot body. Jim practically collapsed his entire form onto it, moaning and the nice cooling sensation.  
“hi to you too Jimbo” Toby says patting the ‘suffering’ half troll on the head. He soon heard a very muffled voice, to which Toby had assumed it was either a ‘hello’ or ‘flirt with me. I need a man in my life’. Both truly were equal in chance.  
“aw. My poor little half troll. All burning up and needing to bone down. don’t worry, your Toby’s here to help. We could toss you into a bathtub of ice, that might feel nice” Jim made another muffled tone. Either agreeing to it or saying to get his new vibrator from his nest. Both equal in chance. Toby just gently pet Jim while he looked over at Kanjigar  
“you wouldn’t happen to have a hose around here, would you?”  
“actually yes”

………………………………………………………………………………….

Draal took a nice long walk around trollmarket after the trial, desperate to take his mind off of things. It didn’t work. So he decided to try training. He went to the forge, thinking he saw his father exit right before he entered, but waved it off thinking it wasn’t important. Training was the ONLY thing to take his mind off of…..things...specific things…... Just barely. He was doing it far more intensely that he would usually have. His head just was polluted with the thoughts of Jim, and him just breeding the life out of him, or would technically be more along the lines of breeding it into him. 

‘He is in heat….he did buy that book…...they did talk about it….hmm…..’ Draal was slammed in the face by a hard slab of stone, knocking him onto the ground. He groaned and shook his face. He deserved that. He wasn’t paying attention when he should have. He got lost in his loins once more. On the ground he panted and huffed. Sudden thoughts of him picking up Jim by the hips and breeding him underneath, gently biting his teeth all over Jim…thrusting into him...listening to Jim’s demands to for him to be knotted…

Draal was knocked at his side by a large sack, causing him to turn over. He deserved that too. He shook his head and grabbed his horns, growling at himself to focus. Get a hold of his thoughts. Ignore it. All of it. Pretend that...sweet...scent...wasn’t…...that Jim wasn’t so close...so easily able to get to….he could just take the omega in his nest right then and there. His father did say they would be allowed plenty of time...alone….just them….maybe he could use that sex toy Jim just acquired on him...watching the omega squirm under him, hear him pant and beg for more. Turning the intensity up higher...the moans...the pleads…

 

Draal was hit in the side of the head by a blunt object, knocking him onto his side. He deserved that.

 

He had enough. He couldn’t take it anymore. He was going to break down and go feral practically. He walked over to a huge water barrel and dunked his head in, roaring into it. Then letting his lungs ache for air, begging then screaming for it until the point where he couldn’t take the pain anymore. He shot his head up out of the cold water and gasped for air, his lungs finally having their cries heard, mercy given. After have a few deep breaths, Draal slammed his head against the side of the wall as hard as he could. The thumping pain started to course through himself. His head, aching, his lungs, yelling for more air, his body groaning in pain all over.

 

Perfect!

 

 

Now he started to finally get those thoughts out of his head. It only took incredible pain all over his body to finally focus on something else that wasn’t a fertile horny needy lustful omega begging to get knotted and bred. He laid on the ground, letting his body deal with the pain, ironically enjoying it, because it was the only thing distracting him from Jim.

 

……………………………………………………………………………….

“There we go! Cleaning off the dumb dirty Jimbo!” Toby was blasting Jim was a garden hose, turning the nozzle onto straight shot. Jim, Toby, and Kanjigar were currently at a small bathing spot for trolls. Kanjigar found one almost completely emptied, the only couple of trolls in there were finished and left after Kanjigar kindly requested it. Toby picked up a hose and turned the water onto cold, as cold as it could get! Thankfully the cold rainy day on the surface had more than enough water spill down into the depths of the earth and collect into various pools. Some troll machinery pipes went from pool to pool and made various twists and turns, eventually resulting into a bathhouse.

 

Jim sat on the ground, wanting to complain, each time he opened his mouth, Toby blasted him  
“the Jim’s get blasted by the hose of cold as punishment for their sinful crimes!”  
“Tob-”  
“blast!”  
“T-”  
“blast!”  
“Toby I’m g-”  
“blast blast blast!”  
“TOBES I’M GOOD NOW!”  
“I’M WASHING THE SIN OUT OF YOU! BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF TOBY!” Jim started to laugh and try to cover his face  
“you’re having waay too much fun for this”  
“yes BLAST BLAST! SIN BE GONE! I BANISH THEE FROM THE OMEGA!”  
“OKAY! Okay I’m good!”  
“good” Jim got up from the floor and was wiping his face off when he got stealth blasted one last time  
“aaaannnddd one last one for that lingering sin”  
“okay! I’m good! I will throw you into a chasm!”  
“what? I’m watering my half troll! You have to make sure they get plenty of it to stay healthy. Alright I’ve had my fun. You feeling good now?”  
“yeah more or less.” Jim walked over to Toby, only to quickly shake like a dog right next to him, splashing and wetting the poor human down  
“HEY!”  
“what? I’m watering my human, they need lot’s of water! Also that’s for having fun” The two laughed as Toby gave Jim his towel. They dug around and found one of Jim’s old shirts tucked away and forgotten in his little room. It was stale and dusty but clean enough to wear, so now he was once again fully clothed!

 

Jim ate his towel at the three began walking through trollmarket. Kanigar decided it was finally time to give Jim ‘the talk’  
“Jim. Do you remember what you did earlier?” Kanjigar didn’t hear a reply  
“Don’t ignore me Jim” still no reply, Kanjigar sighed, stopped, and turned around, only to see no one behind him. Well, no half troll and human at least  
“wonderful. Wandered off. Why should I be surprised. it’s Jim. Maybe I need to keep him on a leash. At least that will keep him by my side when he’s supposed to.” Kanjigar mumbled under his breath as he backtracked, hoping to find his two ‘children’.

…………………………………………………………………….

 

It wasn’t soon after walking that Toby started to take more pictures and videos. He would stop to look at something, or accidentally bump into another. Jim had to constantly grab Toby and keep him close. Toby had pulled out a snack to munch on as they walked, trying to keep Jim away from it who teased trying to bite at it  
“gimme!”  
“no! Bad half troll! Shoo!”  
“gimmmeeeee! I haven’t eaten since we were at your nana’s!”  
“same here! I worked up an appetite keeping you alive”  
“ohhh yeah right!”

“this place is amazing!….except….all those cat noises and food stand looking places...I’m just going to ignore that…..wow trolls really love socks”  
“yeah, I dunno, they like sweat I guess. Or socks, or a combo of both. I know bu-big bro has tried to eat my cloths before. Especially when your cats have swarmed me”  
“has he ever actually eaten any of your cloths?”  
“i caught him ripping into a shirt once, other than that, no”  
“has Draal ever tried to?”  
“no. huh, I wonder if I should feed him some stuff, he might like it. I do have some cloths that are getting too worn down now. Good way to get rid of them while helping someone else out. Like donating food I guess haha”  
“wow, trolls really love garbage”  
“one mans trash is potentially a trolls favorite thing”  
“hey you should trademark that..hey...these crystals won’t...zap me right? Like the other ones?”  
“nah, those crystals are only in...certain places. I mean that literally, they can be found here and there in the world, but they’re pretty rare. Only really collect together in certain areas, kinda like how mushrooms do. Where we live, is a big collection of power, soo that’s why they grow so frequently”

 

Then…..

 

Toby stopped as something small ran in front of him. Toby bent down to look at it  
“aww, hello little fella. Look at this cutie Ji-AH SHARP TEETH”  
“relax Tobes it’s a gnome”  
“THAT’S a gnome?! I thought they were all happy jolly things!”  
“no that’s just a common myth, like pixies being friendly. they’re pretty much the troll equivalent to rats. I mean they’re not trolls themselves. But that’s how they are to trolls”  
“can I pick the little fella up? Hey little guy-” Suddenly the Gnome darted around  
“ah! My belt! Ah my phone! AH MY SNACK!” Toby’s pant’s fell down and he tripped. He tried to pull them up and move after the quick gnome who was laughing, easily avoiding Toby. The gnome stopped suddenly as soon as it heard little clicks, chatters, and chirps. It looked to see a smiling Jim sitting on the ground. It chirped back and ran over to him. They chirped and chattered together having their own little conversation before the gnome gave the things back and jumped on Jim, starting to go through his fur. Jim just giggled, feeling the tickle of the tiny hands

“uh Jimbo, what’s going on?”  
“i told you a while ago, at least I thought I did, well anyways I had a pet gnome as a kid. My only friend. Before it was killed in front of me. Like I said, rats. Blinky didn’t want it being near me, afraid it carried a disease or illness and I could have gotten sick. Although that’s another common myth. they’re really cute and friendly when you get to know them. I named my gnome little hat. Cause he had a little hat. This little fella just thought it would be funny to watch you trip and try to walk around without your belt on. Also wanted to steal your food. Also your phone was shiny and looked nice”  
“so you can just like, speak gnome?” Toby asked while putting his belt back on and hiking up his pants  
“yep! Sorta. Okay like. ‘a black and white cow lived in a big red house under a tree’. I could only say and understand ‘cow, live in house. Under tree’ it’s simple, but I also pick up on context clues. So, I can talk! Little hat taught me”  
“coool! So troll, english, latin, and gnome”  
“also a little bit of goblin, although don’t say that or mention them. On dads side so keep it hush hush. I’ll explain about them some other day”  
“you got it”. Think you can teach me gnome? Also troll would be dope!”  
“ehhhh it’s suuuper difficult….okay you know how...i can’t remember what it’s called, but you could say the same thing in Chinese in different tones and it would be different meanings, gnome is similar, in the sense of the tiniest tone and teeth chatter can be different. I don’t think you physically could hear it. As for troll, that’s…..difficult. Really don’t think I could teach you. Maybe Blinky could but….well he makes things really REALLY detailed. So it’s kinda hard to remember every detail. Plus it’s just hard to learn in general. I honestly have heard about very few humans who have ever been able to use it. Well I guess you could also factor in that I’ve never been around any kind of information like that, hell maybe a shiiiit ton of people know about it and I just don’t know that. Well point is, eh.”

 

“well, thanks for telling him to give me my stuff back…..why is he going through your fur?”  
“they groom trolls. Eat little bugs and stuff. Trolls aren’t exactly clean remember? Plus living and going through trash all the time isn’t very hygienic. Not like it affects trolls anyways”  
“ohhh so they’re kinda like little birds that ride on big animals? Like rhinos and hippos and-well you get my point”  
“Exactly!” a few more gnomes stopped and started to peak out from various places to see the ‘gnome whisperer’ sitting down letting one of their own pick through his fur. A few slowly started to run over. Jim would chirp and chatter at them, and soon enough he had a dozen of them climbing on him, talking, offering him various things, you name it.  
“wow, Jimbo the gnome whisperer”  
“huh, I like the sound of that”  
“ohh! You could TOTALLY train them to be little spies!”  
“that’s….actually really really cool sounding!”  
“they could go in places and quietly spy on people and things and then come whisper it to you”  
“wow. Literal eyes and ears everywhere in every corner. That’s actually something to remember for later.”

…………………………………………………………………………………

Kanjigar grunted strongly. How do you loose a human, and a half troll?! Also Jim’s in heat! Should be as easy to track as seeing a black dot in a white landscape! Of course, the two of them haaad to wander off in one of the more busy areas of trollmarket. At lunchtime. Not only that, but Kanjigar was also slowed down by having the occasional request for help! A call to action! From as important as

‘can you reach that for me?’

 

TO

 

‘do you think I should get this checked out?’

 

TO

 

‘SHE stole it from me!’ ‘no HE stole it from me!’ ‘LIAR AND A THIEF!’ ‘NO YOU’RE THE LIAR AND A THIEF!’

 

TO

 

‘I’m hungry. Where’s a good vendor?’

 

TO

 

‘i thought I saw a gnome the other day holding a rock. That was strange don’t you think?’

 

TO

 

‘can you hold my place in line? I promise I will be right back!’

 

TO

 

‘do you think I should get this? Or this?’

 

TO

 

‘HELP HE’S GOT A KNIFE! Is what I WOULD have said if he did. Thank you for doing your job right by listening to a call of action’

 

TO

 

‘would you like to come to my comedy act tonight? The more the better! I promise I’m funny! I just need enough attention and fame to finally get my career started!’

 

TO

 

 

‘are humans still wearing blue pants? I thought I saw a pair of blue pants in some scavengers collection. He wanted an outrageous payment for them! He said they were a now very rare thing. Should I have done the deal? Or am I getting cheated out for more than it’s worth’

 

TO

 

‘will you help me impress someone? Just...like….stand next to me….say how I’m amazing….i really just want to get a mate for once….or at least a single moment of attention from those girls over there’

 

TO

 

‘do you think I would look good in this? Or should I get this broken lawnmower instead? I only want to get one thing. I’m starting a collection of broken human lawn care tools, but I also like how this looks on me’

 

 

TO

 

Actually breaking up a dangerous fight of two bulls fighting over an omega ‘that clearly was bored with the show’

 

FINALLY Kanjigar could take more than a few steps than getting called on for…...important…...aid.

 

The trollhunter stopped in his tracks as he saw Jim sitting on the ground, smiling as Toby took pictures of him, covered in gnomes.  
“JIM!” Toby almost dropped his phone from the sudden booming voice. Jim was shocked and almost felt like he did back when he was a small child. His brother roared at him for taking a piece of human he was going to eat. Jim just thought he left it out because he didn’t want it. Bular NEVER joked about his food. The gnomes scattered as fast as you could blink, leaving Jim alone on the ground. Kanjigar stomped over to Jim with a clear expression of anger on his face  
“hi Kanjigar”  
“where did you go?”  
“here. Where did YOU go?”  
“do not be smart with me. I am in no mood”  
“Toby was-”  
“HEY! don’t bring ME into this!”  
“Toby was taking pictures, then this gnome snatched his swag, so I-” Kanjigar touched Jim all over, moving his head and checking him over  
“did any of them bite you? Or scratch you? I don’t want you catching something”  
“no I’m fine! Worse thing they did was talk to me and tickle me from going through my fur” Kanjigar let out a small sigh of relief through his nose  
“i don’t want you getting ill because I let one of them harm you”  
“relax big guy, they were harmless. Yes yes I know about their hats and their teeth. I’m fine though, besides, they were cute and harmless. They were friendly, one was strangely names Jacob. He said he got that name after an intense battle of checkers with a traveling merchant selling novelty masks. Jacob said the man was smiling and had strange looking masks all over his backpack. Also some creepy purple one with big eyes and spikes all over it. Kinda sounded like this one videogame I know”

Kanjigar looked into Jim’s eyes. So innocent and kind. Loving and pure. Two bright blue eyes filled with laughter and happiness. Life and excitement. Adventure and curiosity. How could something like this possible have any sort of cruelty in it? He LITERALLY just tried to befriend gnomes. He truly was pure. Kanjigar wanted to keep Jim like that. Prevent him from suffering anymore pain than he already has.

 

Jim doesn’t deserve it.

 

He’s so young.

 

He’s so kind.

 

He’s so warm and friendly.

 

He doesn’t deserve any kind of suffering.

 

He’s never harmed a single thing in his life.

 

Truly a loving young half troll. So much to live for. So much life to have.

 

It warmed Kanjigar up so much. Who could possibly hate something like this?

 

If they didn’t see him for a half troll

He would always be beautiful in everyone’s eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How could a father ignore him? Along with his brother?

 

How could someone ever abandon something like this?

 

Jim deserved so much happiness. It hurt Kanjigar so deeply, to know how much pain lurked right under that loving nature. How truly hurt Jim was inside. Deya was right, he wouldn’t ever fully heal.

 

“you okay big guy? Kinda looking at me like you’re worried I’m about to just melt from the heat” Kanjigar gently held Jim close into a loving hug  
“i love you so much Jim. Never forget that”  
“i won’t. Thanks”  
“i mean it. I truly mean it. I will say it as many times as you want. I want to always love you. I will always love you”  
“……..no…..matter what?” Kanjigar pulled off of Jim to look him directly into those blue eyes of his

“no matter what” Jim’s heart had a sudden thump of intense pain. Here it came. Here, the terrible pain of having to decide what life he wants. Jim’s eyes saddened and his breathing started to become a bit unstable  
“what….if I do bad things….”  
“i might be mad, I might punish you, but I will never stop loving you”  
“what if….I’m a freak. A monster. What if I end up hurting everyone”  
“you won’t. You can’t”  
“i can. I will. I…..i don’t know what to do. I shouldn’t be feeling bad. Others have it worse than me. I shouldn’t complain.” Jim’s eyes started to water a bit. His voice cracked when he said that.

“Jim. Others may have worse pain than yours, but that doesn’t mean you no longer have it. If someone has been stabbed and bleeding out, and next to them someone has been stabbed three times and is bleeding out, if they yelled at the first person to stop crying, it doesn’t mean they suddenly will stop bleeding. Your pain is valid just like anyone else. No matter have sever. You still have pain. That won’t go away simply by comparing it to some other pain.

 

Jim. We all walk through life differently. Some will live their entire lives on a dark path, thinking it’s the right one. Some will live with constant regrets. Constant pain. Constant loss and sadness. We all go our own ways. No matter what, we are allowed to choose our own fates. They might be set in stone, but no matter what, you can choose what YOU want. This is your life. No one else can force you to do something. Only you can choose your own life. I want to help you. I want to help teach you. I’ve done mistakes. I’ve taken life and have so many regrets. I have so much pain and loss that still haunts me. I traveled down plenty of paths. Even now, sometimes I wonder what I should be doing. No matter what, I’m here to teach you how to avoid pain, bad bad paths. I can use my wisdom to help you not stumble into mistakes like I have. I can help you live through things. 

 

I will always be here for you. I don’t care if you end up burning half the world. I want to help you do the right thing. I want to always have you know that we all make mistakes, no matter what, I will forgive you. We all do things and must be punished for them, in some way, at some time, but my love is never ending for you. You always have a home here, a place in my heart. Everyone can seek redemption, even at the very last few fleeting moments of their life. As long as you try, as long as you want it, you can have it. Even if you can’t, trying is what matters. Putting everything in those moments you have. If you do something bad, if you truly regret it or feel lost. You can always turn to me to love you, help you overcome what ever is happening”

 

“I…..I’m….afraid…..what if I do bad things…..on purpose…...what if I become a monster like everyone says…..”  
“no one else matters. This is your life. Not theirs. Prove yourself. Not to them, but to yourself. You don’t have to be the center of attention, you don’t have to be some big bright star in the darkest night, you don’t have to become a hero someone else wants you to be. it’s you and what you want to feel. Be your own hero. Become your own inspiration. When you prove to yourself you can do anything, you can truly become a hero. Others will always doubt you, always, especially since you’re a half troll, but you can prove you are far better than they will ever even realize. I can see it in you. You will have a life of pain and struggle. I want to help, I want to help dull that pain, help you with that struggle. I want you to rise for yourself. I know you’re going to do amazing things. Be someone everyone will adore. You can become a true hero. Others will recognize you, praise you, love you. But none of that truly matters. The only thing that matters, is how YOU love yourself. Proud of yourself. Be strong for yourself. Live for yourself. When you do, when you show you are happy being who you are. That’s when you will prove you are far stronger than anyone will ever think of you. You will become a legend. It all starts, with a single moment. After all, a great fire, starts with a simple ember”

 

Jim’s entire body, mind, heart, even his soul felt like it was on pause. As if he heard something so…..difficult to comprehend. His entire being couldn’t tell what emotion he should be feeling. Everything was so intense, he literally couldn’t place it. This kind of moment, his storm of emotions would tear him apart. Now? Now he…..just didn’t know how to feel….

 

“i…….”  
“do you have a goal at all? If not, that’s okay. We all find a purpose in life, if you truly want it, you will get it, if you try your hardest. If you don’t get it. Trying is what matters. It always will. It could be within a few moments. It could near the end of your life. But we all have a goal, even something tiny like tending to a garden or finishing a collection. If you want it, you have it. No size or importance matters. If it’s yours, then it’s yours”  
“i…………...i want to be strong. I want to be powerful. I want everyone to recognize me. That’s what I’ve always wanted. Why I train, why I laugh and play. Why I live. I want to hear everyone tell me how disgusting I am. How weak and pathetic. I want to hear it. It reminds me why I live and grow. So I can show them all how wrong they are. I learned that when I was just a kid. I’ve never forgotten it since. I don’t let it tear me down anymore, or at least I try not to let it. Instead, I try to let it fuel me. Remind me to keep going. Push harder. Go faster. Laugh more” Kanjigar smiled and cupped Jim’s face, gently rubbing it  
“i want to help you with that. I want to help you be the most powerful happy strongest half troll the world will ever know”  
“i………..my…..second….is….i…….i want…..to unite us………..the half trolls………..i…….i want to be like Angus……….i want to be better though……………..i want to be the one that brings us all together. I want everyone to come together. I want everyone to know. my. Name. To know what half trolls are capable of. To know what we can aspire to be. I want everyone to be utterly stunned and silenced by what I become. I want to be the be champion that gives half trolls a true name. Our own history, our own culture and living. No more tagging along. I want us to be us. To be stronger than everyone else. I want to give us hope. I want us to come together and live together and be each others friends and families. Each others…..happiness. I want to lead this life. I want to be the one who brings it all, with an awesome fucking bang of light that skyrockets through the darkness and blinds all the shit talkers. No one will doubt a half troll. No one. Never again. I will silence everyone personally. I will prove just what we are”

 

“i will help you archive that. I am the trollhunter. You are my half troll. You are by my side and aid me, but more importantly. I am by YOUR side. I aid YOU. We are a team. We are together now and forever. You are my pet. I am your master. We work as a team. I might technically be your better. And never forget, I’m the one in charge. But I will always be the one to support you, help you in all your endeavors. I will make sure that Angus is nothing compared to you, to the feats you accomplish. He will always be a hero to not just your kind, to to everyone. You will rise above him. Jim. Your name will be more known than his. You might be the second hero to half trolls, the second hero AS a half troll, but you will unite everyone together. I want to help you accomplish your goal, your dream, your own adventure. In such a short time, you have opened my heart in a way I never thought possible. I have only known you for such a little amount of time, yet I love you, and I love you enough to want to love you forever”

Jim blinked some tears away and chuckled  
“this is…..wow….this day has been nothing but an absolute storm of emotions and feelings. Can I die?”  
“no. no you may not”  
“nice to know” Kanjigar rubbed the side of Jim’s face, Jim purred into the palm, then Kanjigar worked his hand up to petting Jim for a good few tender moments. Then Jim’s eyes opened wide when he was suddenly grabbed by the scruff and lifted up  
“h-hey!?”  
“come on young half troll”  
“what the?!” Kanjigar lifted Jim off the ground and began to walk away with him  
“hey hey! What is this?!”  
“we had our heart to heart. Now it’s time for your punishment”  
“what?! How is that to be punished?! didn’t we just open up and all that junk?! I have NEVER been handled like this!…..at….least since I was a little tiny kid…..but still!”  
“half trolls are grabbed by the scruff. You are mine. You have disobeyed me. You have run off on your own without at least telling me. You have lied to me. And I KNOW that YOU’RE the one who has been eating my snacks”  
“what?! Since when with alll that?! And okay….maybe...i...took a couple of them...BUT THAT WAS LIKE FOREVER AGO!”  
“Still. For the disobeying me, it’s for, well that. you’ve gone against my word, many MANY times, at various times. You’ve run off without telling me many times, ESPECIALLY not that long ago!, and forever ago or not. You do NOT eat my special snacks. You may ask for them first. As for the lying, you and I both know you’ve done it far more than you are supposed to.”  
“okay…...that’s fair…...but name ONE TIME TODAY I disobeyed you! I always listen! I bet you can’t name one”

 

“you’ve lost said bet. Earlier today, I told you not to speak a certain way at a certain time. You interrupted me constantly. You acted out in front of the tribunal, myself, Toby, and my son. Earlier when I were to accompany the tribunal at the heartstone, You ran off out of no where, leaving your human by my side and the tribunal confused without at least telling me a single TRUTHFUL answer. If you have to go potty, simply say so”  
“i didn’t have ‘to go potty’ I just….needed fresh air”  
“another thing I need to train you for. Knowing how to act and when to act it. I let you off the hook and run around wild far too often. Now you’ve become a wild half troll and you need to be trained. I love how energetic you are, but you need to learn to control yourself when you’re supposed to. Vendel already is stressed enough, I don’t need you running around making him look bad. As well as myself. Your actions are a reflection of my own. I own you, you are mine. The way you behave shows the way I allow you to, which isn’t a bad thing, but when you are too rowdy and loud and swear and speak ‘private matters of the loins’ out loud to improper company, it makes it look like I can’t control you which make me look like I’m a terrible influence. So, In summery, you’ve been a naughty half troll who needs to be punished.”

 

Jim crosses his arms and scrunches up his face. He tries to wiggle free, but Kanjigars grip is too strong. Jim is also at a strange angle, making it difficult to struggle and wiggle. So he eventually gave up.  
“well. How fun. Getting carried by the scruff like a cat through trollmarket like some prize winning turnip. I hate how everyone is seeing this.”  
“hardly anyone’s looking young man. You brought this onto yourself. I try to let you express yourself in a positive atmosphere, now I’m going to officially start training you. Bad half troll. Bad half troll.”  
“gee. Get a spray bottle then.”  
“hm...i might”  
“i was kidding!”  
“i could hook one to a belt. I think I will try to find one later.”  
“ugh!…..where are we even going?”  
“to your special spot”  
“...my...what?”  
“you will see”

 

It not much further until they come to a small empty long cave. Jim is heavily and loudly sighing, really being over dramatic about it. As they walk through it, the sounds of trollmarket became far more faint, the scents and sights fading away until it was now a decently large sized chamber with a few large stone slaps, some glowing crystals here and there giving off a soft blue and purple glow, and a couple small trickling water streams, no bigger than a water fountains stream, coming through some cracks in the wall, collecting together and spilling out and forming small pools of water. Everything was…...calm….quiet….clean in a way. Kanjigar gently put Jim on a slab covered in some pelts and some blankets  
“there. All better”  
“uh….okay”  
“take a nice look around. This from now on is your special place”  
“...okay…..”  
“this is your special place. You will be here when you need to calm down, unwind, find a nice time to relax when you’re feeling overwhelmed. More than enough signs to say I’ve claimed this as my own and no one is to trespass. This will be your own small sanctuary. You will make this place a nice comfortable relaxing little spot. This is your special place”  
“okay...uh….thanks...it’s….really nice in here actually. I do...feel calmer. All the noise and scents and movement and stuff is….gone. It does feel like some pressure is taken off of me”  
“Good. I’m glad. Now get cozy. This is your special place, when you misbehave, you will be brought here”  
“Wait...this….is...a time out corner!?”  
“yes. If you wish to view it as so. I will bring you here and check up on you. You are to stay in your special place until I say so. When you have been bad, misbehave, speak inappropriately at the wrong time. I will send you here. Sometimes you will walk yourself here. When you do, know that I WILL be checking on you frequently. No funny business.”  
“okay. I pro-”  
“if you ARE going to promise. You KEEP IT. No excuses. No reasons as to why you’ve broken it. You stay when I tell you to. You come here when I tell you to. You leave when I tell you to”  
“wait so...is...this place….a punishment?”  
“partially yes. But you are allowed to come here if you ever need a nice breathing and relaxing break from all of the noise and hustle and bustle of trollmarket. This is your special place. You are to always feel comfortable in here. I don’t want you to feel like you have to suffer in here. This is to be a comfortable zone you go to, if either as a punishment or out of free personal will”

 

“good to know” Jim tried to stand up, only to be pushed gently back down into sitting  
“no. stay. Stay.”  
“what? b-”  
“no buts. You stay.”  
“okayyy fine!…..how long am I on ‘timeout’ for?”  
“that will be a surprise. I will come back later to check on you. You will think happy thoughts and think of allll the things you’re In here for. You WILL be punished in other ways, other ways you will not enjoy I can assure it. This is the first time I’m punishing you, so I’m making it light. Because I’m a good master like that”  
“sooo what’s going to stop me from just….leaving when you’re gone?”  
“if you do. Then I will put you back here, and add more time”  
“okay….what if I have to go home?”  
“then you will tell me and you will continue your punishment at another time. I will be counting every second and record it so it’s never forgotten”  
“Awwww. Okay, I learned my lesson. I promise I won’t act out again” Jim got up and walked off the stone tablet past Kanjigar. Only to be grabbed by the scruff and gently placed back onto the slab  
“stay.”  
“bu-”  
“stay.”  
“ookay well what if I have to ‘go potty’?”  
“you go in the corner”  
“WHAT!?”  
“I’m kidding. There is a bathroom nearby, it’s almost always empty so no need to worry about it being busy. You will be allowed to leave when I come to tell you. Your time out starts right now. I will return later”  
“but iiimmmm huuungnggrrryyyy! And horny!”  
“you may pleasure yourself in here while I’m gone”  
“i want Draal!”  
“no. he is a privilege. If you wish to ‘ride a bull, mechanical of course’ then you need to earn it-DON’T reply with a perverse answer. You know what I mean.”  
“okay, what If we’re actual mates? Then what?”  
“then he will understand”  
“WHAT?! Sooo I couldn’t even be with my husband!?”  
“correct”  
“okay. What about Toby? OH FUCK WHERE IS HE?!” Jim frantically shot up and started to look  
“relax. He is safe. I told him to go wait by a specific spot”  
“Wait when?”  
“when you were struggling and not paying attention. When we passed by the vendor that was selling old lamps”  
“oh yeah….that girls really weird”  
“….yes she is but that’s not the point”

 

“okay. So we should go look fo-”  
“no. stay. I will. I am. And you are staying until I return”  
“fiiinee”  
“our human is a privilege. I will take him away. I understand he is a very important person to your health, and you will have him when you need him”  
“like right now!”  
“i will not tell you how you should feel. If you are or are not feeling ill. So I will trust you out of the love I have for you that you will not lie and abuse your excuse.”  
“…..okay I don’t need him right now…..fiiiinneee your half troll will sit and be a good boy in his timeout time”  
“good.” Kanjigar turned around and Jim pulled out his phone, only to be grabbed by Kanjigar  
“hey!!!”  
“privilege. You will have this returned later.”  
“uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh fine!”  
“if you need more blankets and pillows, then I will get them for you. I want you to build a nice nest you feel comfortable in”  
“okay, what if I want to bring Draal here and help me get very~ comfortable~”  
“no. you may pleasure yourself as your needs see fit. But you are not to bring my son here to breed. This is your relaxing zone, not a breeding one. Draal will understand that as well. I will see to it”

 

“alright. Alright fiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeee. Your Jim will be a good boy” Kanjigar pat him on the head sweetly  
“good. I will return later. If you truly hunger, I put some food over there for you. If you need water, those are clean and fresh pools. Plenty to keep you nice and hydrated. Now you start your timeout”

 

“when exactly did you set all this up?”  
“earlier before I returned to our home”

 

Our.

 

Hearing that word made Jim….hurt. He really had….a family here. A home. A loving warm home. He knew it, he just…..felt strange hearing it out loud.

 

Kanigar noticed the sudden change of emotion Jim was having yet again. He wanted to help stop it. Kanjigar went back and gently pet Jim and rubbed his head  
“stay. I will return later. Your time out is now” Kanjigar said with a smile. Jim looked up at him and smiled too  
“oookay fine!”

 

…………………………………………………………………..

 

Jim laid stretched out on his flat rock/bed whatever. He was more than bored. He splashed a bit in the small pool of water, only as deep as just barely going a little bit above the wrist. He looked at the crystals and dug some out, tossing them around and pretending they were glow sticks. He dug his claws into the stone to lightly scrape it. D + J. he felt slightly stupid writing that. He made sure to write it to where it simply looks like he was saying DJ. He could use the excuse that he was being a good DJ at some rave, hence the crystals. He ate all the snacks, filling up his hunger for a bit at least. He yawned and stretched out. He COULD go for a nap…..not like he could do much else...plus getting a nice little emotional reboot would be nice….his emotions have gone up and down and everywhere really. He really, really needed a break. Maybe Kanjigar putting him on a timeout was for the best. Jim yawned and stretched one more time before curling up and slowly drifting off to sleep. He didn’t feel like ‘pleasuring himself’, it would be a waste of time. It would barely help, it wouldn’t really aid him in his condition, he didn’t have any toys to play with to make it better, he also wanted to wait for Draal. Now, it was his mission to fuck Draal. He somewhat joked about it before, then was thinking about it. Now, now it has become a true mission. When he finally spends some time with the alpha, everything would be worth the trouble….

…………………………………………………………………

Kanjigar came back into the cave about an hour later. He didn’t want Jim to spend too much time alone with himself. Kanjigar knew well enough that the mind would wonder into it’s thoughts and emotions. Jim didn’t need that. Jim would be back in that storm of emotions. Kanjigar wanted to prevent it as much as he could, or at least easy Jim out of it. Pain and problems should never be ignored, or else they simply grow worse. That didn’t mean dealing with everything at once though. Jim’s faced too much of it already for a single day. He needed a break. Another reason to take him away from everything and everyone, give him a little bit of quiet time.

He smiled as he slowly came to the sight of Jim, curled up sleeping peacefully. How did something get even more innocent as it already was? Kanjigar quietly went over to Jim, putting a blanket over him and then setting his phone down nearby. When Jim woke up, he would be finished with his time…

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Jim stretched and yawned as he woke up. He licked his lips and rubbed his face. He turned over and looked around, suddenly remembering what the day has been like. He noticed his phone near him and reached for it. Kanjigar must have come put it back. Jim assumed this was his ‘your time is up’ signal. And if not...he could just use it as an excuse. The excuse master he was! Jim looked at his phone, Hardly 3pm on the surface. So much in so few hours. Jim felt energized and healthier. That nap really did help out. Jim got up, stretched, yawned, more rubbing and got up and left. Time to go talk to his master…


	37. the ghost zone! pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> how much can one go through before breaking?
> 
> shit talkin jellyfish calling you a lil bitch would ruin anyone's day
> 
> TOBY STOP CALLING HIM OUT LIKE THAT! SO YOU GONNA DO HIM DIRTY LIKE THAT HUH?!
> 
> it isn't a paradise, it's hell. at least a hell for Jim. does he deserve to be there?
> 
> Jim is NOT going to be a breeding factory!
> 
> Jim ISN'T a gumm-gumm! he swears! Kanjigar believes him! right Kanjigar?........Kanjigar....
> 
> once again, Jim's said too much. and once again everything becomes an emotional hell. Jim can't catch a break!
> 
> TFW your best friend is giving your potential mate dating advice.
> 
> also K-pop? really Jim?
> 
> you know what they say. it's all over. but the crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> like just a super stupid thought. draal and jim having like the 'family' scene. the dumb thing of draal coming to some regular house they live in holding flowers. hes invited inside by jim who kisses him and takes the flowers upstairs to his room. meanwhile gunmar calls Draal into the living room giving him 'the talk'  
> "so. you and my son"  
> "yes sir"  
> "what are your intentions exactly?"  
> "nothing bad, only to love and make him happy" gunmar pulls a gun off the wall and cocks it, looking it over  
> "do you know what its like to kill a man in cold blood? i dont know what id do if my little jim got hurt in any way" Draal just smiles  
> awkwardly. then Gunmar hands him a glass  
> "here. take a drink with me"  
> "oh i-"  
> "rude to refuse a gift. especially in my home."  
> "y-yes sir" Gunmar smiles as they both drink. Draal gags on it  
> "whats wrong?"  
> "that...tastes...uh...unique"  
> "it's an acquired taste." Jim comes back down and smiles, only to see Draal nervous and his dad doing 'the talk'  
> "dad. stop. alright Draal, let's go, we'll be back later"  
> "have fun boys" Jim walks out the door, Draal gets up and is about to walk out it, only to stop when Gunmar calls to him quietly  
> "it will work through your system within 5 hours. bring him back before then and you'll get the antidote. you'll live to see the next morning"  
> "wait WAIT WHAT?!"  
> later on they come home. Draal is invited in by Gunmar for a quick talk  
> "good. he's back and happy. you've done good. here. have a little nightcap, i promise, it's not alcoholic" Gunmar slides him a drink. Draal takes it and reluctantly drinks it  
> "haha, that was the antidote right? or however the joke would go....ha...ha" Gunmars just looking at him and smiling evily  
> "yes. just as the joke would go. upstairs Jim's about to walk down the bedroom hall, only for Bular to stand in the way  
> "him? really?"  
> "yes now move your grumpy ass"  
> then some other scene, idk when, just go with it.  
> Draal is in some room about to leave it, when Bular comes in and kicks the door shut with his foot behind him. he stands in front of it and crosses his arms  
> "so. you and my brother. hm."  
> "hello Bular, yes, yes with me. you're father gave me the shovel talk. and an antidote...or...made that joke...does...he always make that joke?"  
> "he has never spoken a joke in his life. guess he's had all the fun then." bular opens the door and moves out of the way  
> "leave." Draal is going but the moment he passes Bular, Bular says  
> "i better not find any kind of pregnancy test in this house. or there will be hell to pay"
> 
> ALRIGHT DUMB JOKE OVER!
> 
> thats all for now, enjoy the chapter!

Jim asked and looked around for any signs. He got few responses or even attention, but the few that did told him that Kanjigar was over there, then over here, then back over there, apparently going around helping out since he was put on timeout. Finally the last troll told Jim she saw Kanjigar go towards the forge, so off Jim went!

 

And went he did!

 

He took the long way around, takes much longer and much more foot traffic, but at least he doesn’t need to cross that bridge! If you could call it that….he still didn’t like it. He was used to the darklands, but at least everyone made sure to check them if they were stable and safe frequently. When the hell was the last time anyone ACTUALLY checked the bridge?!

 

There he was! His loving master, back turned to him and walking towards the center, near some totem Jim couldn’t remember what it was called.  
“hey! Big guy! I wanted to talk real fast before you began your training” Jim ran up behind him and grabbed his arm right as Kanjigar put his other hand into the totem

 

ZAP!!!

 

Jim yelped and grabbed his arm and shook it around. His entire body brightly flashed golden red and felt like he just was tossed into lava. He felt some strange aftershock wave ride through his bloodstream like it was the blood itself.

“Jim?!” Kanjigar said in shock. Jim opened his eyes and turned to him  
“hey, ow! Did you just feel that?! The fuck...was……...th...a.t...” Jim’s eyes opened more and he quietly said  
‘whoa’ under his breath. He was in the void.  
“uh…..who turned on some star projector machine thingy?”  
“Jim….w...what are you doing here?!”  
“oh, uh well I finished my nap, saw my phone. Thought ‘oh this must mean my time out is over’ so I walked around and asked, man sooo many trolls just HATE me. No surprise why. Anyways I finally got lead alll around trollmarket and FINALLY was led here. I wanted to talk to you real fast before you begun your training. I reached out to get your attention and then BOOM! This MASSIVE PAIN coursed through me! It was like...electricity but like lava too. Suuuper weird”  
“Jim...you...you shouldn’t be here”  
“why not? I watch you train all the time”  
“no..i...i mean you SHOULDN’T BE HERE! No one-”  
“whooaaa” Jim stopped paying attention as blue orbs started to float around  
“ohh pretty. Kinda like a jellyfish blob orb thingy” Jim reached out to touch one  
“DON’T LAY A FILTHY FINGER ON ME HALF TROLL”  
“AH IT TALKED! SENTIENT JELLYFISH! I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN ONE DAY! Well I assumed the octopus would have become sentient first with their weird super smart...brain stuff, BUT THEN JELLYFISH!”

 

Various ‘jellyfish’ started to speak out  
“leave this place!”  
“it doesn’t belong here!”  
“how did it get here? Shoo!”  
“he’s stupid make him leave!”  
“hes so young” Jim jumped when he suddenly had Kanjigar’s hand on his shoulder  
“Jim, you need to leave this place! It isn’t safe here”  
“okay, what’s going on? The train-”  
“this is not the heroes forge. Not entirely”  
“whats with the jellyfish?”

 

“he mocks us!”  
“he is weak!”  
“vermin!”  
“his shirt looks strange”

 

“Jim those are the trollhunters spirits of the past”  
“AH, POLTERTROLLS! Wait no TROLLTERGEISTS! Yeah that sounds cooler”

 

“He’s an idiot”  
“whats a poltertroll?”  
“leave this place!”  
“no you leave this place!”  
“i wasn’t talking to YOU I was talking to the half troll!”  
“oh….i knew that”  
“how does it tread here? it’s feet sully the ground!”  
“it’s a him clearly! he’s a male!”  
“that doesn’t matter!”

 

Jim backed up into Kanjigar who spoke to him calmly, trying to soothe his nerves  
“this is the void. This is the resting place of the trollhunters of the past”  
“wait like….the afterlife?”  
“yes”  
“wait….I’M DEAD?! FUUCCCKKKKK!  
“Jim”  
“I CAN’T BE DEAD! I CAN’T BE DEAD! I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO! I HAVEN’T MARRIED DRAAL I HAVEN’T HAD A KID YET I HAVEN’T SPENT THAT MUCH TIME WITH MY DAD AND BROTHER! THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW MY FAVORITE COLOR! IT’S PURPLE! PURPLE! OH GOD WHAT ABOUT TOBY?! IF I DIE WHO’S GOING TO PROTECT AND LOVE HIM?! WHO’S HE GONNA BE BEST FRIENDS WITH!? CLAIRE?! HE’S AWKWARD ENOUGH AROUND GIRLS!”  
“Jim lis-”  
“I NEVER EVEN GOT TO HAVE SEX ONE LAST TIME! HO-” Kanjigar covered his mouth and hushed him  
“You aren’t dead. Relax…...married Draal?” Kanjigar smiled looking into Jim’s eyes. Jim gently moved his hand away from his mouth  
“no..i uh...said….you misheard me”  
“no, I heard you nice and clearly”  
“n-no! I said….murder Draal...YEAH! I’M GONNA MURDER HIM! I just need to find a sword and get him when he isn’t looking!”

 

“he speaks of marriage? And then murder?”  
“i find it adorable he thinks he will be mates with Kanjigars child”  
“a troll shouldn’t be with a half troll!”  
“i think they would be cute together”  
“you all forget how did it even enter here!?”  
“him”  
“how did he ever enter here?! There. You happy?”  
“yes”

 

Kanjigar turned Jim around and looked him over, moving his head a bit to check him for any changes  
“yes Jim, how did you come here? Strange. No one but the trollhunters may enter here. hm. You say you felt a large pain ravaging your entire body? hm. I have no idea what that means”

 

“none of us do!”  
“take it out of here!”  
“i haven’t seen one in so long. I forgot they had those cute little claws”  
“his little nails too”  
“stop looking at him like that! He doesn’t belong here!”  
“i agree!”

 

Behind Jim Deya manifested  
“hello little one” Jim turned around and gasped  
“no need to be alarmed. My, look at you”  
“yeah...look...at me…..” Jim slowly reached out and poked Deya  
“whooaaa I can touch you! Oh! Wait hold on a sec!” Jim dug into his pocket for his phone and took some pictures. He looked at them and frowned  
“aww. Huh, guess ghosts really don’t show up on cameras. Or is that vampires? Well at least ghost trolls don’t show up on camera”  
“my. aren’t you a cute one” Deya came closer and bent down a little to look him over with a big smile  
“uh, thanks, ghost trollhunter heroine. Not the drug kind that people shoot up their arm to get a major high, but the lady hero kind”  
“you are silly”  
“thanks”  
“may I touch you?”  
“uh...s...sure?” Deya reached out and started to pet him, Jim purred and loved it. Deya giggled  
“just like my Angus”  
“Wait...you’re Deya? The….diver….no wait don’t tell me….despot!...no...deranged...no...uh...dagur?”  
“i am no viking. it’s Deya the deliverer”  
“i knew it had a D! Ohhhh that’s nice~” Jim purred and his eyes flickered and she got to the sweet spots  
“my Angus had the same exact reactions. Hmm...i wonder if you have the same spot...”  
“ahhhh!~” Jim purred loudly as she gently scratched slightly in the back between his ear and his horn. She giggled some more and watched happily  
“you are so young. You’re so beautiful, never forget that”  
“t-thanks~”

 

“is Kanjigar taking good care of you?”  
“yes~”  
“I’m happy that you somehow stumbled into our little void. I get to see you up close. We hardly know who you are! Kanjigar said you got anxious when others watched you without permission. So we promised not to spy. Although I must admit, I did watch your trial, along with most of the others. Such a cute clever thing you are”  
“thanks~”  
“Gatto got what was coming to him. I’m happy you can defend yourself. Hardly any of your kind gets the kind of love and attention they deserve”  
“thanks~…..oh wait, if you’re here...is...Angus here?” Deya sighed and frowned  
“no. I’m sorry little Jim, he isn’t. Only the trollhunters rest here. I truly wish you could have met him. You both are a lot alike. Do you have sticky fingers too? That itch to take something that may or may not be in the possession of another as my Angus would put”  
“nah, I don’t steal I usually just get it or earn or whatever”  
“you are just too adorable. I wish you could have play dates with Angus, that would be wonderful for the both of you. Aww someones lonely, he wants the companionship of an alpha, don’t you little fella? Want to have a loving touch to soothe that ache of yours”

 

Deya giggled more and smiled warmly as Jim’s purrs grew louder along with his eyes fluttering in pleasure. Deya really did know the sweet spots  
“I’m going to have to teach Kanjigar how to do this”  
“yyeeessss~” some spirits angrily swarmed around the three of them, taking turns talking

“leave the half troll alone”  
“it shouldn’t even be here!”  
“technically since only trollhunters make step foot in this realm”  
“i meant it doesn’t belong here BECAUSE he’s a half troll! Yes that too I guess”  
“he is unwelcome here!”  
“his presence mocks trollkind!”  
“abomination!”  
“it should be leashed and muzzled!”  
“did Kanjigar even fill out the proper paperwork to own him?”  
“they don’t do that anymore, at least not here idiot!”  
“well excuse me! I’m just making sure he’s legally owned! Why should Kanjigar become legally in trouble?”  
“he IS the law!”  
“half breed!”  
“human whores have sullied the lions of trolls!”  
“it’s loins not lions!”  
“what’s a lion?”  
“you shut up over there! No one’s talking to you!”  
“why do you guys always have to pick on him?”

 

Jim started to giggle  
“nice gallery. And they said this place wasn’t funny, truly a…..dead...audience”  
“booooo”  
“you suck!”  
“ohh haha I get it!..wait…..no I don’t...”  
“his species should have gone extinct!”  
“he’s so young, is he even cave broken?”  
“he looks too human”  
“they all are more human than troll idiot”  
“no one was talking to you!”  
“why do you guys have to be so mean to me? I meant he looks more human in...uh….hmm….what’s the word?”  
“appearance”  
“right apples!”  
“he is unworthy to belong to Kanjigar!”  
“he should have chosen another!”  
“this half troll is too sexually vocal! Neuter it!”

 

Deya started to swat them all away  
“bah! All of YOU shoo! Do not mock Kanjigar’s choice AND Jim”  
“it doesn’t deserve a name!”  
“i miss mine, it had a pretty name….what was it?”  
“sparkles”  
“i miss sparkles. She had the prettiest fur, you know, before she got decapitated. Oh well, at least it wasn’t me”  
“she served her purpose”  
“Silence all of you! Jim is a living breathing creature with his own emotions!”  
“you are foolish Deya! Half trolls are naturally lesser than us!”  
“she’s just bitter and over dramatic because her little thief died in battle”

 

Kanjigar yelled out  
“ENOUGH” everyone became silent afterwards  
“Jim is a half troll. He is mine. Yes he is cave broken. No I will not neuter him. He can make his own choices. He is not my equal, but ONLY in that I am his master and he is my pet. If he were a full troll or even human I wouldn’t see him any different in your beliefs of superiority. He is young and learning. He is in heat and yes his actions are rash and childish but he can behave far better than he has today. I’ve already begun training him. Now all of you settle down! Please. I did not come here to listen to you all mock MY half troll. You mock him, you mock me as he is MY choice! I have already claimed him as mine now and for all of time, his neck is proof!”

 

my

 

that word rattled around in Jim’s head.  
‘MY choice. My half troll’

 

 

Another thing that sounded strange hearing it confirmed out loud. Kanjigar loved him. Enough to trust him. Love him unconditionally, love him and asking nothing in return. Not demanding loyalty, or actions, or obedience. He was free to Kanjigar. Free to live however he wanted to, well within the lines of fairness and his boundaries, but still. True, his father was accepting his life and trying to be involved with it…..

 

Jim’s heart thumped hard with more pain.

 

This day was emotional hell.

 

Jim’s mind focused to the preset as he felt the loving gentle pets or not Deya, but Kanjigar. It was gentle, slow, soothing ones. The kinds Kanjigar gave when Jim was in distress, emotionally vulnerable and upset. It was the kind of physical touch that was a clear signal of love and comfort. It was a clear sign of Kanjigar sticking up for him, wanting to keep Jim calm and relaxed. Tell him he was okay without being verbal about it. Kanjigar gently pulled Jim in front of him, looking him in the eyes

 

“Jim. I love you. Never forget. I will remind you until the end of time. Ignore them. You don’t need any more voices filling your head with doubts. How you are here with us, I have no idea and do want to find out, but what’s important to me is your well being. Are you hurt in any way? You said you felt pain, are you still feeling it?”  
“thanks for everything. No I don’t feel any pain or discomfort even. I’m totally fine”  
“good. I’m glad to hear it. Now how in the world did you come with me? Only the trollhunters are-well you’ve heard that plenty of times now”  
“well, beats me. You know as much as I do. Ohhh HAHA! This place is for dead people! I’m dead inside! Maybe that’s why!” Kanjigar frowned and pet Jim more  
“Jim, joking about your mental and emotional health isn’t good. I understand this is….hmm….a way to cope with your issues. I think humans call it ‘umbrella’ but I am unsure. I don’t know much about human thinking, but I want to understand. If you ever need anything, anytime, anyplace, you may pull me aside and ask. We may do it privately if you need it. Never feel like it’s a waste of time or something to be ashamed of. Never feel as if it is unworthy of anyone’s time. If you feel uncomfortable, tell me, even if you think it might not be reasonable”

 

“i…..I’ll remember that….thanks big guy….i promise not to joke about me being dead inside and stuff anymore” Kanjigar warmed up and smiled as he saw Jim’s expression turned back into a relaxed happiness. Not something hes pretending to be to hide inner conflict, but an actual relaxed happiness  
“well, no one’s ever touched a trollhunter coming in right? Maybe that’s why?”  
“Hmm….others have had physical contact before”  
“maybe its cause I’m your half troll, has any other half troll tired coming here with their masters?”  
“hmmmm….no, no one has ever tried that”  
“hey, maybe that’s the answer, we’re linked and all that” Kanjigar chuckled and rubbed Jim’s head  
“perhaps. Well, no matter what, we can figure that out later. For now, in the present time, you are here. Nothing we can do right now. If you came in with me, you can come out with me. At least that would make the most logical sense”  
“magic and logic don’t typically see eye to eye though haha!”  
“that is true. Now, I come here to seek council and training. Why don’t you go wait over in a corner or something, I just don’t want you getting hurt by accident”

 

The spirits flared up in agitation once more  
“he cannot stay here!”  
“he cannot learn anything of the trollhunters!”  
“our secrets must be kept to our own kind!”  
“yeah! No half trolls!”  
“i actually meant trollhunters. No trolls”  
“whatever! it’s both!”  
“he is Kanjigars half troll, he is bound to find out about what his master knows, all our pets do eventually”  
“that’s true. They need to know information at times so they may serve better”  
“besides, half trolls swear never to speak any secrets at any time. Mine didn’t”  
“that’s because you cut out her tongue”  
“i wanted to make sure! Plus her voice irritated me! And when she was cold she wouldn’t stop complaining about becoming possibly ill!”  
“fine. It may stay.”  
“who gave YOU the right to decide?”  
“idiots! Have you not paid any attention? He can’t leave unless Kanjigar does”  
“then have him take his pet out, then come back in!”  
“waste of time. Just have his pet sit in a corner and wait. Not like it can do much anyways. Making sure it stays out of the way seems to be the only option. That or killing it”  
“i am NOT going to kill Jim”  
“see? He sees little reason”  
“idiot! If he kills his pet, where’s he going to get a new one? We ALL get one eventually!”  
“then he’ll get another one”  
“we’ve ALL only have ever had ONE”  
“it’s a dumb rule”  
“it’s not a rule! they’re far too rare and valuable to just kill for pleasure! they’re far too useful alive!”  
“you and your thoughts are dumb. you’re dumb”  
“unlike YOU I can actually think!”  
“not everything can be ones and zeros! Not everything can fit into perfect place and be weighted by logic!”  
“logic is order! It is what we all must do!”  
“i think you’re allll forgetting the most important part!”  
“what?”  
“we can’t let him soil anything here!”  
“he isn’t going to soil anything!….right?”

 

“uh hey guys...no..I’m not going to go to the bathroom here. I don’t need to.”  
“see? He IS cave broken”  
“fine, onto the next important thing, he’s trying to breed! He wishes to reproduce!”  
“disgusting!”  
“Foul!”  
“his child will be worth a fortune! Kanjigar will become rich! Especially if he finds the right bidder!”  
“who’s going to want to buy a half troll?”  
“so many! None of you even realized how many offers I had to choose from! Land! Homes! Wealth and riches! Women to lay with! Ships! Entire trade prices! The sky is the limit! They are rare and never in stock! Throw a few informative messages around and bidders from everywhere will come to purchase the whelp! There are those who wish to own them! Collect them even! I once met a troll who was! He owned 4 of them! He planned on making a breeding ranch! He was going to make more wealth than any other! Last I heard he had nearly 10 in his possession! He was one of the wealthiest trolls in that entire society! Kanjigar! Make a deal with him! I know where his breeding ranch is! Your pet hasn’t been impregnated yet! he’s young too! he’s worth a fortune! You need to truly see it for yourself! Plus, he can be with his own kind! No more being lonely! he’ll be well taken care of!”  
“he’ll be bred and sold. He isn’t a factory.”  
“but he can be! Every child be births is worth that much more! you’ve lucked out more than you realize! he’s an omega! He can potentially breed endlessly for you! You literally have an infinite wealth source right there! They’re only pregnant roughly 9 months, meaning each year of his life can generate more wealth than entire trade market! Keep him alive and healthy for the next few centuries and you’ll never have to worry about expenses ever again! You could buy entire lands and even build your own city! Depending on how much you make and what investments you make, plus proper payments and future planning and proper maintenance, you could have a large city!”

 

“Gallz the greedy. I will NOT have Jim be a breeding factory.”  
“you’re more foolish than Deya! How could you let an endless income source go to waste like that! that’s like letting a fresh spring water source dry out in a desert! So many will come from all over to take even the smallest drink! He could mother so many!”  
“endless pregnancy and forced reproduction is NOT a way to live”  
“don’t look at it like that! Look at it as helping to grow his species’s population! The income he’ll generate! If anything he’s being selfish for not letting you have him lay with others! Rich soil to grow endless fruit to a starving world! If I were alive and owned him I would have already planned out the next couple centuries of breeding! Who will get their turn, how much they’re willing to pay to go first, how much each whelp will be, It hurts just thinking about the amount you can make and NOT making it! What of it half troll? don’t you want to mother many? Keep your kind loving trollhunter in the greatest of luxuries? you’d have more than enough bulls to lay with! If it were me, I would even share some of the fortune with you! Some of it. you’d get the comfort of so many! So many who wish to stud with you! You could taste what the entire world has to offer! You could bed with entire legions of bulls! wouldn’t you like that? Plus all the whelps you make! You could be a loving mother to so many! Imagine that!”

“wait wait wait whatever your name is. If I’M doing all the work, what the hell do you mean I only get SOME of it?! I don’t see YOU being the one on a constant never ending fuck session!...that…...does kinda sound nice…...endless line of bulls wanting to be with me...”  
“see! You would love alll that attention! I would even make sure that they are kind to you! If my property gets bruised and broken, then how am I to use it? I’ll even let you choose how many bulls you want at once!”  
“hmm….and wealth?”  
“I will go 95/5 with you”  
“95 for me 5 for you”  
“never!”  
“WAIT WHAT THE FUCK WAS YOUR OFFER BEFORE THEN?!”  
“0.5, more than enough for you”  
“50/50”  
“60/40, 60 for me obviously”  
“no! 49/51”  
“48/52”  
“49 or I walk”  
“fine! What would a half troll do with all of that wealth anyways? Alright! Now someone grab me a pen! I’ll start writing down the information and-”

 

Kanjigar smacked his head and growled out with immense irritation  
“you DO realize you can’t even use wealth. Not only that, but Jim can NOT be a breeding factory! He isn’t some mill to constantly create whelps!”  
“my spirit can rest within my statue. Once it’s moved into my soon to be fortress of wealth! Now then, we simply must first choose a tribe for him to breed with. I hear Kruberas dig plenty of ore and gemstones daily! Usurna would mos likely agree to have some of her finest warriors to have whelps of their own! Growing perfect soldiers!”

“NO! I AM NOT SELLING JIM’S BODY LIKE THAT”  
“sorry ghost, but I was kinda just going along with it for jokes. Also if you you’re about to complain about me not doing what I should be doing, I can only have a single kid. My bodies not strong enough to handle more than one. And even that….point is, one shot, one chance. I’m going to make it count”  
“by breeding with Draal”  
“right, exactly, breeding wi-” Jim stopped and felt like blushing and suddenly he wished he was a ghost and suddenly vanish into thin air. Jim started to just walk away and change the subject to ANYTHING. First thing? Not the best topic….especially to the ones he was currently around….

“haha! I didn’t say-ANYWAYS uh, yeah so besides gumm-gumms can’t breed in the first place! it’s like illegal or something! And everyone knows I’m a gumm-gumm! Haha!” The spirits swarmed angrily, like an agitated beehive on alert  
“what does he speak of?!”  
“filth!”  
“morons! If he even was one, he couldn’t be here in the first place.”  
“he admitted it!”  
“he DID come in anyways! who’s to save he doesn’t have some sort of magic!?”  
“no magic is able to strong enough to go beyond the veil of life and death! Plus look at him, hes dumb and weak”  
“and stupid”  
“And cute. Look at his little fangs”  
“do not compliment the abomination!”  
“he is! Admit it! I never said he was good, only that he was cute”

Kanjigar swat some ghosts away  
“ENOUGH! He is NOT a gumm-gumm! Jim, please do not joke about those kinds of things any longer. Why even joke about that sort of thing?”  
“well Gatto duhhhh. Oh wait, you weren’t there. Okay so, long story short. He called me a gumm-gumm. I said no and he should fuck off. Everyone had my back though. Well at least Vendel and Usurna did, not sure about the other two tribunal members though”  
“why would he call you that? And when did you speak to them?”  
remember? I told you I just ran from the heartstone earlier to thank them, they were in a meeting, I came in, may or may not have used the excuse that I was their on trollhunter business….by saying I’m taking your place for the moment while you did something else…..anyways I started to hum my tune” Jim started to hum, within not even 5 seconds the spirits swarmed  
“he IS a gumm-gumm!”  
“kill him!”

“heyyy! Listen to me finish! Judgment troll council people troll whatever. So my mom would hum it to me when she was pregnant. She had a music box that sang the tune. My mother got the music box from some guy who was moving and needed to dump a bunch of his stuff. She liked it and bought it. Where did the guy get it from? I don’t know, probably from someone else who got it from-well you get what I mean. Humans trade goods as much as they breathe. No one in my family knew it even WAS a gumm-gumm hum. They just liked the sound and there. My answer.”  
“i highly doubt it!”  
“makes sense”  
“don’t say that!”  
“it does! You know humans always find things in the strangest of places! They do trade constantly! It passes from one hand to the next far faster than anyone can even blink”  
“plus they were all banished.”  
“and he would have no way of entering trollmarket in the first place.”

“Seeeeee! I’m innocent. But I will stop joking about how my father is Gunmar and my brother is Bular-”  
“he speaks the banes names!”  
“shut his mouth! Nail it together so he can never speak again!”  
“how does HE know about THEM!?”

“cool it ghosts! Like what I told everyone else. This is MY history TOO. I have a RIGHT to no about these sorts of things. My dad’s super paranoid so he made sure we all, his entire kingdom even with his tiny it is, know so no one will repeat the same mistakes. Plus I always had this friend who joked about stuff with me like that” Kanjigar had the sudden realization. Betrayer did say they whispered into Jim’s head, try to control him, convince him of things….

“Jim. Who was this friend?” Jim knew exactly what he meant. He wanted to set this all up eventually, now it looks like the time finally came! Jim feigned innocence and shrugged  
“some troll, she was nice, name was lia. One night she just up and left. No idea where she went. I liked her, she was always with me through my whole life. Eh sorta, she didn’t like being near the guards too often though. She said she was nervous around them, was anxious she would somehow be in the wrong place and the wrong time, getting blamed for something she didn’t due. I understood that feeling. Anyways every now and then she would spend time with me, make jokes about stuff like that. Well like I said, not long ago she just up and left. Without a trace or a word. Eh no biggie. I do wonder what happened to her though”

Kanjigar sighed through his nose, a sigh of relief that the influence jim was being exposed to was finally out of his life for good.

“ohhhhh might not be a good thing to joke about anyways cause all of you died...from...eh...erm...uhh….fighting and….with the both of them and more….well this is awkward”  
“banish him!”  
“get rid of him!”  
“he mocks us!”

“enough! He didn’t know any better. Now he does. Speaking of your father, I was wondering how he was doing?” Jim smiled once more, another thing he wanted to mention, keep everything nice and in order, now it was the perfect time!  
“he’s doing a LOT better! Still, he’s just been….off...lately. Well it isn’t the first time. he’s just paranoid and gets lost in his own head a lot. But he’s getting better, he gets off and on at times”  
“ah, well I’m happy to hear about your fathers recovery. As long as you keep checking in at reasonable times, you may still stay at your home for now”  
“you got it!”

“alright. No more joking, no more saying anything bad about Jim, no more debating over him, we will deal with how he got here later. Now, lets get to the very reason I came here to begin with. Jim, please go over there, I don’t want to accidentally harm you while training”  
“you got it Kanji! Ohhh wait maybe I shouldn’t call you that”  
“Kanji?”  
“yeah! A cute nickname! Buuuut I just realized, its a kind of Japanese language or something like that. So it would be like if I was calling you French, or Spanish, or English, well you get my point. Think I’ll just stick with calling you big guy for now. Alright, I’ll go be a good boy and sit down” Jim causally walked to the wall, occasionally smiling at a mumbling annoyed ghost moving away from him, as if being touched by Jim would cause some sort of horrible infection….

……………………………………………………………………

Jim yawned and stretched himself out. He laid down near the wall, nice and out of the wall. Looking at his phone (surprisingly worked somehow. Although his texts and phone calls didn’t go through) or occasionally watched his master spar with various trollhunters from the past. He was enjoying himself for the most part. It was pretty neat to see ghosts, troll ghosts to be specific, even more specific, it were all the trollhunters of the ages. Jim smiled from time to time, seeing one manifested and trained Kanjigar, Jim could almost always name the trollhunter and know if Bular or Gunmar were the ones to kill them, or both. A nice family day of hunting the hunters! If Bular were here, he would get a massive kick out of all of this. Jim could see it now, the taunting, the laughing, the yelling out for a challenge to slay them even when already slain. Jim’s mind would slowly go back to the thoughts of HOW he managed to get in here? There was that bright sudden flash of light, looking like it came from his own body. No half troll has ever actually tried to enter with their master before. Jim being a half troll, magic wouldn’t affect him the same as trolls or humans, something Jim noted. Making sure to come back to that at another time.

 

Occasionally a spirit would look at him for a few moments, stealing glances while Jim pretended to be unaware of it. He wanted to see them do it, or at least from the sides of his eyes. At best as he could make out, then would sneer or look in disgust, or the rare expression of curiosity. None of them mentioned their own half trolls, except for the few times but only spoke of them as useful tools, used and discarded as saw fit. Deya truly was the first trollhunter to see half trolls as individuals, Kanjigar the second, obviously. The other trollhunters didn’t hide their ‘opinions’ on the matter, saying they didn’t like that this ‘habit of thinking’ was moving onto the next generation of trollhunter. How many more times will THAT happen?! Will that now continue forever on wards?! They made their opinions clear of not wanting it to happen. Half trolls were half trolls. They know what they are and where they should be. The times where the trollhunters looked in curiosity wasn’t as hard to understand, well in a way. Jim figured it had to fall into three categories.

 

The first, this was the first time any of them has seen a half troll in well over a thousand years, the very last was when Deya’s own was slain in battle. Either that, or when Kanjigar first met Jim, Jim figured that if the past trollhunters watched him, they must have seen him then, or at least some of them, or none at all, still not something to rule out.

 

The second, was they wondered what Kanjigars plans for Jim are. Each half troll was, in a way, molded to fit their masters needs as they wanted. Some were simply entertainers and home keepers, others did all the mundane work, some constantly boasted of their masters feats for all to hear, and some simply were trained to take the killing blow for their masters, much like Angus. However, with him, he did it voluntarily. Knowing Deya, she would have never asked him to do such a thing, if anything it very may have been the opposite. Risking her own life to save Angus, all without a simple word of request.

The third and last, studying him. Kanjigar asked for them not to watch when Jim was around. Jim didn’t like it, made him anxious and paranoid like he said oh so long ago. Still, that doesn’t mean it stopped their curiosity. Jim is Kanjigars new half troll. It was a pretty big deal with the trollhutners, at least in a way. Now, was their first chance to truly look at Jim, watch him, learn about him. So far, none were impressed. They expect very little out of half trolls, now? Jim was most likely the youngest ever to serve a trollhunter. Then again, not like most of the past trollhunters spoke of their own. For all Jim knows, he could be the second oldest, right before Angus in age, although that was highly unlikely…

Jim heard something from a previous trollhunter speak to Kanjigar about that interested him so he tuned in and caught only the last of it  
“-now. Every troll species have their own weaknesses. The greatest in might and size was the mountain trolls you’ve faced”

 

“the great rocky mountain troll war” Jim said plainly, not looking up from his phone. The trollhunter and Kanjigar turned their attention to him, along with a few other spirits. Kanjigar with curiosity while the trollhunter with a sneer, the ghosts, well can’t really see an expression on a floating blue orb  
“how did you know about that Jim?” Kanjigar asked  
“history, gossip, that sort of thing. Not like it was some small thing after all. Plus, they always sided with the gumm-gumms. They never had any love for ‘merlin worshipers’ aka trollhunters and the ones that follow them, as well as everyone trying to be ‘good’ in a sense. Most trolls who didn’t want to be forced to live under the rule of living side by side with humans without harming them, joined the gumm-gumms. This was before the dark magics they used slowly corrupted their blood, so it was a large variety of troll kind that mixed together, although most of them simply didn’t join or engaged any kind of war. They just never agreed with the deal and did occasionally aid any gumm-gumm fighters that needed it. Eventually Gunmar got fed up with how Orlagk the oppressor was running things so they had this huge civil war. Gunmar lost his eye and Orlagk...well...died. Gunmar replaced him and any who didn’t want to follow him were brutally slaughtered or have their minds and wills taken. Gunmar doesn’t really know how the sword itself works, only that it’s extremely powerful, even more so when he uses his own powers he draws from his blood and pours it into the sword.

 

Orlagk never spoke of where he found the sword, or whoever even forged it. So Gunmar never knew, he looked into it but never came up with any kind of information. Since Gunmar wasn’t born naturally and from corrupted heartstone, his very blood could do all sorts of dark and terrible stuff. Even some he’s never shown before, or at least no ones ever lived to tell the tale. Since the sword can take the minds that it harms, Gunmar can use his own senses through them, so he would have eyes and ears and overall spies in every place he could, this was before the changelings fully rose into power and fully finished being created. With that advantage he managed to win pretty much every battle. Especially the ones he led himself. Since everyone knows heartstone is so powerful, he’s pretty much just as powerful. Thing is, when he wavers, so does his power. So the more humans he eats, the more heartstone he consumes, the stronger he becomes. Also since he wasn’t born naturally and the whole heartstone thing, he can’t technically be killed, although all of you already knew that.

With his own blood he figured out different types of things he could do with it, some stuff is too complicated to even understand, there are rumors that he doesn’t fully understand it either. During the whole civil war thing, he made a deal with Tellad-ur, he gave him this crystal to empower him greatly, thing is, it was actually Gunmar’s own blood solidified. He was trying to slowly corrupt his mind and be able to control him, all while he never even knew. Gunmar knew Tellad-ur hated his job with a passion, so he managed to convince that when Orlagk was finally killed, he wouldn’t have to protect everyone from him, finally being released from his duty. Well then Bular killed him and that was that. Those two twin jaw blades of his are his favorite in his entire collection, he tends to them like they were his own babies. I always felt bad Tellad-ur him, I know what it feels like. Well, in the sense of fate. Its cruel, unforgiving, it is hardly fully understood, even with divination magic. Life isn’t fair, no one gets to pick and choose what life they’re given. Only with what they can do with it. Not everyone gets a good hand of cards. You use what you’re dealt, most can’t even have more than a few moments of joy in their life before dying from whatever fate is forced onto them.

 

No one gets to choose to be born. No one gets to choose when or how they die, unless they purposely end it themselves. No one gets to choose what kind of life they live when they don’t have the means of doing it. Some people want to live in high society and live carefree but never have the means of doing it. Some have no way of deserving what they’re given when they’re given the world on a silver platter. Other waste everything for something in exchange. Some would spend allll their wealth on simply gathering more and harming everything and everyone around them to do so. that’s why the environment is so fucked up, humans just want a profit. Not all, but the rich ones. Some humans hardly scrape buy just for the smallest of food, while others blow all their money on ways to make their lives even better, no matter how unearned it is. No matter how unearned anything is. Some people break their very bodies down to the weakest of forms just to attempt at earning enough to live while the ones above them earn every single piece of currency from the work they do without doing anything themselves.

 

True monsters are the ones who dictate what pain is when they’ve never experienced it themselves. Fate is a shackle, something to hold you into place and slow you down. Breaking away from fate itself isn’t possible. Smash and shatter the shackles and be eternally free from everything and everyone. Life is horrible, it’s amazing, it makes up feel obsession over it. Some try their hardest to do what they do when they want to do it, no matter how painful it might be. Most people loose everything, and remain in the same position, waiting patiently for something else that almost always never comes. Not like half trolls chose to be born. They didn’t chose to live the lives they live. They don’t chose how the world sees and treats them. That’s just the choice of others. it’s what molds their entire lives, they never got to chose. They were forced into a single place because someone else said so.

 

There’s those questions pretty much asking you if living is living when it’s just nothing but pain. Each breath, every step, you just break a little more, suffer more. Is that being alive? Or are you actually dead, just being meat and muscle to move forward until you expire, whenever that may be.

 

If someone else makes an entire life for you, makes you go along exactly what they wanted you to, is that even your life at all? Would you want to live in a life where you never get to choose for yourself? you’re just a puppet someone else controls, is that your own life? Or just molded by someone else to improve their own. This all comes back to fate and choice. Although, maybe it is for the best, at least maybe in the grand scheme of life. If everyone chose exactly what the world they want to live in to be, it would be nothing but primordial chaos. Who gets to say what? At what time and where. If two conflicting ideas meet, which one is which? Only one can win, but they both chose something. Then again, you can just see it in the actual big picture. Life and time, space and reality, nothing really matters. Were all just specs of dust, floating through space. Earth isn’t that old, no planet is really, the sun is just a star, there are countless ones in existence, which planet has life, or will have life on it. Would they just be specs of dust floating through existence themselves? Would they even grow their own sentience and realize nothing truly matters, it’s only what is currently happening around us that matters, to us at least. The planet itself might not be sentient. Just a place, a small foothold in this solar system. it’s just elements, mud, plants, water, that sort of thing. If everything died out, nothing would change in the slightest bit.

 

It would have no effect on any outcome. The sun won’t change, the planets, hell even our planet will still march on until the end of time. Things on it will change, but it will always stay the same. Eventually a black hole will form somewhere at someplace and literally suck everything into it, literally undoing it. Nothing survives in it and we will literally all become nothing. Not even time can exist in them. They are the one and only true end to all things. The one and only silence so loud no one can live to hear it. Well that’s just human philosophy and logic, well some of them. There are countless thoughts and ideas to life itself. Is their hell and heaven? Something to do with the after life? Well at least all of you have an afterlife. Although is this your hell or heaven? Heaven is ultimate bliss and perfection in every way. Hell is endless torment, suffering in the greatest of ways, even ones never imagined. This seems more like purgatory to me. An endless wait of nothingness. No changes what so ever except when someone else joins. Just memories to relive over and over until they are eventually forgotten, half remembered, hard to even think of they were real or imaginary. Where they just some livid dream you had? Can you simply be silent and tune out everything else around you so much that it’s finally nothing and nothing is everything. Ouroboros, nothing every beginning or ending. Everything feeds into itself for all of eternity. You are born. You die. You are replaced. Eventually you yourself are just a memory, a story, a voice that no one can hear. If everyone dies and no one is there to remember you, do you even exist in the first place?

 

Then again, there is more ways of thinking about this than just that. Countless ideas and imaginations, cultures, religions, all saying they are the correct ones, the correct answer to everything. I don’t know if there is an answer, or a full one. So many people have similar answers, or something connecting all of them together. Then again that’s just human thinking, maybe trolls have similar stuff or just don’t think about it in general. Humans are humans, they will always have the single way to think, even if its different it’s always the same. Like different shades of a single color. So many different versions, but no matter what, it’s all the same color.

 

What’s going to happen to me? I’m a half troll, we don’t have our own culture or history. I don’t think we even have an afterlife. Humans do, or might, trolls do. We aren’t either though. We aren’t natural. We were born from two choices made so long ago. Forcing something into existence it never asked to be made. Which then comes back around to fate itself.”

 

Jim looked up from his phone to see the absolute jaw dropping expression Kanjigar, the trollhunter, and the others who had manifested all had.

“what?…..oh shit I just realized, Tellad-urr is here isn’t he?”

…………………………………………………………………………

Everything was quiet for a solid minute, as if all that talking suddenly froze up everyone’s mind, and now had to restart it and process it again. Jim started to feel awkward. Maybe he went a little toooooooo deep into his thoughts. Today was just a pure exposure to his entire being.

“Jim….i….i don’t….i can’t even process everything you just said”  
“yeah, maybe I went a bit too human on all of you, troll brains, can’t really take it all in. No offense!”  
“I don’t even want to get into those...final parts, I don’t think I can even understand it word by word. First things first. How, and where did you hear about all that….history? NO ONE knows about ANY of that! Except for the most basic of things! Yet you’ve just spoken of details no historic book or memory knew of”

 

‘well fuck me. I haaadd to go deeper into it. Well good fucking job Jim’  
“uh...just….my dad’s adviser. He’s curious, goes place to place a lot, learns stuff, teaches me things. I don’t think there’s a place in the world he hasn’t gone to, studied everything, or at least tried to, before coming back home. All through my life he taught me a shiiit ton of stuff. You wouldn’t believe just ho many witnesses and books about things no one knows about, all locked up or hidden or destroyed and then fixed up and learned all about. Hell, even a lot of trolls forgot important details, or lost them to the ages. Again, suuuper paranoid dad, especially to gumm-gumms. So my dads adviser was sent to know and learn every single detail he could. If you know how your enemy thinks, you can counter it. His counter was hiding and staying quiet and deep down. And like I said, his adviser went over and over pouring through things even the most plain and simple. You wouldn’t believe what’s hidden even in basic sentences. Entire puzzles and riddles, secret meanings and maps. That sort of thing. So I’ve kinda learned to pick up on stuff like that. Always looking for hidden clues or meanings. Humans always hide things all the time, so that just helped me learn more”

“Well your…fathers adviser seems to be quite the thinker. Hmmm….how much gumm-gumm history DO you know?” Some spirits swarmed up again  
“blasphemy!”  
“do not speak of such a thing!”  
“he should be punished for saying such things to begin with!”  
“he hurt my head with the big words”  
“he makes no sense!”  
“he dares to speak human and gumm-gumm things here!? Of all sacred places?!” a very quiet, almost sad voice Jim just barely was able to be heard  
“he….spoke….my name….” Jim assumed it was Tellad-ur. Out of all the trollhunters, with Kanjigar and now Deya of course, Tellad-ur was Jim’s favorite. He could relate so strongly. Bular killed him by literally stabbing him in the back. When Bular spoke about it and laughed, Jim couldn’t really bring himself to do so. If it were any other trollhunter, Jim would have easily laughed with his brother, more in a bonding way than sadistic, but with him? no. Jim just felt sorry for the poor guy. Jim hoped he at least was able to rest in peace. Well, now Jim knows he did...or can….or maybe not even that, knowing this place.

“Look ghosty trolls, I don’t mean annnnyyyy offense. I was just saying what I learned. that’s all”  
“speak no longer of such subjects!”  
“speaking of our enemies as so!”  
“no one should know this sort of thing!”  
“i still can’t understand what he said earlier”  
“you idiot”  
“stop calling him names”  
“enough arguing! Focus on the half troll!”

 

“alright alright I’ll keep quiet! I’ll just be over here. Doing a half troll thing” the angry spirits seemed to become less agitated and settle down once more. Jim just laid back down and closed his eyes. He could use a nap….and remember not to talk so much. When he went deep in his head, it was hard to pull out….

………………………………………………………………………………….

Jim’s eyes opened when he felt his phone buzz. He opened them and the first thing he saw was a widely smiling ghost  
“AH”  
“AH to you too! Enjoy your nap?” the ghost was in a hearty cheerful mood  
“yeah I did-” Jim was grabbed and pulled to his feet in an instance. He was looked over and did a small whistle  
“look at you!”  
“thanks?”  
“so much potential!”  
“okay?” Jim noticed the trollhunter from the past looked like a krubera but far bigger, equal to Arrrg’s size. The Krubera set Jim down then gave a huge smack on the back, making Jim stumble forward a little, then gave a big laugh  
“do you know me kid?”  
“uh...sorry I don’t”  
“well. that’s a shame. Not like they teach any half trolls anything. Well, I guess I’m about to get yet another little fan, even if you are a half troll! you’re alright in my book! A fan is a fan!” Jim was rubbing his back and looked over the trollhunters shoulder to see Kanjigar at the other end speaking to a couple other trollhunters  
“uh….”  
“it greatly saddens me that you know nothing of me! All the songs and stories, statues and sagas all made in my honor! So many fans so little time, I always tried to make time for each and everyone of them! Without the fans, you’re a nobody! Care for those that idolize you and spread your image around like no tomorrow!”  
“okay...”

“do you want to hear of my heroic feats!? Hear how amazing, powerful, strong, brave, a true alphas alpha I am!?”  
“sur-”  
“haha! Trick question! Of course you do! In a way I am happy you no nothing of me little half troll, for that allows me to inspire yet another with one of my many many many adventures! Speak of my heroics and valor for another heart to hear and idolize and watch their face light up with delight! First timers are always the best! I’ll even give you a signature if you’d like! What am I saying, of course you’d like it!” Jim wasn’t amused, he was bored. Maybe he wouldn’t be if another trollhunter had talked to him, but this guy? He was just like another one of those alpha hotshots who think the world revolves around them and they’re the greatest gift to all. At least he isn’t calling Jim lesser or an abomination. A fan was a fan after all

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name”  
“A true shame! Well pay close attention now, it’s Boraz the bold!”  
“what a bold name” Jim joked, a little sarcastically  
“exactly! Aww, my new little fan is already falling in love. If you fall in love with me romantically, I’ll understand, who wouldn’t after all? I may be an alpha and you an omega, but sadly are worlds just couldn’t work, our love just couldn’t happen. Don’t be saddened, it isn’t you, it’s me. Something my fault? Quiet rare! But truthful. I am but a spirit and you, a living creature. I know no one will ever match me, but you should move on, it’s what’s healthiest for you. And being healthy is important”

Jim gave a small tired smile  
‘this jerkoff thinks I’m already in love with him. I can’t tell if he thinks that because he’s ‘amazing’ or if he’s an alpha and expects every omega to fall head over heels for him. Most likely both, actually it is both knowing him.’  
“yep, health is important”  
“see? Once again I am never wrong” Jim decided just to humor him for now. Clearly by his type, he wouldn’t see it any other way. Might as well not fight it.  
“yep, I can tell you’re incredible as always” Boraz smiled widely and flashed his fangs  
“fast learner! I can see why Kanjigar likes you! Now then it’s one thing to just simply talk about my great feats unlike any have seen, but to SEE them is entirely different. Are you ready to have your heart and mind practically explode in delight?! You are one of the luckiest beings, you are the only non trollhunter to ever witness my feats! Well, through my eyes at least! And who better than that?! Would that make my fan happy? Of course it would! My, I am in a bit of trouble thinking here”  
‘gee, you having a hard time thinking about something other than yourself? What a surprise’ Jim thought, his fake smile starting to feign and return to being just plainly bored.

“why am I in trouble you ask?!”  
‘never said anything jerkoff.’  
“awestruck and speechless that I somehow am having trouble with something?, truly the only possible response to this, I know I know. My troubles are that I simply can’t chose just what adventure to show you! Another thing that saddens me is that your little life won’t be able to be spent studying every feat of mine. Well, at least we can remedy the situation by having you learn what you can in such a brief time! So many wonderful choices! How can I possibly choose one or the other? Hmmm...”  
“hey, Broaz”  
“no no my little half troll, BORAZ the bold, THAT’S how to say it. It’s alright though, you’re a little intimidated to talk to me directly, you wouldn’t be the first or last. I completely understand why you couldn’t remember it in your speech. Stumbling over your own words in fear. No need to be afraid or intimidated! I want you to enjoy me every second you can!”  
“thank you, might Boraz the bold, you truly are a new star in my darkest of nights. Between you and me, I wish you were my trollhunter” Jim filled his voice with nothing but sarcasm. didn’t take. Boraz just shook his head and chuckled

 

“poor little half troll. I know how much you want it, but you’re Kanjigars. I know, it’s me after all, but be loyal to him. Maybe one day he might possibly be as remembered as I will. Be proud that you get to be by his side every second! how much it must kill you to see me with no half troll by my side and desperately wanting to rush over and grovel for my attention. No need, you have it undivided, must truly be the greatest moment of your life I know, make sure to savor it! No no, my half troll was the luckiest out of them all. He was trained by yours truly! I made him go from a small nobody to a huge somebody! He was allowed to help bring me things to autograph! And cook and clean for me! He was the most thankful out of anyone else, completely understandable”  
“gee, I would spend all my wishes if I could serve you for an hour at least!”  
“truly what anyone would do. Save your wishes little half troll, try not to be too sad. You can at least always imagine me in my adventures!”  
“actually, that does interest me, not just you completely! How can I go even a moment without thinking about you!? I was wondering if I could know about your half troll, it hurts me dearly I never heard of him, truly the perfect idol I wish to aspire to be! Please, help me learn of him so I can at least pretend to be him for but a mere moment”  
“of course! What a perfect way to start it all off! Smart little thing. Well be prepared to see your new hero, well, second favorite, right behind yours truly. Imagining yourself in his position is a dream for anyone, not just a half troll don’t worry”. Now, why don’t I show you Boraz jr!”  
“Boraz….jr?”  
“yes! His name wasn’t something to be remembered, so I gave him a better one! My name was so amazing I knew it would be wonderful for him! He worked for me so, why not? And thus, he was Boraz jr!”

 

Boraz showed a scene from the past. Boraz jr was bigger than most half trolls. And clearly the greatest multitasker Jim has ever seen! Even better than Blinky. And he had four arms and six eyes!

 

Boraz jr looked similar to Jim in skin color, if not a bit darker. His horns curled like a huge set of ram’s horns, he had a long thick tail that he was currently using to clean things with behind him, having tied a rag to it. He had four eyes, both sets looking at two different things at once. Both arms doing to different things. One was chopping various things up and throwing it into a stew, the other were going through what appeared to be a large checklist and various notes being jotted down and copied. His fur was trimmed incredibly short and uneven.

“ah, Boraz jr, there you are. I almost forgot how useful you were” Boraz smiled fondly, Jim wanted to gag in disgust. Just a tool, not a half troll. Then again, half trolls are just tools.  
“oh! Oh! Look little one! There I am! Look how good I look! Observe me! You may pleasure yourself to my image in your private time, I give you permission” Jim wanted to gag in disgust once more, except this time out of disgust from the sheer pride. Boraz had strode into the room patting his half troll on the back and patting his head. Then went to sit on a chair, prop his legs up and started to demand Boraz jr tell him of of his many tales. Clearly the half troll had each one memorized by heart. Jim could never even concentrate on more than one thing, two at most on his best days, so watching this other half troll do four things at once….was almost headache inducing

“there he is. My half troll. Picked him out myself! A true alphas alpha much like me! Only he could be trained! So I trained him! Worked his body until it was as strong as it could be, built him up with plenty of protein and activities! Grew that half troll into something useful! Instead of just some dull shop keeps helper. There wasn’t a single moment of his life where he didn’t thank me for everything I’d given him, allowed him to be by my side and serve me! Allow him to tend to my needs and entertain me! A true jack of all trades! The moment I saw how useful he was in that little shop, I knew he was the one. He was slow and small much like yourself, but over the years I worked him until he became great! I turned that piece of worthless rock into a priceless diamond! Watch carefully! Notice how he does things in every way, making sure not to waste a single second, you can be as amazing as that for Kanjigar one day! With the proper training and diet of course! I’m going to tell Kanjigar the perfect training style to shape you up! don’t worry, I never wanted to harm Boraz jr during his training, so I only pushed him to his best limits and beyond. Never wanting him to break or fail. If your favorite tool breaks from improper care, then it’s the owners own fault. I could NEVER fail! So, of course I learned the perfect activities for Boraz jr to start doing!

 

I made sure that he would always advance, never fall behind. Pushed him just enough to keep going, then letting him rest when he needed it”  
“what did he do on his downtime while resting?”  
“tend to me of course!”  
“that was his resting time? Not laying down?”  
“oh no he did lay down for me often! Like I said, I didn’t want him to break. I always made sure he was healthy at all times while also keeping him plenty active! What better way to spend your downtime than tending to me? Nothing! Oh the rub downs he could give me, the food he cooked, I never cared much for human food before he started to cook for me and WOW! His skill was beyond anything! He always cleaned and polished everything perfectly. He was the one to organize and prepare things for me, announce my arrival before hand, tend to my laundry, I did enjoy the occasional human clothing. I enjoyed the feel of human’s shirts. He had the greatest life any half troll could ask for!”  
“it shows. Oh how I wish I were him”

“you show a lot of potential just like my Boraz did! You can be molded into the perfect little helper! Although, I am not sure on how to train you for sexual pleasure. Your trollhunter does get pent up after a long days work, tending to his needs in every sense is only logical”  
“oh gee, if only I could give Kanjigar proper release” Jim’s sarcastic sentence did linger in his mind a bit. Kanjigar wasn’t that bad looking….if Jim weren’t falling in love with Draal, he might have tried a go at his trollhunter. Boraz threw an arm around Jim and pulled him closely to his side, then waved a hand out  
“no matter! Let me show you just how amazing our adventures were! Watch Boraz jr so you know what to do, oh but watch me first of course!”

……………………………………………………………………………………

Kanjigar had finished speaking to a few others before one of them snickered and motioned their head towards Boraz talking to Jim and showing him things. Boraz laughing and even shadow boxing a bit. Jim looked bored and pretended to be excited at times. The snickering spirit chuckled  
“well. Looks like Boraz the blowhard’s taken an interest in the boy. Lucky you Kanjigar”  
“yes. Lucky me.”  
“my wisdom of the ages is to pull your half troll away before he’s taught bad habits”  
“wisdom for the ages” Kanjigar huffed and turned around to walk in their direction. The spirit crossed his arms and snorted  
“not even I boasted that much”

………………………………………………………………………….

After politely shooing away Boraz, Kanjigar felt relieved that Jim was smart enough not to learn anything from him. Kanjigar didn’t want a servant. Jim knew that well and good. Before Boraz left, he gave Jim one last strong pat on the back and said he wanted to give Jim his autograph first. Jim frowned and sarcastically became sad, saying he didn’t have a pen or anything to write with. Boraz said that truly was terrible, so to make up for it, he gave Jim a hard hug.  
“there. Now you have something to truly remember, my embrace. Think of me when you pleasure yourself, oh what am I saying, of course you will!” he gave one last hearty laugh with a matching smile before vanishing off into nothingness. Jim smiled and turned to his trollhunter  
“I’m so sorry Kanjigar, I just couldn’t resist. He was too tempting for me, I had to meet him and beg to be by his side” Kanjigar smiled and pet Jim  
“whatever will I do without you. My loyal pet. Now that you’re no longer being educated, I only have one last thing to attend to, then we may leave”  
“do I have to go back on timeout?”  
“no, you’ve served your time. Unless you think otherwise”  
“nope! I’m a good boy! I’ve learned my lesson! I’m reformed!”  
“good to hear. You must be bored waiting here”  
“eh, kinda but not really. Is kinda neat to see all the old trollhunters. Not like anyone else gets to do this”  
“very true. You are the first outsider-you already know this well enough”  
“alright, go finish up big guy” Kanjigar and Jim shared a smile before Kanjigar stepped away. Jim sat down and had his back against the wall. He was getting bored. He started to trace a claw into the ground, drawing little things here and there. An angry troll face, a sword, Toby...Jim bolted up and yelled  
“TOBY! OH SHIT I FORGOT ALL ABOUT HIM!” from a bit across some of the ghosts looked at him, along with Kanjigar of course  
“Worry not Jim, he’s within trollmarket still”  
“are you sure? HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ACCIDENT! OR FELL SOMEWHERE! OR CRUSHED!”  
“he’s fine Jim. Is there anything I can do to soothe those anxieties?”  
“wait, can we do that all seeing eye thingy. Oh wait you can only do it with you or whatever”  
“my son is close enough to my heart to view him, at least for a moment or two. Jim ran over to Kanjigar and watched as the vision formed

Draal and him sat down together in the home. Draal polishing his Ax while Toby was talking and checking his phone  
“-what else of Jim?”  
“let’s see. Dating advice...uh...hmm” Jim gasped a little and suddenly felt his face get hot and tense  
“i guess...hmmm….well being romantic with him, in regular dating sutff, I got nothing. don’t know anything about it. He does like-i already told you about that. He likes to cuddle-wait you already know that. uh...hmm….you seem to be doing a good job so far, keep it up I guess”  
“thank you for your advice. I’m glad to know those about him. Is there anything else I should look for?”  
“well, he does do this annoying thing where he grumbles in his throat a little, it can get annoying at times. Also sometimes he laughs with his mouth full and gets food everywhere. For sex stuff he likes bondage, guess he likes the feeling of absolute control or absolute vulnerability. Sometimes he mumbles pop songs to himself when he thinks no ones around to here it. Korean pop usually”

“OH SO YOU’RE JUST GONNA DO ME DIRTY LIKE THAT HUH TOBES?! FUCKING CALL ME OUT!”  
“Jim, they cannot hear you”  
“oh. Going to need to talk to him. This is pretty cool! Who else can we spy on? Oh oh! let’s spy on Vendel next!” Kanjigar laughed and genuinely found that funny  
“this isn’t for spying on others, it is simply to see them”  
“sooo spy on them”  
“there is a difference”  
“yep! Totally justified! Wait so this COULD show me MY history?”  
“i suppose so yes”  
“what if...i...wasn’t born yet?”  
“no it wouldn’t be possible if you aren’t alive”  
“what if I was?” Kanjigar turned to see Jim looking off into the distance nervously  
“do you want to see your mother?” Jim turned away and scratched his nails on the ground  
“oh uh, I mean, not really. I don’t care, I just wanted to, I don’t know, see what I was like and...whatever”  
“we could try if you’d like” Jim didn’t give a respond. The speed of his breathing increased, enough to be noticed  
“Jim, we may if you’d like, or try to. If you want to stop at any moment, just say so” Jim just nodded. The vision was nothing but blackness. Only a slight voice could be heard singing, a woman's, in a loving way, to that same gumm-gumm tune but with her own words

“My child, my little whelp, your mother’s here. My love is always with you, so never fear. I’ll keep you close, I’ll keep you near. My little babe, my sweet little dear. When you are away, I will always shed a tear. Our home is cold and lifeless, but you will be my sweet little light. You will always warm my heart. Our home is dark, but you will shine throughout our home, like a twinkling star in the darkest night.” the sounds of a heavy thump happened, like that of two large stone doors closing  
“speaking to our child more?” Gunmar’s voice can just be made out. Jim was worried, however the voice was muffled enough not to be noticed, at least that’s what he hoped  
“you know I love to. Although I can’t find anymore words to rhyme with”  
“i think your words are beautiful”  
“thank you my lord~”  
“i told you not to call me that Victoria”  
“oh, my apologies, my love~” The next sounds were too muffled to even be made out. After a short time, Victoria’s voice could be heard again

 

“I need to speak to you about something very important”  
“yes my dear?”  
“this is very crucial. I want your full attention”  
“when don’t you receive it?”  
“ohh more than enough times”  
“what do you wish to say?”  
“i want us to both make a promise. Now and forever.”  
“oh? Of course”  
“i want us both to keep to our words, to absolute truth and respect”  
“i will my love, my dearest Victoria, I will swear fully to whatever it is that you wish, whatever it is that your heart desires, whatever it is that you request”  
“i want us to both promise that we will love our child no matter what. Keep our child safe and in our hearts, have them never forget how much they would mean to us”  
“i swear to this with my full heart”  
“this means a lot to me love. This IS my heart. Whoever, and whatever, they are. I want you to keep to this promise until the day you die. Never break it, or you break my heart”  
“i will never break it, or your heart. I swear with all of mine to keep this now and forever”

“i don’t want a single day to pass where our child doesn’t feel wanted, loved, appreciated. I want them to always know that no matter what, no matter where, no matter what day or time or anything, that we will always love them, keep them safe and in our hearts. I don’t want a single moment for them to feel like we don’t love them, notice them, appreciate them. I want our child to be safe and happy. I want their life nothing but filled with joy and pleasure. I want you to hold our child each and every day, say how much you love them when they’re in your arms. I swear to this in my entirety already”  
“I swear to everything, I will keep my promise no matter what”  
“i don’t want even a single moment where they feel alone and scared. Life is so cruel and dark already, I want them to always be in the light, I want them to feel like a beautiful star in the darkest night. I don’t want them to feel abandoned and hopeless. I want them to always know how beautiful they are, how wonderful their entire being is. Whoever and whatever they are, they will always feel warm in the coldest of places, love in the most cruel of times, safety in the most dangerous of places, hope in the most hopeless of times. I want them to grow with only the greatest childhood, something I never had. I want to make sure they get that, to live a life where almost all others don’t have”  
“i will do everything of what you’ve spoken of. I will never break this promise, I will never break your heart”

 

Tears were silently running down Jim’s face, he spoke out loud without even realizing it. He softly said with a broken voice  
“he broke his promise. On the first day of my life” Kanjigar reached out a hand to comfort Jim  
“Jim” The only thing he responded to was silence until he spoke  
“i want to see the day I was born”  
“i don’t think it would work”  
“please…i….i just...” Jim went silent and looked down. The vision changed. It was blurry to the point where it was like trying to look through a thick frosted window. Now many sounds could be heard over crying

“l….l-let me see him….” Victoria’s voice could be heard, so much exhaustion in her tone  
“hes so beautiful...” a second voice, more clear now, Jim was even more nervous they would notice who the voice belonged to  
“my son. My child. Our child.”  
“h...his na...ame….”  
“i will give you the honor of naming our child”  
“o-oh th-thank you……..Jim….his name is Jim...”

“Jim? A human name?”  
“please my love...h-”  
“what is wrong?….what is wrong with her!?” a few moments of shuffling and other sounds could be heard before a third voice spoke

“shes passed away”  
“what….”  
“t-there was nothing we could do! Shes dead my.-”  
“dead?….Victoria….my love…...” the only sounds that could be heard where the crying, then the third voice spoke once more  
“lor-”  
“handle the body. Give her a proper funeral. Make it quick, but thorough.” Gunmar spoke in a low voice, quiet and calm. Through the blurry vision, a large black figure could be heard, little lights glowed around Jim, thankfully it was too splotchy to really make anything else out. The sounds of echoing footprints muffled by the crying could be heard  
“Jim….my little Jim...your fathers here”

 

“turn it off.” Jim’s voice was hardly heard. The vision went away and Jim just looked at the floor, turning himself away from anyone who could see his face. Well, as much as he could at least. Kanjigar turned to Jim and pulled him into a huge. Jim wept into him. The entire void was still and silent, the only noises were the Jim’s cries and the echoing of it


	38. the ghost zone! pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim gets better! and worse! and better! and maybe worse! also who doesn't like to explain things to ghosts?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter is gonna be special! i promise! ;)
> 
>  
> 
> enjoy this one!

After a good long cry, Jim gently pushed Kanjigar away and walked towards the edge of the arena and looked down  
“Jim….what are you thinking?”  
“if I died here….would I stay?”  
“Jim. What are you thinking?”  
“nothing….i promise”  
“are you holding your word?”  
“yes. I don’t plan on killing myself. I just...wanted to see. And have some air. The lava looks strange. Like a weird blue tint to it”  
“Jim. It would put me at ease if you stepped back from the edge”  
“I’m not going to kill myself. I have never tried when I was younger, or when I was older, or recently, or at this very moment.”  
“those seem to be specific times you just mentioned, very specific”  
“i told you. I’m fine.”  
“you didn’t seem to be”

“I’M FINE!” Jim screamed loudly at the top of his lungs, even surprising himself. His throat hurt from the scream of anguish. The sound echoed further and further away until it faded into nothing.  
“I’m...fine….i just want some air” Jim said quietly, sitting down, his legs dangling downwards off the edge. Kanjigar wasn’t sure what to do. He was used to others in need when in pain, mostly physical, still he picked up some tricks. Right at that moment however, he wasn’t sure. Jim said he needed space and time to breathe. Maybe it was best to leave him alone, give him time to himself. Kanjigar had a small worry that Jim might suddenly decided to drop off the cliff, let himself fall. He has never mentioned an intense subject like suicide, not even joked about it, still a worry was a worry. Jim didn’t seem like the type to inflict self harm, and he did say he promised he wasn’t thinking about anything relating to it.

 

On the other hand, maybe Jim just needed someone to hold him close, maybe say something or maybe just be silent. He did prefer physical affection over all else. When others need aid they typically push others away wishing they hadn’t. There has never been a moment where Jim wanted to be alone, at least from what Kanjigar knew, up to this point in time. Kanjigar wasn’t the best with words, especially in moments like this, he didn’t just want to end up repeating himself yet again right then and there. The trollhunter simply turned away and decided to let Jim have his time alone….

 

Jim has never thought of anything about harming himself, well at least fully. He had seen and heard about it more times than he could count when living among humans. His thoughts were always just the small general idea of ‘would everyone be happier if I were gone? Would they notice? Or just move on. If I just disappear, what would life be like?’ although he always shook those thoughts away. Toby would be more than devastated, Jim couldn’t even imagine what Toby would live like if Jim went and killed himself. Before everything happening to Jim in the past few months, he did wonder if his own family would notice he was gone, or at least care. The single thought that trailed behind was always the same ‘they simply ignored my mothers death, moved on without a trace of her but some forcefully forgotten memories’ he doubted Bular would notice, Gunmar would pretend he didn’t exist, he was unsure what Blinky and Arrrg would think though. They loved him, but their job came first. His others friends mattered to him too of course, still if just didn’t feel like it would have the same impact to him than the others, most likely because it was what he held closest to his own heart.

 

Jim just decided to clear his head. Not think. He tried not to. Tried to ignore everything and focus on nothing, or something small and meaningless like a rock, or a shiny star, or even his own thoughts about what he might have for dinner. He couldn’t get rid of his thoughts though. They demanded to be paid attention to.

 

His mothers voice…

 

His fathers promise…

 

The very last moments of her life before she died…

 

Jim was tired. So so tired. Naps didn’t help at all that day, or at least not entirely. Still, a nap was like a little reboot to him. Emotions, thoughts, body even. It helped, but not completely. Still, better than nothing. So, he decided to scoot away from the edge a good amount, curl up and just sleep for a little bit. He was too tired to deal with anything. He just wanted to close his eyes and become nothing, just like he did earlier that day during his talk with Toby. No thoughts, no feelings, only absolute silence and darkness. At least shutting his eyes let him see the dark, or a tiny bit of it….

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“OKAY LET’S DO THIS THANG!” Jim said as loud and full of joy as he could while stretching a bit.

 

After a short power nap he felt better! And decided to naturally bottle up all his feelings and push them deep deep down where no one will ever see or hear about them until it’s too late and he has another massive breakdown! Yay! Jim refused to talk right now, he said he would rather not kill his buzz of feeling happy once more! Future Jim will hate present Jim, but future Jim would naturally understand, he is himself after all!

 

Jim said he was eager and before they left their little ghost adventure, he wanted to fight Kanjigar, who was shocked along with the other trollhunters. Jim hardly knew how to fight! He was a novice of a novice! He had zero skill and here he was challenging one of the most skilled warriors currently in the world?! Jim did say he was wanting to train with Kanjigar and be better, they haven’t for a really long time, and he wanted to get stronger just like his goal was. The other trollhunters mumbled and wondered if this was a good idea that he’s improving to better serve his trollhunter, or if it was foolish that he could even attempt to hold a weapon up without being tired within a minute. One trollhunter asked what his goal actually was. Jim was shy about it, not wanting to say it, embarrassed about it.

“you’re NOT embarrassed about speaking of your sexual adventures and preferences, yet you ARE over your goal in life?! This half troll makes little sense Kanjigar. As far as I’ve seen, that’s clearly been proven.”

 

Kanjigar said Jim’s goal was a good one, a very important one that should be seen to

 

“what could a half trolls goal possibly be about other than serving their betters?”

THAT got Jim mad enough to spit it out nice, loud, and clear. Almost all the trollhunters laughed, some even said he was foolish, others said it just wouldn’t happen and to find something far easier to aspire to, like a good servant who knows how to organize a daily planner book and take messages well. Kanjigar, as well as Deya, said it was far more wonderful than any of the others had. He didn’t want fame to simply boast, he wanted it to help others, for the world to understand him and his kind. He didn’t want to go around flaunting it for his own personal ego, but to help inspire his kind and help them while silencing all the doubters and haters, much like the trollhunters listening at the moment. So a few of them simply humored Jim, for their own entertainment. Manifested him a sword as he requested, and prepared to fight and train with Kanjigar.

 

Little did everyone know, Jim truly was an expert at fighting. Not the best, but far better than most, even better than some of the elite guards that personally attended Gunmar. Not that Jim would ever show it. He needed to keep the guise of the small innocent novice half troll, something he was good at acting obviously. So, they begun! First thing Jim did? Trip on himself and fall flat on his face. He did it purposely but made it seem like he really was clumsy. Most of the trollhunters laughed at him and were glad to let this happen, Kanjigar couldn’t help but try to hold back a small giggle himself. Not that Jim was being a stupid half troll, but the fact that he tripped over himself and fell directly onto his face so suddenly. Plop!  
“I’m okay!” Jim said getting up and dusting himself off. He picked up the strangely solid ghost sword and walked forward, making sure not to trip once more, or at least acting like it.  
“alright big guy, come at me! No holding back! Full force! Balls deep! All 100% power outage! Top speed!”  
“ah, I don’t think you’re ready for that”  
“come on! How hard could it be? You swing a metal stick around until you win!”  
“i truly hope you’re joking”  
“what do you think?”  
“knowing you and looking at that face. It is an equal chance for both on the scale”  
“I’m literally surrounded by the very trolls who’s safeguarded the world from all dangers, minus human inflicted ones although that’s out of your jurisdiction I guess, how is this not the perfect place to learn to fight? What am I gonna do? Swing a stick at a wall until I become a pro? Sell my soul and become a warlock like all of you!...or...would you all be paladins...maybe the hybrid of the two”  
“what are you talking about? Follow my movements Jim” Kanjigar was slowly showing Jim basic things, the two occasionally tapping swords together in very light practice. Kanjigar might have thought Jim was too fragile for even the most basic of things, Jim could tell.

 

“ohhh well okay see. By definition, a warlock is a person who sells themselves, typically their soul, to a powerful entity to gain powers in return without ever needing to learn how to master them or even train for it. Kinda a biiig corner cut and all it costs you is your eternal service! Warlocks aren’t automatically evil, nor the entity, its just a deal to forever be in service for power. Be it magic, or some badass glowing sword of daylight with matching armor staying in eternal service to their master for all of time, to becoming masterful at what you want”  
“and you believe the trollhunters warlocks?”  
“well, think about it. I mean, look at all of you, look around, look at the world, look at your feats and memories. You are warlocks. Sometimes a warlock is born into a deal, sometimes the warlock regrets their actions or decides to say fuck it and run forward. You became into eternal service now and for all of time doing your job, you gained powers and magical items for it, its a duty passed onto one another troll after troll, each one still in service after death aka right here. Just saying, being a warlock is cool. Make a deal, seal the contract, boom”  
“the trollhunters amulet is more complex than just this….concept”  
“mmmhhmmm. Well as for the paladins, they are...hmm...okay, so clerics are a type of person that devotes their life to a single god or multiple ones, either way they do rituals and prayers and whatever would please their divine figure. A paladin is the same, except instead of sit around praying, they’re out decapitating others and smiting the enemies of their god to please them. Imbued with holy powers and a job to do. Usually using some big weapon and heavily armored and always going into action. Almost all paladins are lawful good, they go around, killing enemies, protecting the innocent and small, making a name for themselves, becoming true heroes, that sort of thing. See what I meant by all you guys sounding like both of them?”  
“yes. I can see your perspective on it. Although I still don’t think it’s as simple as that. Lawful good?”

“yeah! So the alignment chart. it’s pretty simple. You have neutral, lawful, and chaotic, you have neutrual, good, and evil. Nine character personalities. Pretty self explanatory. Lawful people who believe in withholding honor and law, justice and such. Chaotic people are ones who do whatever they want, maybe for the simple sake of chaos, making nothing but possible destruction in their path and watching everything turn onto itself. Neutral are….well….themselves. They don’t go one way or the other, usually just minding their own business. Then you have netural, same as I just said, good and evil. I don’t have to explain good and evil people. So usually you’re two. Trollhunters would be seen as lawful good, since you’re all going around helping everyone and shit. Doing the law and whatever. Although life isn’t black and white. Its far too complex to really do any sort of blanket statements. you’re rules, your life, you consider yourselves just and holy. What about a culture who thinks killing and violence are acts of ultimate sin? you’d be seen as pure evil to them. WHO gets to decide what’s wrong or right?

 

Lawful neutral people are law and absolute order. Nothing else matters but the words spoken. No life is more important that the law. Oppression and being a despot is easy to do. Enforce your words, and have your followers do the same. Go against it, and be severely punished. Lawful evil? Well that’s similar but with more cruel purposes. You use the law to gain for yourself. You twist words and technicalities to fit you and only you. You use loopholes and exploit others until you’re at the very top. Greed, a lust for power and authority, wanting to be prideful, it’s all there. Life is their for the taking, who else matters but you? For example. Someone is told NOT to kill someone. Well, they don’t. They just so happen to move a rock that then has a large cart run downhill that crashes into a building that then crushes the person killing them. Hey, you followed the rules, you NEVER killed them! You did exactly what you were supposed to do. All you did was move a rock. you’re innocent in every way.

 

Chaos. It is disorder and unruly, untamed and wild, fun and creative. Chaotic people do what they want to do whenever they feel like it. Not being bound or restrained. They are their own being. They follow their whims, it isn’t necessarily evil, or good for that matter. Maybe you don’t like someone who’s harmed another. So you have their home burn around them until nothing but ash and bone are left. Is that good? Is that evil? You killed someone who harms others, by doing a seemingly evil act. Chaotic good, rejoice! The hero has arrived! Or are they a villain? Chaotic good people say fuck it to rules! Doing what’s best in that moment! Someones about to be murdered, you have to save the person by breaking up the fight! The law says if you have any complaints or worries, you must alert the police first. Doing so would take too much time, you can save a life right here and now! Well, you just broke the law. Is that truly a good thing? If you did follow the law, the murder happened and you did nothing but file a complaint about it, is that good since you didn’t break the rules? You let someone die though, just to follow what’s right. Someones committed a serious act of evil, the worst of the worst. They aren’t to be arrested though because there is technically no clear evidence to prove they did all those things. You know it though, you saw it! You try to convince others but they won’t listen since you have no evidence! So? You break into their home when no one is around, you find proof and show it. It is absolute proof and can never be doubted, but you broke the law and did what went against the society, the evil person is let go without any charges even IF they have the evidence. Because you got it in a way that is considered bad, so they can’t use it against the person. Do whats right when it’s right because it needs to be done. Who else will save all those people? You can, so you will.

 

Chaotic evil is well, the easiest to say. You do horrible acts simply because you felt like it. You watch an entire village burn to the ground and laugh at it, you did it because you thought it would be funny! You stole from a children’s charity because you wanted the money, who else matters but you and what you want? Destruction and violence, doing whatever you want whenever however. What if someone high up like a ruler, hires them to go kill and destroy the rulers enemies, you’ve served the king and the rival village is dead. They see it as good, so did you do a good act? Or did it just happen to be something along side your reward, without caring what they thought. True neutral is just that. You don’t go out of your way to bother with anything. You aren’t lazy, or maybe you are. You just want to watch out for yourself or let others figure it out. You heard about a murder from the news, you don’t care about praising the murderer or demanding justice and the murderer to be hunted down. You just stick to yourself and keep yourself safe. doesn’t mean you won’t help someone when they need it, you just stick to your own path and try to let the world deal with itself, as long as it doesn’t involve you.

 

Neutral good is you usually stay to yourself, maybe you go across the street and help an elderly person to where they want to go, making sure they’re safe, knowing they can’t defend themselves as good as they used to. You toss a coin or two too that children's charity. You help someone carry something when they need it. You don’t go out of your way to help others, you just help with small things or with what you want at that moment. You aren’t jumping into the burning building to save the people in it, you help the ones outside of the fire to get to safety. Neutral evil is the opposite. You don’t go out of your way to do evil acts. You don’t go rob someone for money, maybe when someone isn’t looking you steal a coin or two from an open wallet. Maybe you cut in line when you aren’t supposed to. Maybe you do something that isn’t extreme but isn’t smiled upon. And well that’s the alignment chart. BUT like I said, life isn’t black and white. Life is morally gray in general. Who’s says who’s right and who’s wrong? Everyone has their own viewpoint. Now this might seem offensive and I truly don’t mean it to be buuut this is just a perfect example that you could easily understand.

 

The gumm-gumm’s. They do what they do because-well I don’t have to explain it. They feel like they’re in the right. They know what’s best for trollkind. All of the good trolls are wrong, the villains. They don’t care about trollkind other than surviving on their own, living next to humans. Trolls are better by nature. They should be the ones to own the world, it’s only right. You were here first, and you will be here last. shouldn’t the world belong to the oldest child? Then look at all of you, they’re evil and do terrible things. They don’t do whats good for trollkind. They just ruin things and cause nothing but destruction, they just take and claim it’s for the best of all trolls, crushing anyone underfoot who stands in their way. Meanwhile all the good trolls try to live side by side. You stay on your side I’ll stay on mine, we don’t have to like each other but we leave each other alone. Well you get what I’m saying right? Life is weird, strange, complicated, hard to describe. Everyone sees everything in their own way.

 

Although I really am curious, who were the first two that fucked to make half trolls? Good trolls? Or gumm-gumms? Love is what took over, and hot bed breaking name screaming sex of course. Maaaan whoever had the first half troll must have freaked the fuck out, not even knowing what the hell they were, then more of us popped up and here I am! Peek a boo. Was it a single line that split off? Like a tree growing out branches, all started from a single seed. Or was it random pop ups here and there, randomly born, having nothing to do with one another. My mom was a half troll, I’m a half troll, hell my kid might be a half troll. So maybe lines are created but in their own way”

 

A lot of the trollhunters mumbled to themselves, many trying to understand what Jim said. Either he made sense at some parts and then none at all. Or nonsense in general, or all of it was true and everything in between. Jim did speak a lot of interesting things. A lot of them being what the past trollhunters have wondered themselves. One thing that was the usual consensus was how TF does a half troll know all this?! He shouldn’t be smart enough to understand anything more than sword polishing!

 

“you make a lot of good points Jim. Yes good just like that. A lot of us have wondered the same things over our entire lifetimes, yet you just spoke about all that aloud in one go”  
“well, human side of the brain. All of you really should pick up a human philosophy book sometime. The more recent the better. Humans are far more advanced than back in any of your times. They have bigger thoughts than you might think”  
“perhaps I’ll look into one myself one day. Good Jim just like that. I don’t want to overwhelm you, but remember, combat is ever changing. Sometimes your enemy might be a single individual, or multiple at times.”  
“yeah, you might be the hunter, or the hunted. it’s always good to know your footing and your entire environment at all times, knowing when and where to step and being aware of what’s going on around you and what you can do and use to your own advantage. Never be picking up bad habits or even be too used to any single place at a time. Life will always throw various dangers at you, completely unpredictable and random possibly so you need to expect the unexpected. Maybe you might fight in a desert or tundra or inner city. You need to have a set mind to be flexible and enduring as well as making sure you know when to change and how to change when you need to. don’t be stubborn like a brick and crack, be flexible like water, changing to your environment as need fits it. Always be able to know where and when to fight, fighting and killing isn’t always the best answer, maybe the simplest at the time, but there are always better ways to resolve conflicts than just swinging a weapon around. Like black mail, or extortion. Or trickery. Or setting up false evidence to get someone out of the way so your plans bear fruit far easier. Or be nice to others and persuade them. Anything works really, depending on where you are at what time and who you’re dealing with. Know your audience!”

 

Kanjigar suddenly stopped and felt shocked  
“yes Jim...that’s...all very true….how did you know all that? We spend our entire lives training and understanding all that, yet once again you spoke entire lives and wisdom in a single go”  
“like I said. Humans pick up on things far far faster than any troll does. Live around humans, you learn soooo many tricks and ideas, mindsets and mannerisms. Trolls will focus on one thought at a time, meanwhile humans have already dedicated entire lifetimes to various ideas. Humans spread information around like a virus especially now with the internet. Now THAT is waaayyyy to complicated to explain. it’s sorta….hmm...a place you access where many things are put on their to be viewed. Well, it’s not nearly that simple” Kanjigar smiled  
“you’re doing so good Jim”  
“thanks! I am a fast learner afer-SNEAK ATTACK!” Jim swung quickly and much harder, although obviously noticeable, Kanjigar easily deflected it and knocked Jim’s sword out of his hand  
“awww, thought I had you!”  
“i wouldn’t yell sneak attack right before attempting to attack. Somewhat does alarm your opponent to what your current decision is”  
“yeah but I wanted to be funny!”  
“humor and battle isn’t always something that goes well together”  
“hey! When it comes down to it, I will easily survive well past my first day when I have to start fighting others!”

As Jim went over to pick up his ghost sword he heard   
‘doubt it’ muttered quietly  
“who’s doubting me and my soon to be glorious abilities? Wait. I know you don’t I?...ohh you’re Unkat...undone...undo button. Ctrl Alt Delete”  
“IT’S UNKAR YOU PEASANT!”  
“i am NO PEASANT! I am a high class hoe. there’s a difference”  
“you are not a farming tool”  
“nope! Hoe just means something else now haha, soooo whyyy do YOU doubt me? Hmm?”  
“you’re a half troll! No half troll has ever been able to accomplish what you’re trying to!”  
“which is exactly why I’ll be able to do it. Things have always been done by one person who helps to start it. Someone does, and will. And that someone will be me”  
“ha, I’m eager to watch you try”  
“listen uncle undo-”  
“UNKAR”  
“isn’t that what I just said?”  
“NO!”  
“sorry underwater I promise to speak it perfectly next time”  
“YOU JUST DID IT AGAIN!”  
“did what?”  
“YOU KNOW WH-OHHH YOU’RE INFURIATING!”  
“why? What did I do wrong?” Jim said with a small smug grin. Even some of the other trollhunters chuckled a bit

 

“he truly is like Angus”  
“he’s an annoying half troll Deya!”  
“anyways Unkar the stud muffin, you don’t really have the right to talk shit doooo you? I don’t want to make fun of you, it’s not nice to bring up people’s shitty pasts, I know I try not to at least. But so far, my skill has….sorta bested yours”  
“UNK-oh wait you did say it...hm…i kinda like that….how dare you! I am a trollhunter! don’t speak such ways to your better!”  
“well, I’ve lived longer in the service than you have in your trollhunting service. I wasn’t exactly ripped limb from limb by Bular. I remember him telling me that. We where having lunch...why was it important….ohhh yeah! I was eating hot dogs for the first time. Nice night that was”  
“what do you MEAN he told you?”  
“i meant my fathers adviser! Oh noo but I sure did mean Bular! We have lunch every so often actually. I’m secretly his pen pal and we write back and forth a lot!”

 

Unkar was beyond furious, some trollhunters didn’t care, others snickered at how such a tiny pathetic thing as a half troll was getting on the nerves of someone far better than him!  
“Kanjigar! Do something about him! Punish him! He is yours!”  
“you’re right. He is” Kanjigar said, trying to hide his own chuckling smile  
“Jim. Down. No more joking.”  
“wait I was joking? I thought I was telling the truth”  
“this half troll knows exactly what he’s doing!” One of the trollhunters chuckled out  
“Unkar. Why are you letting such a tiny thing get to you? it’s nothing more than a child trying to get on your nerves. Ignore him.”  
“classic Unkar”  
“UGH ALL OF YOU! I WISH THAT IF I WERE TROLLHUNTER I WOULD SHOW ALL OF YOU UP!”

 

Jim casually twirled his sword around and then let it fall out of his grasp ‘by accident’ then smiled over at the agitated troll  
“careful what you wish for”  
“oh what do YOU know about wishes?”  
“i know to be careful”  
“oh like you know about being careful!?”  
“yes. Why don’t I tell you a nice little story. All of you might enjoy it. Pay close attention though, I won’t be repeating myself. Ahem. Once, long long ago, there were two tribes of humans. let’s just call them tribe a and tribe b. The two tribes had been fighting it out for centuries, generation after generation and so on. The reason for the fighting and arguing had been far far forgotten, they only knew they had to. The leader of tribe a got sick an tired of the fighting, the bloodshed, the hatred. She wanted to end everything once and for all. She found a way to summon a powerful entity. I don’t know his name, but he was very very powerful and made deals with anyone who wanted to. He always filled his end of the deal, no matter what. He never went against his word.

She summoned him and demanded he make a deal with her. He said sure, nothings stopping him from doing it, that was what he does. He asked her what she wanted, he could grant the deal maker anything from the smallest of wanting to simply impress someone, to the largest of gaining an entire kingdom for themselves. He said that even HE had to follow certain rules. He could do many things, even unshakle fate itself. Rewriting history of the person as he saw fit, it would all have a terrible chain reaction though, but that’s something entirely different that I won’t go into. She said she wanted to make a deal. She wanted to finally end the war. The fighting. The bloodshed. All of it. He asked how so, was their any specific way it had to be done? She replied no, just make it happen. He warned her to be careful with her wording, words and deals are very very dangerous when used incorrectly. She said she understood. She said she wanted her tribe to win. Her tribe the only one standing. The entire other tribe to be wiped out, none left living. She wanted to be the winner of it all. Finally end all the violence from now until all of time. He warned her, that was a very big thing to make a deal out of. The price would be immense. She said she didn’t care, she was willing to pay ANY price for her wish to be granted. He warned her again about her wording. She said she knew what she was doing.

 

So, she made a deal. It was official. He told her that tomorrow morning, her wish would be granted. His deal would be finished. The business to be done. She asked him what payment he required, he said he will get it tomorrow. So, the next morning came. She awoke to hear silence. Peace and quiet. The first time she’s ever truly heard it in her life. No screams or cries, no death wails or feral rages. Quiet and peace finally was brought to the land. She left her war tent and looked at the battlefield. The entire rival tribe had been wiped out. Each and every single member, dead on the ground. The soldiers. The men. The women. The children. The babies. Everyone.

 

THAT wasn’t what horrified her. What horrified her was that they weren’t the ONLY ones affected by the deal. Far more bodies had been dead. It was her tribe. Everyone dead on the ground. The soldiers. The men. The women. The children. The babies. Everyone. She DEMANDED the entity show himself. He did. She screamed at him, this wasn’t what she wanted! He lied to her!

 

He never did. He told her, he warned her multiple times. He had to follow the rules. She wasn’t specific. She got exactly what she wanted. She was the winner. Her tribe had won. The violence finally ended from now until all of time. She was the one and only winner. Just like she asked. Being the last alive, her tribe had one technically. Only she was left standing. She fell to her knees and cried. The entity left. And the only sound that could be heard, were her wails of agony. That night, she killed herself. Unable to live with the guilt that all life was snuffed out because of what she did. The deal was already over, so what was the entity’s payment? Each and every individuals souls. Each and everyone of them. Eventually the bodies decomposed, the tribes homes ransacked and picked over by scavengers, the history and memories forgotten, then entire place, vanished from all memories and thoughts, history itself.

 

So yes. I know when to be very specific, and very careful for when I truly am making a wish, and not just making a joke. My fathers adviser told me this story. He found half burned almost destroyed documents somewhere in Europe, deep deep in some underground abandoned vault. I always wanted to go spelunking, find some ancient super forgotten temple of whatever, find some super cool magic sword or some spell or something neat”

 

Unkar was at a loss for words. He was shown up. By a half troll. He was humiliated. He just vanished without another word. Kanjigar patted Jim’s shoulder  
“Jim, you truly are far more wise than I take you for. You really are smarter than I thought of you. Not for being a half troll, but for being young and inexperienced. I should stop thinking you some small fragile thing. You really are stronger than you look, and will be even stronger by my side. I promise. As long as we are together, I will help you accomplish your dream. As long as I am in your life, I will love and support you. If you and my son truly do become official mates, I will support and love it. My two favorite people coming together to love one another while being by my side. A true wonderful little family. I could wish for nothing greater. You said you were afraid you might make some mistake that would change my heart, change the way I see you, change the way I love you. No matter what, no matter the mistake, I won’t stop loving you or caring for you. I will always be there to help pick you up and bring you home. There will never be a day where I don’t care for you” Jim felt so emotionally confused by that. Once again he was so happy, but hearing the end of it……

Jim smiled and his eyes started to water  
“alright, enough. that’s big guy but please don’t make my emotions flare up again, I just got stable, I don’t need another break down. I’ve had waaayyy too many for one day”  
“i agree. Do you want to still practice?”  
“honestly. I just want to lay in my nest and rest without worrying about the future. I want to lay down and just eat something, god I’m hungry”  
“now that, sounds like paradise to me, let’s go home then”  
“cool, guess we go how we came in, right?  
“suppose so”  
“alright, bye everyone! It was fun! Kinda. I sure do hope to come back here and talk more! Oh I can’t wait to impress all of you, especially you Deya, and Uncle underwater”  
“IT’S UNKAR! UNKAR UNKAR UNKAR!” a voice distantly shouted making some of the trollhunters chuckle. Deya came over and gave Jim one last hug and pet  
“goodbye Jim. I wish you could have met Angus. You two are both so much alike. Although if you two were to meet. I fear you two might be far more trouble than anything any trollhunter could handle”  
“sounds fun! I promise to be the biggest pain to Kanjigar, I’m really going to strain your will!”  
“well. don’t I look forward to that. Goodbye Deya, goodbye all”  
“alright enough sappy goodbye stuff this isn’t some end to some emotional movie” Kanjigar stuck his hand into the strange totem as Jim grabbed his other hand. Suddenly they all saw Jim flash bright gold and cry in pain as they came back to the living world. The various trollhunters spoke to one another

“uh…...huh…...anyone else see that?”  
“that half troll isn’t usual”  
“i like him! he’s funny!”  
“he’s annoying. And stupid. And small”  
“he could be Boraz jr jr practically!”  
“I truly am not sure if he really is Angus reincarnated somehow ha!”  
“The half troll needs to learn some manners. Give Kanjigar a whip and a willpower for once.”  
“in his vision. The voice. The images. The light he just made. It seems familiar…..very familiar”  
“it does, doesn’t it?”  
“he knew a strange amount of gumm-gumm history.”  
“he spoke of them almost fondly”  
“his father seems similar to one”  
“the hum and song.”  
“he said Bular and him spoke often”  
“are alll of you that stupid? How are you going to believe that? There is plenty of lost history in the world. Gumm-gumms and their history was almost destroyed by so many different trolls, finding some long lost document about them isn’t very surprising. His father seemed more like some krubera than anything. Not like he’s the only large black dark voiced troll that lives. He didn’t speak fondly, he was just in a chipper mood for the most part. He was making a jest at you Unkar, if that wasn’t obvious. As far as the hum and song, his explanation made sense. There, that clear everything up?”  
“i believe her”  
“me too”  
“agreed”  
“Unkar was being a center of a jest. Something I enjoyed”  
“I RESENT THAT!”

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Jim shook his arm again in pain. He blew on it like it was on fire. He did a small panicked dance, worried that the fire might spread a bit. He was fine after a few moments. It hurt just as much going in as it did going out.  
“are you alright Jim?”  
“yeah. Just really fucking hurt”  
“hm. I wonder why”  
“pleassee let’s just go, I don’t want to think, I want to collapse into my nest”  
“that sounds perfect. Come my little half troll, walk by your masters side once more”  
“yes my wonderful trollhunter!” they shared a laugh before heading home


	39. Date the mate. Mate the date!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting steamy! passion flares! love is in the air! along with naughty voices. the river trolls are all perverts. then again, do YOU have any right to judge? everything ends sweetly....or perhaps horribly. only the future may tell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few things. first, saw a picture of a man wearing a shirt with gun on it. holding a baby with 'son of a gun' on his shirt. so i LOVE the imagine of Gunmar wearing a shirt 'Gun!' with Bular next to him 'Son of a Gun!' and Jim next to him 'Smaller son of a Gun!' Smol son!  
> also just shirt jokes in general. the 'if lost please return' shirts i have multiple ideas. one is 'please return to kanjigar' jim wears and kanjigars own shirt says his name. draal has please return to jim, jim has his name. jim has one for toby and toby for jim, although they honestly could go either way. please return to toby/jim
> 
> A dumb imagine in my head i can't stop laughing at. Arrrg making that one face (you know the one) while wearing the infinity gauntlet as Ocean man plays in the background in chipmunk voice
> 
> alright. serious time.  
> look. we need to talk. here have a seat. want anything? no? cause it's no hassle. alright well if you need anything just ask. anyways, we need to have a talk. one on one. writer to reader. this isn't you, it's me. I've said things and made promises and have yet to deliver them. you've had your hopes up and it was just cruel to keep them up like that without giving in. I really am not the best at this. so I'm just going to say it. i did in fact write smut in this, shocking right? thing is, like I've said before in various other things, i have a hard time writing it. i only can imagine and say so many things until it just becomes repetitive! once I've used up all the ammo in my gun, I've got nothin! i just don't want to seem like I'm copy paste over and over. so, enjoy it! i just can never keep writing smut well without just using the same exact things! i mean, you can only say cock and fuck so many times without it getting boring! you can only suck a dick so many ways! well anyways, enjoy the love making

Seven of swords

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A small child gasped, hardly in her late 70’s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She ran up over to an adult half troll sitting under a tree, watching the sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“um. Excuse me….are you...Jim?”

 

Jim smirked without looking away from the puffy clouds changing colors with the sky  
“yeah. I am”  
“wow! I can’t believe it! I mean, you’re amazing!”  
“am I? I don’t think so myself personally”  
“but you are! you’ve done so many cool things! you’ve saved everyone and the world and did lots of neat stuff to help people!”  
“i suppose I have. I don’t think myself a hero though”  
“but you are!”  
“what makes you think I am little one?”  
“because you’re amazing! you’ve done so many amazing things like I said! you’ve helped others, you’ve helped our kind! you’ve helped the world! You were by Kanjigar the courageous throughout the entire thing until..” Jim frowned a bit, his eyes saddened  
“I’m sorry for bringing that up...i...shouldn’t have...”  
“it’s…..fine.”  
“is it okay if I….sit...next to you?” Jim’s smile grew once more  
“okay” he patted the grass next to him, she grew the biggest smile and sat  
“you’re my hero! I want to be like you one day!”  
“i don’t think you want to do the things I’ve done. Life is…..it isn’t fair”  
“but you made it for us!”  
“not….as much as I hoped”  
“you are still amazing, even if you don’t do as much” Jim giggled a bit and looked at her  
“life will take a lot from you. Push you around. Make sacrifices. If you want to be a hero like me, do small things first”

 

Her expression turned into bewilderment as she looked at him  
“is that…..Gunm-”  
“shhhh shh sh sh. We don’t talk about him”  
“that’s….his eye though? Like the rumors and such” Jim blinked. His right eye. Scarred over. His eye, solid crystal and glowing  
“it is”  
“so...you really are his son?”  
“yes…..i am”  
“the stories are true….but….you’re still a hero and that’s all that matters! I still love you no matter what”  
“you remind me of my son. He can be grumpy, but he has a lot of love to give. he’s a wild child like I was”  
“i…..i want to ask something...”  
“what is it?”  
“about….him”  
“oh? Well ask away, he’s really friendly, I’m sure you can ask him yourself”  
“no not him...but….HIM” Jim’s expression completely changed into sorrow, with an undertone of resentment. He turned back to the fading sunset and focused solely on that”  
“. ask.”  
“did…….you…...”  
“i did.”  
“i wasn’t sure, some say Kanjigar did”  
“no. I did. I had to.”  
“because he died” Jim’s heart started to hurt. He took a shaky breath  
“yes. He died before he could. So I had to.”

 

“I’m sorry for hurting you”  
“no….no it’s alright…..I….still need to learn how to move on. you’ve helped me if anything”  
“Can I….hug you?” Jim started to giggle and his mood went back to happiness  
“yes little one, you can” She hugged him tightly and he hugged her back  
“thank you for everything. If I can be like you, I will. I’ll start small and work my way up when I’m older”  
“good. that’s good to hear”

 

A distant voice called out a name  
“oh! that’s my mother, I need to go”  
“farewell” Jim watched the little half troll scamper off.  
“another half troll, thanking me. Pretty sweet huh Tobes?” Jim said to himself as he held a necklace close to his chest. A smooth rounded flat circle of bone, a hole in the center with some crystals sprouting from it, almost looking like a sun

 

“come on, let’s get going, when the sun goes down it’s time for fun on the town” Jim got up and brushed himself off then walked to a nearby large slab of stone up against a tree, he opened a portal and stepped through…

…………………………………….……………………………

 

“You home?” Jim called out into a large cave home  
“I’m in here” a voice replied. Jim walked into the armory within the home, walls decorated with various weapons all polished and clean, sharpened to a fine point. Some having cracks and signs of battle damage  
“hello~”  
“hello Jim” Draal turned around, closing a case holding an ax. He walked up and kissed Jim  
“you are looking more beautiful every time I see you”  
“thanks, alright enough sappy words, let’s go out and have fun”  
“yes, a nice family night would be good. Where is our son?”  
“off with his friends” Draal snorted and grumbled  
“he should be here with his family”  
“oh come on big guy! Let him have his fun! He needs to be with his friends, besides, you know who’s there~ like he’s going to pass up a chance to be around him”  
“i don’t see why he doesn’t just confess his affection”  
“You know he’s shy about that stuff”  
“he’s Blinky and Arrrg’s son, they know each other well enough, our son shouldn’t need to be so shy around him”  
“you know he is, their son is almost twice his size, of course he’s going to be shy”  
“i understand why he won’t just let me teach him how to confess love”  
“you’re an alpha troll, he’s an omega half troll like me, he won’t act like you”  
“i know.”  
“ease up on him, he doesn’t want to be some big burly warrior like you and your father”  
“i wanted a son who could kill by my side”  
“three generations of warriors huh? he’s sensitive, let him be sweet and gentle”  
“and as insane as you”  
“he is my son. Speaking of fathers, want to head over to the forge? Visit him?”  
“no, I was training with him earlier, no need. We should be having a family night.”  
“Well look at the bright side. Just me and you~ all alone~” Jim started to purr and rub Draal’s chest, tracing the patters and battle scars  
“hmmm….i do enjoy that….”  
“he won’t be back until early morning~”  
“our son stays out too late”  
“to be fair almost all his friends are trolls, remember?”  
“hm. Fine. Lets go about trollmarket on our own date then”  
“exactly, maybe tonight we can even have some personal time~”  
“i haven’t bred you since this morning. hm. Alright. I want to be on top this time”  
“really like doggy style don’t you?”  
“i still don’t understand why you call it that”  
“does it really matter to you?”  
“yes”  
“well, want to play our little game? Your favorite~”  
“trollhunter captures the gumm-gumm who will do anything to not be killed? Mmmhh~ my favorite indeed”  
“knew you would, a little treat just for you~”

 

“Speaking of this morning, how did your time with Angor rot go?”  
“good, still tending to his little farm”  
“i swear each time I visit him he has another animal”  
“you know he loves to adopt and care for them”  
“his aviary takes up half his space”  
“you know how much he loves birds, as well as his doves. Oh speaking of which, Vendel wants to complain to you about our son and somehow unleashing and entire swarm of gnomes in his heartstone chamber”  
“Very well, let’s stop there first”  
“good, I need some heartstone anyways, I’m starting to get migraines again”  
“i think he’s already chipped off a few pieces for you recently, I should have brought them home so you wouldn’t keep suffering”  
“well, no big deal, we’re about to go there anyways, a nice pre meal before we get actual food” Jim patted Draal’s chest before turning around and walking out of the room, he looked back  
“coming?” Draal grinned and reached for the amulet  
“i don’t think you need to bring it this time, we’re just going out on a date. No one has ever tried to steal or harm it”  
“what if someone requests my aid?”  
“we’ll just pretend we didn’t hear them”  
“fine. Unless it’s important”  
“of course. Now, let’s go see dear old goat, grab some of my food, then enjoy our date…..”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………………………….

 

A time to be sappy, because you are happy.

oh my sweet boy, you’ve got nothing but joy.

At the roads end, you did not mend.

The time and date, had forgone your fate.

Your father will be missed, because you had been kissed.

For out of all these ends, you’re surrounded by friends.

At the start it was nothing but sour, now everything is as colorful as a flower.

Your life has pain that became sweet, so that’s pretty cool and neat.

Your family had become broken, and a new one awoken.

Emotions did rain, and brought nothing but pain.

You did in fact mourn, but you had been reborn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love for above, below was disposed of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One road was traveled. And this was the end. But remember the split had a very big bend.

It isn’t over, at least not now.

A different road could be chosen.

Would this be the path you take? Or another…..

………………………………………………………………..

In the present path…  
At the current time…  
In the present time…  
At the current path…

……………………………………………………………..

 

 

 

 

Jim ran into the home, first thing he did was look Toby into the eyes. Toby just smiled and did a little wave  
“hi Jim”  
“YOU!” Jim tackled Toby to the floor  
“NEVER TALK ABOUT MY K-POP EVER AGAIN!”  
“w-what?!”  
“YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DUMB BITCH!” Jim got up off the ground and picked Toby up, then made an ‘I’m watching you’ gesture. Jim turned around and purred looking at Draal  
“well. Finally. You and I can spend some time together without being in a cage or on trial for murder” Draal growled back a little  
“i would desire nothing else most in my life” Jim started to run his claws down Draal’s chest a little causing the troll to growl a bit more intense with pleasure  
“you always do love that”  
“i do”  
“even better after. Just like always”  
“would we….doing as we do?”  
“ohhh yeah. This day has been hell. All I want to do is spend time with you for the rest of it. That will make everything worth the pain”  
“i truly am sorry you had to go through so much today. Toby had told me of your emotions. How you felt when I wasn’t around. I...regret not trying to help you.”  
“nothing you could have done big guy”  
“yes but….back at the trial...the end of it….you seemed so...erm….i….i wanted to help but….i just didn’t know if I would have been helpful. I’m not good at handling vulnerable emotions” Draal huffed through his nose and looked to the ground. Jim smiled and moved his head back up gently with a loving voice  
“you? Being able to be emotional? Not something I’d imagine to be your strong suit. everything’s alright. I wanted alone time. Some quiet time. I got it, and I’m better-ish. that’s in the past. Next time you see me upset, come sit by me. You don’t have to say anything. I just would love you being next to me”

 

“i promise, I will next time” the two looked into each others eyes with relaxed expressions wordlessly for a good amount of time. Meanwhile Toby was on the other end of the table feeling like a very awkward third wheel. He was afraid that getting up or talking would ruin their mood, but sitting there doing nothing in silence also seemed bad. Usually he and Jim were together, being the third wheels in relationships, now, Toby was alone and truly a third wheel like most others typically were. Jim leaned in for a kiss, Draal meeting him halfway. The world was gone. Jim finally felt truly relaxed for the first time that entire day. He pulled off and said quietly, almost in a whisper  
“i really missed you”  
“i missed you too”  
“for the rest of the day, you and I are spending it together. No interruptions”  
“suddenly making a command?” they both smiled at one another  
“yes. I am. This little half troll is commanding the big studly blue bull to spend the rest of the day with me. End of discussion”  
“Well, you’ve convinced me. No point in retaliating”  
“didn’t think you’d give in so easily”  
“i don’t. I never loose. When I do, I make sure to learn from my mistakes. I simply think this as an act of goodwill”  
“goodwill huh? Funny. Why is this half troll receiving an act of goodwill from his better?”  
“didn’t know we could make jests like that. Alright, well this troll thought he would be kind enough to let the meager half troll taste victory for the first time in his life”  
“oh I’m going to be tasting a lot more than victory.”  
“suppose you’ll have to earn your prize at the end though, nothing’s free, even if I let you have a taste of victory, you have to show me you’ve earned it”  
“i can easily prove to you I’ve earned my prize fully”  
“mmmh...i like this talk….it makes me stir for you, both heart and body”  
“you were so close to me at the trial, must have been killing you. I noticed how my heats gotten to you”  
“yes. It was a test of will not to rip that cage open and take you”  
“never had an audience before. Maybe you should have”

 

Toby’s phone went off and he silenced it as quick as he could, smiling awkwardly with a matching laugh when the two turned to him  
“sorry for...ruining your moment...this is awkward...I’ll go”  
“nah it’s fine. Draal and I are taking off”  
“what are we taking off?”  
“it means we’re leaving”  
“We are?”  
“yeah we are. I have a lot I want to do with you. Most of the more private things at the end. First, a little romantic date”  
“sounds nothing short of a dream manifested in our world”  
“mh~ anyways Tobes, hangout with Kanjigar, get to know each other, he really wants to, don’t worry he won’t be weird”  
“you got it Jimbo, have fun! don’t come home too late you to! Be safe!”

……………………………………………………………………………..

Currently the two went for a nice stroll through the forest! Everything was fresh and wet, nice and clean. The rain had let up for the most part, it was still heavily cloudy with the occasional drizzle. Currently Draal was pushing Jim up against a tree softly, kissing and digging his nose into him.  
“mmhh~ you smell divine”  
“thanks big guy~”  
“your humans soaps smell so sweet. You smell so heavily of cats, and everything is mixed with your heat, I don’t think anything can top you”  
“you will be”  
“really? you’re the one who usually enjoys being on the top”  
“Easier to ride my bull that way” the two kissed more until Draal gently bit at Jim’s chest  
“AH~!”  
“did you enjoy that?”  
“y-yes!”  
“your friend told you some things you enjoy”  
“i know, I saw”  
“you did? How so?”  
“from the void~” Draal stopped and pulled away, looking into Jim’s eyes In bewilderment  
“the void?”  
“it’s a loong story...i…...” Jim didn’t want to bring anything up. It still stung terribly. He wasn’t ready to face it all, really sort through the mess and see what he wanted to see. no. Draal was important. He needed to know this. All of it. No matter how painful. It was only right…...wasn’t it?

………………………………………………………………….

Jim was cuddled onto Draal’s chest, feeling his back be rubbed. He told Draal everything. From the moment after the trial, to the moment he came into the cave. Draal sat there in silence, listening to every word well, never interrupting or questioning anything. Every time Jim got choked up, he waited for Jim to continue, no matter how long it took. After a good amount of time Jim was finished. He had cried a couple times. Small ones, but crying no less. Jim felt so...safe. He didn’t feel exposed and raw. He didn’t feel weak and useless. He felt strong. Protected. Being with Draal helped. Even more than Toby, but in a different way. Just like Toby was more comfortable than Draal was in certain moments. The two had sat down under a tree, watching the sun cross the sky, getting close to sunset. The rain fall here and there, on and off. The city just go by in itself like any other day. Jim tucked himself under Draal and felt his loving embrace. Draal’s heartbeat was so calming, strong, and warm. Jim’s never felt this type of affection before, it was so new. It was wonderful, and scary, and confusing, but so sweet and addicting. He almost wanted to say he wanted to stay, stop going to the darklands. Live with him then, until the end of his life. Raise a family, train, be by Kanjigars side, everything. All the voices of his family left his head.

 

It was hard to understand, Jim truly didn’t know what to make of everything. It was as if he was outside in the cold for so long he had gotten used to it, learned to survive in it. Now he suddenly came into a home and laid down next to a fireplace. So bright and warm, gently softening the cold’s painful touch. However, inside the house, he couldn’t be in the snow. He couldn’t live how he lived, he couldn’t play in it and enjoy what there was to enjoy. The cold and outside was pushed away, no longer surrounding him. It felt far more strange than even when he first came to the surface all those years ago. Jim wanted to go back outside, go to what he knows, what he grew up with, what he loves. Yet he wanted to stay in the cozy home, learn more about it, understand it. Spend the rest of his life by the warmth and comfort of the fireplace.

 

After talking aloud his problems and troubles, Jim did feel more at ease. Comforted. He didn’t feel alone in his heart. He felt like Draal was there, helping him stay above the dark waters. Keeping him alive, preventing him from getting lost in the dark. Jim had lived in that dark for far too long. He couldn’t come out of it. Even when he did….he missed it. He was so used to it for so long, he misses it. it’s all he ever knew. No, not right now at least. Now was the time to be with Draal, not getting stuck in his head, sink down into some ebony sludge the drowned everything else out.

Draal felt so strong, protective, safe. Jim enjoyed his scent. He wanted to keep knowing it. He wanted to be mates and have a child, get married and live a life of comfort and adventure. The only future Jim could think of was this one right now. It was the only one he wanted.  
“mmh~ there’s something so….comfortable with being next to a big bull like you~”  
“you are an omega. that’s your nature flaring up”  
“mmh well I love it~…..Draal”  
“yes?”  
“i…...i love you” Jim felt like saying it was like tasting poison, at least until he blurted it out. Like touching something you thought was going to hurt horribly, when really it didn’t hurt at all. Jim just...had to say it. His heart screamed it. Even more when he heard  
“i love you too Jim”  
“god I wish I….if...if anything happened….i need to be with you. If anything terrible in my life happens, I just….want to know if you’ll be there to help me”  
“of course. Whatever problem you have, I will help you deal with it. I don’t care how large or small. I want to protect you, help you in life, love you like no other can”  
“thank you Draal”  
“I truly want to help you accomplish your goal. Fulfill your greatest wish, make your dreams come true. I will do whatever it takes to help you bring everyone together”  
“thank you so much….i...feel kinda bad, like I’m taking up all our time together, only focusing on myself”  
“it’s fine. I want this, I’m glad I get to talk to you, hold you close, kiss you, tell you I love you. If these are the only words I spoke throughout our entire time, then I could die happy. If my final words were I love you, then nothing else I said after that could matter more, except...a….couple things”  
“like what?”  
“...asking….your...heart….in marriage”  
“And the other?”  
“to bear my a child”  
“Draal...i….want both. If my life were different. If….certain things weren’t happening to me. I would have done this already. We would be married and possibly have a child already on the way. Although, maybe I’d want to wait for a little bit. can’t adventure and train when I’m keeping someone else safe”  
“haha, that’s true. I wouldn’t want to take adventure and excitement out of your life”  
“one day, you’ll be a daddy. And me a mommy.” Jim closed his eyes and felt euphoria. Imagining his little whelp, holding hands with dear old mom and dad. The three of them walking through trollmarket. Having to teach them not to teethe on everything in sight. Jim wondered if their kid would be able to roll up into a ball. That would be a funny image, a little blue ball rolling around, bumping into things and knocking other things over. A little rollie pollie troll baby. Jim was already dreading any kind of back spikes. He hoped the baby wouldn’t inherit them. For more than one reason. Having to have way too many baby bags to carry around, if it were a half troll at least since humans and them need a shit ton of care. Jim smiled and giggled at the thought of hanging baby bags off of Draal’s horns, like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Jim humming to his child like his mother did for him. Watching dear daddy play with their child. The little baby running around headbutting everything and growling. Jim secretly wished to have a half troll child. Give them the childhood Jim never had, same with his mother apparently. Maybe they were cursed not to have good childhoods, maybe their child wouldn’t have one.

 

No. Draal would never allow it. Even if for some reason Jim couldn’t be in their child’s life for….whatever….reason…..like his mother…...Draal would make sure their child would feel nothing but that warm tender love. Kanjigar too of course. Jim LOVED the image of the little kid running, or rolling, around annoying Vendel. Sneaking around, playing pranks to the old goat troll. Vendel complaining to Kanjigar, to which he would tell Draal and Jim to keep their child under control. Jim knew Draal would be fun and carefree, so was Jim, although Jim knew that in all technicality HE would be the fun parent, not Draal. Kanjigar, saying they have food at home, while Jim was chanting McDonalds, Draal would be half way between them. Jim watching Draal and Kanjigar train the child as they grew up more and more, Jim of course being there training and teaching too, but only in half trolls ways, how to REALLY have fun, as well as a good education. Jim wouldn’t be too upset if he inherited his fathers brains. Someone saying ‘so cute, you’ve got your mothers looks and your fathers brains’, although Jim wouldn’t know if it were a joke, a compliment, or something that would end up with a beat down for insulting their child. Jim already knew he would be protective like no other, even more than Draal would be. Their family all had good hearts and mindsets, to the child would be well off. Only problem would be pride. Kanjigar and Jim weren’t too boastful, Draal would talk about his acts and feats like no other. 

 

Earlier before the two left, they went to some kind of what Jim understood as a troll bar. Drinks were being passed around and cheered. Trolls talked among themselves, Draal was being loud and happy, a bit too loud and rowdy. Jim would need to make sure their child knew volume control and indoor voice. Jim rolled his eyes as Draal made another round of stories. Meanwhile he chugged back another mug of whatever green glop that filled them. Draal told Jim to try one, he might like it. It tasted as foul as it smelled. Jim gagged and spit it out after one mouthful. It was like liquid garbage, with some kind of unknown nasty spice, with sweat socks (knowing trolls there probably were in the mix), with the taste of some kind of decomposing animal (Jim pretended it wasn’t a cat or anything else, just pushed those thoughts out of his head), and finally mixed with durian

 

(oh. God. Has ANYONE READING THIS had durian? Oh god. It was awful. It was like a gross nasty tonsil stone fruit. It looks horrible, smells like god’s decomposed corpse, and the taste? It tasted like gasoline and crusty stale cheeto powder to me. Look those up, entire places ban the fruit from being even near them. Those fruits look like the god dam head of amygdala from bloodborne)

 

Jim heaved and coughed, needing ANYTHING to get the taste out of his mouth. Draal said a cat stand was nearby. Jim replied he’s tried cat. And had his guts clogged up and everything was horrible for the longest time. The other kinds of troll food were socks, trash, or gnomes even. Jim just ran back to the cave, not a word to Kanjigar or Toby who looked curious, chugged water and mouthwash, ate a tube of toothpaste, brushed his teeth quickly, drank more water, then left yelling quickly ‘glug, gross, cleanse!’

Back at the current time, Jim more than loved his little cuddle with Draal, but Jim knew he had to leave back home at night, or else his father…….his father…..brother…..darklands….gumm-gumm’s….changelings, world takeover, everything! Jim didn’t want to even think about that. He only told himself he needs to leave at night. that’s it. Nothing else beyond that. Nothing mattered but the here and now. So, off they went! Jim said he wanted to show Draal around the city! Take in some human things, something Draal is going to have to get use to whether he likes it or not. Draal joke complained, but that was about it.

 

First? Eating! THAT was something Draal liked! Although it hit Jim’s wallet. Hard. Oh well, he could just take a short trip to the chang-nope. Nothing mattered. He could withdrawal money some other time. From his atm. that’s it. Draal had an appetite that rivaled his brothers.

 

Jim smiled and loved to imagine the two having an eating competition. He honestly didn’t know who would win. Bular eats even more than their dad did. Between Draal and Bular, they could probably scarf down every bite of food that can be eaten. Jim always smiled, watching Bular at Jim’s birthday feast, eating at least almost 25% of the entire feast. Even their dad joked about not having any understanding as to where he got that appetite from. Not him, or his mother. Then that was the end of the conversation. No one asked for any more information, knowing better than to ever bring Bular’s mother up….Jim’s asked before when he was younger. Gunmar only growled out that she wasn’t to be talked about. Jim had to re focus himself, not going into his other life, and instead watch his possible future husband/baby’s daddy/mate/love of his life down half the entire menu at an outdoor restaurant. Jim noticed the mixture of horror, shock, astonishment, and even excitement on the nearby humans faces. Some of the workers made little bets, seeing if the troll could eat one of everything that they made. At this point, it was hard to even tell if Draal was almost full, to hardly eaten a single bite. All they knew was that they were making massive BANK. Someone said maybe they should start saying they serve trolls now. Jim of course showed he had more than enough money to pay for everything before Draal’s all consuming hunger happened, so no one complained. They actually started to pre make the other meals for Draal to eat without waiting. Ding. Draal did it. After giving a massive burp, some people actually clapped, Draal lifted up his arms in victory. Jim was actually taking videos and pictures of it. He loved how ridiculous it all was. He couldn’t wait for a whole life like this. After paying a SHITLOAD of money, saying thank you’s and goodbyes, they left.

 

The next thing? Coloring! Yep. Coloring. A somewhat fun test to see the limits of Draals imaginations. Jim already had the bar very very low. He wasn’t wrong either.

 

Jim had purchased a few coloring books, saying he and Draal were going to get creative. So after roughly 10 minutes of Draal breaking every crayon and colored pencil, along with every pen and marker, they were done! Jim wasn’t nearly as good an artist as his brother, but he wasn’t the worst! Okay yeah he was. Draal actually was better than he was. At least at drawing pictures. They each drew various things. They truly just went HAM on books and papers. Drawings were a mix of weapons, armor, random stick figures, penises (all drawn by Jim of course) little angry troll faces, and some troll writing. Draal and Jim just laughed at their pictures, then fed everything to each other. Draal ripping out a page and feeding it to Jim, Jim just grabbing an entire book and tossing it into Draal’s mouth, and so on. Jim had a fun idea of karaoke. He almost burst out laughing, imagining singing. Bular, Gunmar, Toby, Kanjigar, Draal, himself. Nothing but an absolute horror show.

 

The two walked around, played eye spy, and then 20 questions (both Draal was horrible at). Another thought came to mind, everyone playing laser tag. THAT would be a war zone of everyone betraying each other. Jim on the ground, Toby with a gun to Jim standing above him  
“We knew it would always end like this. It was only a matter of time”  
“I’ll see you in hell Toby!”

 

Paintball was another amazing idea. Man...he really wished everyone could just be one big stupid happy family. Why was he born a gumm-gumm? Why couldn’t Draal be born a gumm-gumm? He could easily become a hound like Arrrg. A champion in the ring. The perfect mate to Jim. Jim knew Gunmar would like Draal for being so deadly and bloodthirsty, with more than enough victories to prove it. He would truly be worthy of being mates with Jim.

 

No.

 

No more of that kind of thinking.

 

The two walked around and came by some open window fitness building. In the back was pole dancing. Draal wondered why they wouldn’t just finish climbing the pole instead of sliding back down on it. It didn’t look fun. Jim said it was fun and sexy~ maybe Jim should learn how and dance for Draal. Draal watched once more, trying to imagine Jim doing this. He thinks he might like it….

 

While the two walked Jim noticed walk down the street, having dinner with Barbara. Typically that wouldn’t be a problem, just a smile and wave as he passed. Now? If Walt saw Jim with someone from trollmarket….he couldn’t risk ANYONE finding out what he was doing. It didn’t matter if anyone knew anything at all. No one could know. So Jim quickly pulled Draal down a different street, saying that one was boring and they were running out of time. Which was true.

Jim slapped his forehead and groaned. He just found the perfect thing they could have done together. Training. It got them heated up before, why not now?! Draal said they could go to the forge, do so. Jim said they wouldn’t have time to go back and get ready and then actually do it, they still needed time to DO IT! Jim was NOT going back home without getting laid first! The sun was starting to peek itself out of the clouds, light painting itself on the world once more, right at the wrong moment. Draal was in the dead center of crossing the street when it hit him. Nothing to run and hide under. Jim had to help him run to the nearest thing. Only a tiny tree he barely fit under. He would still sting and burn from the slightest movements. Thankfully the sunlight went away after a minute. They took their chance and high tailed it out of there…

 

They decided to head to the forest and finish their fun there! Not much else they could do. couldn’t go to the movies, not just because the time, but because, well, giant troll with big horns. They couldn’t go eat, well Jim wasn’t hungry and Draal didn’t want to use up what little time they had left to stuff his face once more. There wasn’t much to do except go to the mall or the museum. And Jim was NOT taking him to the museum. Nomura. The mall was too far a walk, it wouldn’t take long but just long enough to have no time left. So, run off into the woods and be one with nature!

 

Jim showed Draal how to skip a stone across the water. Jim did it elegantly. Draal. Well not so much. He got the idea that you simply threw a stone at water, which was technically true, so what did he do? Pick up a huge rock almost as big as a garbage can, and hurl it into the river. A giant splash, water raining down on them, an angry river troll shouting at them, Draal shouted back, then everything was quiet again. The sunset was finally setting in. it was almost time to go. Jim and Draal sat under a tree cuddling, watching the sun go down. The colors across the sky changed so many different colors, the clouds formed and molded into the light almost. Everything was heavenly orange and purple. Blues and reds. They relaxed and watched until the last of the sun left the sky and night had officially begun.

 

“this...i….loved it Draal..so..so sooo much….i just wish we had more time for things. I want to watch movies with you, listen to music, just….spend time together”  
“the time spent together now, is all I could ever want. I would love for more, but for the time being I am more than thankful for you being here with me, being blessed that we had some time together”  
“wow…..same here…..not a good reply is it? Well you know what I mean”  
“i do”  
“wait, I just realized...i never asked YOU what your dreams are. You goal and everything. Everyone has one, at least I know for a fact you would totally have one”  
“that I do”  
“would you like to tell me?”  
“of course. My goal is to become the next trollhunter” Jim’s mood died as quickly as ice melted in a campfire  
“you….do?”  
“yes. It is my dream to take up the mantle when my father has fallen. I will mourn and grieve, but that is my wish. I would love to do him proud”  
“huh…..”  
“what’s wrong? I killed the mood again didn’t I? I always do this. Please, forgive me”  
“it’s…..alright….just….heavy to hear….not an everyday thing to ask, then again, mine isn’t either” Jim frowned and felt his mood start to die. All he could think was  
‘at least mine isn’t one where I’d be forced to kill you Draal’  
“do you...fear it has something to do...with...you?”  
“eh….yeah...kinda….it’s just...dangerous and so many want to kill the trollhunter”  
‘like my entire family and race’  
“yes, it isn’t safe, but I would be great at it. Far better than others, one day even surpassing my father”  
“yeah, you would be wonderful….”  
“this isn’t a life you want to have with me. Is it?”  
‘no’  
“uh...no...i….it’s dangerous….it just...scares me...”  
“that I may fall at any time, leaving you and our potential child to fend for your selves?”  
“YES! uh..yes….leaving us...from someone who….kills you….”

 

“i will see to it you will always be cared for, I have friends who would gladly give aid-”  
“no...no...not that...i mean that sounds wonderful but….i...i don’t know….if...you became my family….i wouldn’t have…….one anymore. My dad and brother would be gone...so would my uncles….Kanjigar obviously wouldn’t be around...then….you….I’d be all alone….I...” Jim started to get choked up. This entire life he imagined. Wanted. Suddenly it all seemed to come burning down around him. He would loose everyone….wouldn’t he?….no one…..

 

“this is morbid. I am sorry”  
“it’s alright….it’s…..let’s live right now, not the future, who knows, maybe I’ll become the next trollhunter!”  
“HA YEAH RIGHT! Uh oh uh, I didn’t mean..”  
“no it’s fine, I know what you meant. I would be the very first half troll”  
“and omega”  
“oh yeah, all trollhunters are alphas huh”  
“yes”  
“alright no more talking about that. let’s just look at the stars together”  
“i would love nothing more”

 

The two sat there in almost complete silence. Relaxing and feeling at ease once more. The stars shined and one even flew across the sky, it was almost colorful. Jim whispered something under his breath. Draal asked him what he said. Jim forgot about troll hearing. Dammit. How!?

 

“oh, there’s just this human thing of when you see a shooting star, make a wish and it might come true”  
“huh. Well, I wish to have nothing but a pure life with you”  
“what...if you DON’T become the next trollhunter?...sorry for bringing it back up...”  
“it’s alright. Hmm….then my only goal would be living with you, loving and embracing you, and our child of course. What do you wish for?” Jim wasn’t sure. It was weird, like his choice right now might somehow come true

“i wish…..i would find a way for us to be together. No matter what”  
“no matter what?”  
“no matter what. I will find a way, I will be with you”

They kissed and relaxed a bit more, watching the night….

………………………………………………………………………………..

Jim giggled as he looked down from a tall branch. Watching Draal go around, looking for clues. Jim knew he had to go home soon. So, it was time to get sinful! 

 

‘Forgive me Toby, but I must sin’

 

Jim didn’t want to just go at it and get it over with.

 

No.

 

He needed to really milk as much fun as he could out of this.

 

He hasn’t fucked in so long, he needs to have as much fun as he can get tonight.

 

He wanted to have a little fun beforehand~

 

Jim said that he wanted to forgo his ‘good will and victory’ from earlier. no. HE was the prize. Draal was to earn him.

 

Jim said it was a simple game. Find him, Draal gets him. Easy peasy.

 

Jim and Draal kissed and got a bit frisky before Jim said he gets a head start. Draal agreed, so Jim bounded off into the woods…

 

Jim would give Draal little ‘hints’ as to where he is. He would rub up against a tree, marking it with his heat to show Draal was going in the right direction. He would scratch things with his claws and nails too, really make sure the big guy could find him. It still….wasn’t that helpful. Jim had to hold back his laughter as he watched Draal constantly stumble around and get confused. Go back and forth and grunt in irritation. Jim couldn’t tell if it was because he couldn’t find Jim, or Jim was being too difficult to be found on purpose. Not like HE wasn’t pent up either. Unlike Jim, Draal has only had sex with a single individual for a great while now. it’s been centuries since he had an actual mate. He just never cared too deeply into it, with Jim? Jim woke something up inside his heart no other has done before. He was determined to keep Jim in his life no matter what.

Draal spat out in annoyance followed by a gruff  
“how is this so difficult?! Finding one little half troll omega in heat should be the easiest thing! Especially since nothing else is even around to dull it!” Draal knew the little half troll would stick to the trees. He looked everywhere but had no such luck. 

 

Earlier when Jim was making his little hint marks, a river troll was nearby and sniffing around, he saw Jim and started to move forward  
“hey-HEY! Shoo! Scram!”  
“mmhhh…..omega~”  
“no! Shoo! This heat isn’t for you! Huh that rhymed. STILL SHOO!”  
“hard to get. Fun.”  
“get lost!” Jim grabbed a few rocks and threw it at the river troll. It took a couple dozen before he finally backed off.  
“annoying omega. Not worth.”  
“yeah get lost! Go back to your river!” Jim threw one last rock before darting back into the tree tops.

 

Jim’s fuck time was running out and it was getting boring now. Jim shook some branches and threw a stick, pegging the troll on his head  
“pppssst. Little hint. I’m over here.” Jim laid on his stomach and made a little purr and wave  
“ah. There you are. I found you. Now come here and let me claim my prize”  
“aww~ what fun would that be? I had to give you a hint, a little tip to find me, so I could get your tip in exchange”  
“my little birdie is in a tree. Come here little birdie, I won’t bite”  
“Awww, but I want you to~”

 

Draal gave a strong dull growl as he looked up, sending shivers down Jim’s spine  
“come on big alpha, come get me~”  
“climb?!”  
“mmmhhhmmm” Jim said rubbing up on the tree  
“come on~ come get me!”  
“this is a joke right?”  
“I’m as serious as I want to fuck”  
“there is NO POSSIBLE WAY I am able to climb that tree!”  
“it’s strong enough, big enough easy enough”  
“YOU have claws and nails, I don’t”  
“come up here! Tick tock, time’s running out~ come breed this poor little omega in heat. He needs some attention~” Draal sighed heavily and walked up towards the base of the tree and awkwardly grabbed on  
“you are lucky I love you”  
“i know. Now come on~” Draal grunted and huffed as he climbed the large tree. He convinced himself this was good training. Trollhunters must climb and scale impossible things at times, this was easy compared to an actual form of training. Start somewhere. Plus, his prize was well worth the climb. Finally he reached the last branch. He was huffing and pulling himself up. He laid eyes on a lustful looking Jim who purred and laid on the branch  
“hello~”  
“fine…..there….I’ve claimed my prize”  
“not until you touch me” Draal smiled and climbed onto the branch, almost falling over. He hugged it and slowly came towards Jim. When he got close enough to reach with an extended hand, Jim just casually let himself fall downwards like a rag doll. Only to grab the branch, make a small flip to the one beneath it, and climb further up into the tree  
“HEY!”  
“yes my bull?~”  
“YOU SAID I HAD TO CLIMB THE TREE! I CLIMBED IT!”  
“nooot all the way~”  
“come here and take my knot already!”

 

“oh I will. it’s only a couple more branches! I know you can do it~ you’ve got plenty of brawn~” Jim purred and looked down with a cruel smile. He always loved to toy with others. Draal growled in angry and started to climb again, carelessly grabbing and pulling himself up. He finally reached the branch, he reached out, only for Jim to fall once more, twisting and climbing down the tree until he was back on the ground  
“hi”  
“I CLIMBED LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO!”  
“yes, climbed up. Now climb down”  
“DO YOU WANT TO MATE OR NOT?!”  
“of course! Look, I promise, I will stay right here. No tricks, no more moving. Right here”  
“fine. I’m coming dow-N” Draal slipped as he tried to go downward, only to fall and crash onto the ground with a huge bag. His back actually planting itself into the ground. He groaned and closed his eyes  
“Oh shit! When I said come down I didn’t Mean FALLING! Are you okay?” Jim rushed over and bent down. He should have paid more attention. He would have seen Draal reach out and swiftly grab him if he paid attention. Now Draal had snatched him and pulled him close to his chest, rolling over and pining Jim onto the ground  
“THERE. NOW YOU CAN’T MOVE”  
“aww! No fun”  
“be still. And behave”  
“now you sound just like your dad”  
“if I get up, will you run away?”  
“yes”  
“if I let you go, will you behave?”  
“no”

“if I let you run off more, are we going to have sex?”  
“no matter what, you’re pounding me tonight” Draal got up and just like that, Jim got out from under him and darted a few feet away doing a little butt wiggle and licking his fangs  
“ohh so you want to be playful huh?”  
“maybe~” Draal charged forward and Jim easily side stepped. Draal was far stronger and more durable, but his movements were slow and predictable. Jim taunted him a bit about it while the two played cat and mouse for a few minutes. Then, Jim ran out from behind a tree and tackled Draal into his chest. The two fought a bit to be on top, pining the other below them. Jim made a wrong move and had Draal use his strength against him.  
“there. My prize.”  
“okay okay! I submit! In every way~. The big bull won. He has me to claim. Good enough a prize?”  
“more than good” Draal bit Jim. His mouth digging into him just enough to feel the pokes of his fangs. Jim’s chest and back feeling it the most  
“okay! Okaay big guy! I love it, but let me take my cloths off first. I don’t want them to rip or get nasty. Well worse I guess”’

With that Draal got off and sat down in front of him, growing impatient. Jim looked at him and slowly undressed, little by little while licking his fangs and purring  
“i don’t like this.”  
“whhaaatt why not? Am I not being sexy enough?”  
“your body movements are arousing and pleasing to the eye, but I demand sex now. No more waiting” Jim rolled his eyes and threw his shirt at Draal  
“don’t eat it. Enjoy it until I get undressed” Draal held it to his nose and enjoyed the strong smells. He didn’t think he could get anymore aroused than in that moment  
“alright. Ready. Actually. First. I have a fun idea”  
“again wih the waiting?”  
“you’ll enjoy it~” the now naked Jim winked and put his cloths under a tree to keep them safe  
“hopefully no river troll comes poking their nose around here and takes my cloths. I am NOT going to trollmarket naked”  
“well, what’s this enjoyable idea?” Jim purred and rubbed up against Draal  
“follow me~”

 

……………………………………………………………………………….

“when you said you hoped no river troll would take your cloths, I hadn’t expected you to practically offer yourself to them” Draal huffed out as he tossed his kilt to the side and stepped into the cold river  
“come onnn this is just to help wash us up a little, and have some fun!” Jim said with a big splash to Draal who covered his face  
“fine. let’s splash around in the water under the moon like whelps”  
“hey! Imagine doing this in the future with our own”  
“i suppose we won’t be naked though”  
“Well maybe, depends really. Maybe we loose our cloths by accident! Or maybe we’re at some nudist beach” Draal waded his way towards Jim, coming up to his waist  
“aren’t you cold?”  
“nahhh my home is suuuper cold usually. Deeeep underground so, not much heat, well our place doesn’t have much heat at least” Jim said with another splash, only for Draal to retaliate and swing a big arm in the water laughing, drenching Jim  
“i will have to speak to your brother and father, ask for their blessing in our courtship, eventually that is” Jim flinched, not wanting to think about them right now  
“what’s wrong?”  
“nothing, just got something in my eye….I’m good now! See?” Draal’s smile grew as he waded closer to Jim. Jim lowered himself into the water quickly and took some into his mouth, then squirt a stream of it out through his teeth  
“hey!”  
“what’s wrong?” Jim did so again and giggled. Then gasped and tried to jump out of the way as Draal tackled himself onto Jim. He pulled him close and forced a kiss, Jim moaned into it and enjoyed the sudden affection. Jim’s eyes opened and he groaned. Draal pulled off and looked worried  
“did I do something wrong? Should I not have been aggressive?”  
“no no, it’s not you, and yes do that a lot more, I love it. I’m just disappointing that we can’t use my new toy I got~”  
“ah. Yes, disappointing. I would have loved to use it on you. Control it. Watch you squirm, begging for more”  
“now THAT sounds perfect. Guess we’ll just have to use it a different time”  
“I’m already eager for that time”  
“well focus on right now big guy, make sure you give me all you got”  
“oh I will, I won’t hold back” The two kissed once more. Jim gently pulled off and out of Draal’s grip, only to then suddenly splash him and laugh. Draal growled wanting vengeance, so a huge splash was sent right back! The two splashed around and moved, doing light wrestling and having fun. Jim was nice and wet now, totally soaked and cleaned off. He shook himself and then dove into Draal’s chest, kissing and biting into him all over

“someones getting aggressive” Jim purred and sunk his fangs in deeper, hardly piercing Draal’s stone skin, but leaving little dents at least. Draal grabbed Jim’s waist, lifted him up a bit and bit right back. Jim moaned as the sharp teeth dug into his chest and back, just enough to cause pricks. Jim pulled his head off and had another kiss  
“alright. let’s-” Draal grabbed Jim once more and lifted him up, then slowly dragged a tongue along Jim’s groin. A long slow lick from Jim’s balls to the end of his belly. Jim gasped loudly and clung onto the bulls horns  
“you always start with me. Why not return the favor for once” Draal growled deeply as he made another slow long lick. Jim moaned louder and tightened his grip on the large horns. Naturally starting to thrust into the tongue, his dick demanding more attention  
“first...time someones d-done this!”  
“poor half troll. You should be getting more attention”  
“i usually GE-T more pleasure out of GIVING AHH! Than receiving. But I really love your tongue”

 

across the river a troll looked over with a bored expression, only to turn into shock, seeing this scene of sex. He elbowed another troll and gestured with his head at the scene. The two watched with wide eyes, seeing the half troll squirm and moan. Jim finally focused on something other than his pleasure. Looking past Draal’s spikes he now noticed at least 7 river trolls watching them, a couple of them jerking off.  
“h-hey! Get l-lost!”  
“in our river.”  
“don’t watching!”  
“YOU started this in OUR river!...but….keep going...if you don’t mind….we welcome this...” Jim pat the top of Draals head  
“really not into an audience apparently. S-sTOP big guy! let’s leave. we’re done here”  
“very well. I don’t mind anyone watching, as long as they know you are mine and mine alone”  
“fuck you’re amazing. let’s leave, no more Licks” Draal did one last slow long one before carrying Jim over his shoulder and making his way out of the river…

 

He grabbed his kilt and the two went a bit deeper into the woods. He laid Jim down gently and started to lap at him again, this time dragging his tongue across Jim’s entire body  
“you taste incredible” he growled out  
“thanks I guess haha” Draal licked at Jim’s nipples, causing Jim to inhale sharply and moan  
“will you be breast feeding?” Jim’s eyes snapped open to full attention  
“I’m sorry what?”  
“mammals feed their young with their milk they produce. Humans do as well. You have nipples and will bear my child. I was wondering”  
“uhhhhh I…..don’t think I will be….guys don’t lactate...i...honestly don’t know if half trolls even breast feed in the first place. Trolls don’t….well trolls also don’t have nipples”  
“yet you do, and you will be bearing our child”  
“i...don’t think I will…..wow it really would be fucking weird if I just started lactating….huh….okay you know what let’s forget about it, killing the mood and I don’t feel like suddenly wanting to go into deep existential dread for knowing nothing about my kind. Now then, get back to fucking me”  
“it will be my pleasure”  
“literally” Draal took another long slow lick, Jim’s groin getting soaked in hot troll saliva. His cock throbbing and begging for more attention. Jim grabbed back onto Draal’s horns and whimpered in need, wanting Draal to stop going so dreadfully slow. Draal growled deeply, enjoying the sound of the needy omega moaning for more. Draal’s tongue started to flick and lick Jim’s cock and balls, moving his tongue around a bit faster. Jim moaned and cried out along with thrusts. Jim’s cock began to tense and throb until he suddenly came. Draal licked the spewing dick (spewing? Is that sexy?) and enjoyed listening to the intense moans of his little lover.  
“D-Dr-aal….” Jim managed to say through intense breaths. Draal lapped up the last of Jim’s orgasm, licking him clean then looking up at Jim  
“i don’t suppose you have more for me? Or did you just finish yourself for the night?”  
“nooo….way….wow….i didn’t...feel like that...before….intense”  
“did you like something new?”  
“i...loved it...no...no I have a lot more energy to go through. I just….was unprepared for that...give me a few seconds to catch my breath” Draal went back to doing his long slow licks from the bottom of Jim’s sack to the tip of his dick

 

“okay big guy..ready for mor-E” Jim felt his body shiver as Draal suddenly pulled his hips upward, digging his tongue into Jim’s ass. Jim dug his claws into the wet soft grass underhim, gasping at the sudden large member penetrating him. Draal growled as he dug his tongue deeper into Jim, sending jolts through Jim’s body. His breathing grew heavy once again, watching Draal’s intense eyes, loving what the alpha was doing. Draal grabbed Jim’s legs and stretched them gently apart more, opening his ass up better so he could go deeper. He wiggled it around, digging it deeper and pulling out, repeating the cycle, opening his little half troll up for him. Jim wiggled, squirmed and moaned above him, causing Draal to chuckle. Jim’s toes curled a bit, and he thrust into the air naturally. He never had this happen before. He loved it. He needed this far more often. Jim moaned louder when Draal retracted his tongue, causing Jim to suddenly feel empty.  
“there. That should suffice. Now I believe it’s time you returned the favor”  
“yes please..i….loved that”  
“I’m glad. Now, why don’t we use that mouth of yours for better use than speaking” Draal moved himself until he was on his back and up against a tree. Jim smiled and went right to work feeling the throbbing huge member. He gave the knot and shaft a hard squeeze, earning a rough growl from Draal’s throat.  
“fuck. I missed him”  
“he missed you too” Jim purred and gave a long slow lick starting from the knot and all the way to the tip  
“mmmh~ haven’t been able to have my throat this stuffed in a while”  
“you truly do have an oral fixation”  
“is that a problem?”  
“not at all” Jim gave another long slow lick while massaging the member all over. Draal’s chest started to rise and fall heavier, Jim was licking the member, then slowly putting it into his mouth, bobbing up and down on it litle by little. Jim noticed Draal give an evil grin as he suddenly grabbed Jim’s head and forced it down roughly force feeding it to Jim. Jim gagged as the large member stuffed his throat. Jim growled in anger and looked at the alpha who just chuckled and forced him further  
“What? You said you wanted a throatful, as a loving troll, I am simply providing you what you desired. Hey HEY watch the teeth! If you dare even try to bite me on purpose I won’t show mercy when I fuck you!...wait...you enjoy that anyways so it would be a reward rather than a punishment...still, don’t get any ideas or I WON’T do it!” Jim wasn’t amused. He bobbed up and down deeper and lighter, each time Jim’s head came too close to letting the member out of his mouth, Draal pushed his head back down, not wanting it to leave. Draal growled and chuckled from time to time, enjoying Jim’s agitated eyes. The girth of the cock that wasn’t in Jim’s mouth, he rubbed and squeezed, working from the knot upwards, then back down and repeat, all while keeping in sync with his head.  
“mmmhh~ nice~ good half troll. Serve your better” that got Jim’s lust flare up a bit. He bobbed a bit faster, enjoying the member to it’s fullest  
“Someone likes that talk hm? Well, this seems to be a fitting place for one. Pleasing their better, their superior. Perfectly made to serve. My little whore doing what he was made to do. Ooohhh~ that’s nice~ preforming better just for me~” Jim began to purr, sending vibrations from his throat to the member, causing Draal’s breathing to intensify and moans becoming louder  
“yes. Worship your better. A servant only good enough to be a tool for pleasure~

 

The sound of slurps, purrs, and moans filled the air. The entire member was wet and slick now, drool coming off of it, starting to mix with Draal’s pre. A thick wet mess was being made between Draal’s legs, slowly leaking down onto the grass underneath them. The cock started to throb and twitch in Jim’s throat, causing more purrs as it was filled with more movement. Draal grabbed Jim’s scruff and pulled it out of his mouth. Jim gasped for air, his lungs demanding more than he could give through his nose. A few long strands of pre and saliva connected his mouth and the throbbing member.  
“h-hey, I w-wasn’t d-done” Jim gasped out  
“yes. You were. I don’t plan on finishing in that hole. Now, moan for me to breed you. Beg for me to give you attention”  
“please! Use me for your own pleasure! I was made to serve! I need it! I feel useless and empty without it!”  
“ohh~ I love this talk~ we must do it more often. Good. Now then, that’s enough tasting for you. How hungry are you for my seed?”  
“starving for it! I need it! I feel nothing without it!”  
“good. What are you?”  
“only fit to serve!”  
“no. not that”  
“your personal pleasure tool!”  
“closer”  
“I’m nothing but a half troll whore! Made to serve you! Please you in every way you want!”  
“good half troll. Good.” Draal pulled Jim by his scruff up onto his lap, the member right against Jim’s hole.  
“now. Beg for my whelp”  
“please! Breed me! I need it!”  
“more”  
“please please please I need to be your breeding tool!”  
“more”  
“please! Breed me! I’m begging! I need my superior to breed me! Use me! Let me serve you! Be worthy enough to give you a child!” Jim moaned and gasped loudly as Draal grabbed Jim’s hips and shoved his dick into him, roughly jamming it in. then slowly began to fuck it in deeper. Jim’s screams of pleasure filled the air, followed by Draal’s grunts and huffs. Eventually Draal’s cock was buried deep enough to have Jim sitting on his knot. Draal was grabbing Jim’s hips harder and pulling him on and off while thrusting, working his dick into Jim. He picked up speed until finally he slammed his knot against Jim a few times before fucking it into Jim. Jim gasped and cried in need, suddenly getting stuffed full of it. Draal was thrusting harder, making sure to stuff Jim as much as he could with his dick. Jim was just a mess of pleasure, not even focusing on anything else except the intensity of the moments.  
“b-beg...m-more...”  
“please! Fill me! Make my body useful to you! For you! Only you!”  
“m-more,..getting...close”  
“i need you! More and more! I can’t live without you giving me a purpose!” Draal roared out before he slammed down hard into Jim, flooding him with seed. Jim’s own cock twitched enough from the sheer force, he came without even touching himself, his seed shooting all over Draal’s chest. Draal fucked Jim a few more times, plowing his seed as deep as he could into Jim, the images of breeding Jim ran through his mind, keeping him in absolute pleasure, the same went for Jim. Eventually Draal slowed down and breathed heavily, he let go of Jim’s hips, letting the half troll collapse onto Draal, his own jizz making a mess between the two. Draal thrust a couple more times softly, making sure to really work out every drop he had. Jim whined and moaned in his throat, sore but needy.

“mmh~..bull….i...missed this….so...much”  
“same...here my sweet half troll lover”  
“thank you for letting me serve you, my superior~”  
“good to be thankful I allowed you to pleasure me” the two shared a loving laugh. Draal wrapped an arm around Jim, rubbing his back and holding him close. Jim purred in pleasure.  
“i….love you”  
“i love you too” Jim shut his eyes and rode out his pleasure, the world slowly slipping away…..

……………………………………………………………………………

Jim moved and felt the soft warmth of blankets. He opened his eyes and looked around, he was in Kanjigar’s home. He snuggled back into his nest and relaxed, only to then shoot up and gasp.  
“was..that….a dream?...super sexy wet dream” Jim says looking at himself. Realizing he still smelled like sex, he realized it wasn’t a dream! And HIS ASS AND THROAT FELT LIKE THEY WERE ON FIRE! The sore pain has already begun. Totally worth it though….

Jim got up out of his nest and slowly limped and stumbled out of the room, his eyes adjusting to the brighter light of the living room. He saw Toby asleep on a makeshift couch, padding of pillows, blankets, and a few mattresses all piled together. Kanjigar and Draal were in a kitchen area a few rooms away, Jim rubbed his throat and stumbled into it  
“well, look who’s awake~” Draal growled out lustfully  
“yeah...oh god….everything hurts…..went….too rough….totally worth it”  
“forgive me Jim, I should have held myself back, I was simply eager and...pent up”  
“nah, it’s fine. I was too. Wow, that was amazing” Jim kissed Draal before awkwardly noticing Kanjigar was in the room  
“oops..uh...hey...Kanjigar”  
“hello Jim”  
“sorry about….me being a big sex mess, naked, and….feelign awkward”  
“not a problem”  
“alright I really want to go take a shower, would my wonderful bulls escort me quickly? I don’t want to be see or...smelled and rile everyone up. I don’t want to get my cloths all gross by wearing them OH FUCK WAIT WE’RE HOME! WEREN’T WE JUST IN THE WOODS?!”  
“relax my love, after the two of us slept peacefully, I awoke not long after. I pulled myself out of you, hoping not to cause too much pain and stir you awake, I carried us gently home, after gathering out clothing though. I brought us back here, laid you down, and bathed”  
“thanks-OH FUCK WHAT TIME IS IT?!”  
“about, 9pm on the surface”  
“okay...okay not too late...that’s fine….alright, let’s run over to the shower real fast so I can get this sex mess off of me and head home! we’ll come get Toby in a bit”

 

After a quick run, a few too many heads turning towards Jim as he tried to speed up, he had a nice long shower. Really scrubbing himself down and using almost all of his soaps and shampoos. He felt clean and fluffy! His cloths still a but dirty but it wasn’t an issue. Before they were about to head home, a troll came up to them, saying they were needed in the heartstone, at least Jim and Kanjigar were. Kanjigar looked at Jim with a scowl  
“what did you do this time?”  
“what!? I didn’t do anything!”  
“hahha! I jest! Come my little pet, let’s see what Vendel needs”

……………………………………………………………………..

The three of them had assumed no one would mind if Draal tagged along, so they left together. It wouldn’t take too long anyways, hopefully. As the three entered the heartstone, they saw Vendel speaking to a troll similar to himself in age. Kanjigar kindly called out as the three approached them  
“greetings Vendel, I have come to your call” the troll next to Vendel turned around and gasped suddenly grabbing Jim’s head, turning it and looking him over  
“beautiful! Simply breath taking!”  
“oh uh...thanks….troll...guy”  
“oh, where are my manners, I am yal!” Jim snorted and tried to hold back a laugh  
“h-hey Yal, how’s it going?”  
“wonderful! Oh you are marvelous! The moment I heard the rumors of a half troll here in trollmarket I just couldn’t stand around! I rushed right over from my own little home to see you with my own eyes! And LOOK AT YOU! WHAT A SIGHT! A TRUE PLEASURE TO THE EYES!”  
“thanks, never had a compliment like that before”  
“oh how could I be such a dullard. I am Yal, researcher of troll kind’s interactions with humans throughout our entire history. My fellow scholars each have one specific thing they are invested in, mine is half trolls! Such amazing creatures!”  
“you study...half trolls?”  
“yes! I’ve dedicated my entire life researching you’re kind! Oh what fascinating creatures you all are!”  
“tha-” he opened Jim’s mouth wide and peered inside, still eager and excited  
“you are such a beautiful one! I go across the world in search of you’re species! Each time I hear even the slightest rumor one has been seen, I rush right over! Human and troll interactions are typically mundane, but when they aren’t WOW are they something special! Like the very creation of half trolls! Two species, coming together to create something astounding! An impossibility to life itself yet here you are! Truly a miracle! A spectacle to witness! Night and day creating dawn and dusk! A creature walking both worlds at the same time! What other creature can boast of doing the same?! Oh I’ve seen such few in my life, but each one is unique! Did you know that each and every single half troll has their own unique physical properties? You could have a dozen half trolls all born from the same tribe yet not a single one of them would be like the other! What they take from their troll parent is always special! Their eyes, personality, body, mental state, diet, mannerism! And many more! You are by far the youngest half troll I’ve seen to date! And WOW WHAT A SIGHT! So young! So much potential! I simply can’t get over you! Oh I want to study you for the rest of your life! Tell me everything! How much you eat, which actually now looking at it, appears to be far less than you need to be. Kanjigar is it? You own him, when was the last time you filled his food bowl?”  
“I don’t have a food bowl of any kind. Jim is his own person and I let him act as such”  
“ooohhhh free will! Unique! you’re fur, your horns, your teeth! I could die happily! Well, I would be greatly distraught if I did, I have yet to even see you! Would you mind if I perhaps research your interior? I promise the surgery will not hurt!”

Jim push the hand away and backed up  
“i am NOT getting dissected!”  
“oh no not at all! I simply wish to open up your form and peer inside!”  
“THAT’S WHAT THAT IS!”  
“ohh please tell me everything about yourself!”  
“well i-”  
“ohhh such a cutie you are! Practically a babe!”  
“do you see us as equals?”  
“what?! No! Unimaginable! Oh no no no, half trolls are not lesser at all!”  
“uh...wait..what? You just said-”  
“no no! You are far more than most take you! But you are not an equal, you aren’t a troll or a human! Thus you should not be compared to either of the two, you are you’re own species!”  
“is...that….good or bad? I honestly can’t tell”  
“you and your kind must be protected!”  
“oh..uh...thanks”  
“the world is so so so dangerous! Half trolls are nothing less than and endangered species! Must be protected! I’ve tried to have others change their minds about half trolls! I believe they should be rounded up and kept in a nice large area! Keeping all of you safe from the outside world!”  
“wait you want us locked up?!”  
“no no! A nice large area to keep you all safe and inside! We can protect you and make sure none of you wander off, get lost, or harmed in any way! You would LOVE being among your kind! Surrounded at all times! Keep you all close and safe!”  
“Wait you...want us….in some zoo?!”  
“of course! We may view you from afar without disturbing you in your natural habitats! a close nice safe watchful eye on your kind! Feeding and safe guarding your kind until you have the proper numbers to avoid extinction!” Yal smiled widely and kindly. Jim frowned and tried to think of what to say  
“Yal...i….you’re trying to….help us….and truly want us safe”  
“of course!”  
“you are really kind and really….do have nothing but the best intention”  
“why would I have any other kind?! You belong in the world just like the rest of us! you’re all living and breathing, thinking creatures! I want you all safe, preserved, loved and cared for!”  
“thank you Yal, I really appreciate how you feel, but I don’t think our kind would want to be locked up-”  
“oh but you must! it’s logical to keep you all together and safe! We may study you all and understand far far better! Show the world how you are to actually be treated! You aren’t slaves or servants, you’re living creatures! An unknown species that must be preserved!”  
“thanks, it does make sense in a way...i guess….but-”  
“ohh do you have a mate?”  
“no, I don’t-”  
“well we must find you one at once! You are the very first omega half troll I’ve ever met! Quite the rarity! This is almost like finding a unicorn! If they existed! Oh such a beautiful thing you are, you must be impregnated at once!”  
“what?!”  
“of course! You must start to reproduce to save your species! it’s your responsibility to have as many of your kind as you can! So first we must find you a proper mate to impregnate you, then-”

 

“i don’t have a mate, even if I did it would be Draal”  
“whom?” Draal raised a hand slightly  
“oh marvelous! Ohh what a beautiful bull! Strong, sturdy, healthy, a competent provider no question! Oh you must impregnate him at once!”  
“I-”  
“oh you must tell me everything! i have hardly any information about half trolls sexual reproduction cycle! Jim’s the first omega I’ve met! This is the first chance I’ve ever had to study it! you must impregnate him post haste! I can finally study the gestation of a half troll! and watch one give birth! truly a rarity and a privilege I’ve never had before! and to watch one raising its young! I’m so eager!"  
Jim is about to say something until Yal starts to poke him, lift up his shirt, feel his fur, and overall examine him, all while speaking  
“my my! such a young one! pretty too. his fur feels healthy, a bit of a thicker kind of breed. the teeth and gums are healthy, except he has more of a meat eating diet as far as I can tell. make sure he's having plenty of protein in his diet. half trolls such as this tend to occasionally have oral problems with gums and tooth growth. it's good to give him things to chew on to help prevent it and ease any kind of soreness. his eyes are healthy, no problems there. his hearing is good. so is his smell and touch. Make sure he drinks plenty of water, half trolls dehydrate far faster than humans do. his horns will continue to grow over the years, giving him headaches. my advice would be gentle head rubs and horn rubs. do you polish his? i suggest a type of cream that keeps them healthy, smooth, strong, and helps to prevent pain and cracking. his skin is good, although he might have problems with his blood. the veins seem strange to me. never seen anything like it before. then again, it's not as if half trolls are so common anyone can study them with ease. he has a bit of less weight on him than he should. make sure he eats a bit more. what do you typically feed him? And how often does he eat?”

 

"okay I’m not a pet!...i mean i am..you get what i mean!" Before Jim can protest more, he’s suddenly bent over the table.  
"uhhh why am i being bent over a table? Someone please help me!” Yal lifts up Jim’s shirt to the point where it’s almost over his head completely. Yal pointed and moved his finger around indicating various part’s of Jim  
“as you can see, the spine is strong and study, it seems to be healthy and properly growing. Keep an eye on him throughout his years, half trolls typically carry all their weight and stress in their hips, shoulders, and lower back. their legs tend to tense up at times, good massages on the legs and thighs are typically helpful to prevent any kind of damage as well as muscle tension and strain. half trolls can in fact develop hip problems as well as leg problems in the long future. his nails are sharper than most, he probably inherited them from some sort of troll, or human, it's always tough to tell. make sure to file them down occasionally, it'll help prevent any kind of growth problems. his reproductive cycle will be an important factor later down the line. his heats seem to be healthy, although my only concern is that he clearly isn't getting enough physical contact which is why he purrs so much so easily. don't let him be touch starved. make sure to give him plenty of physical affection. Now, Vendel has spoken to me about him having a human support system of some kind, clever and fascinating! Typically humans will have some sort of animal or fellow human aid when having emotional needs, having a half troll using a human is so ingenious! Half of his own breed clearly needs human attention so having one give him that is nothing short of a perfect system!”

“yeah Tobes helps me al-”  
“good, now I need to see his groin to see if he-”  
“OKAY THAT’S ENOUGH!” Jim says getting up off the table and backing up until he’s in front of Draal and away from the eager researcher.  
“very well, I won’t invade your sensitive areas. Now then, let’s talk about the reproductive cycle! Oh I’m eager to watch you give birth and raise your own young! Truly a sight to behold! Oh it will further my research tremendously!”  
“oookay enough of this, I’m getting uncomfortable now, plus I need to go home”  
“ohhh yes! I can watch you in your natural habitat! Coming and going and studying how you live your life! I finally get to see one-”  
“noooo. I don’t want to be studied.”  
“but your kind needs it!”  
“look, let’s just...talk about this later, far far far in the future. Right now I need to go home. It was very nice to meet you Yal, I truly do like that someone is looking out for us and is….kind….to us. But I really need to leave”  
“oh very well. We shall discuss this some other time in the future. Well, I will return sometime! For now I must travel across the world! I heard a rumor that a half troll was spotted somewhere near France!” Jim gave an awkward smile. He needed to go home and rest. This long day needs to finally end….

………………………………………………………………………………………

Jim and Toby headed home, said their good nights and left. Gunmar asked how their day was, Jim was it was good, he was really tired though, his heat was draining his energy and he needs to rest. Gunmar said goodnight and let him leave. Jim took a nice long hot bath, talking to Toby about what the other did in their time apart. Eventually Jim collapsed into his nest after getting ready for bed and fell asleep. He would worry about life tomorrow. For now, he just needed to sleep off the day once and for all. Toby said his own goodnight and stayed up a bit longer before he himself fell asleep and enjoyed his own personal rest. The last thoughts going through Jim’s mind where Draal and their potential life together…..

……………………………………………………………………….

 

A few hours later into the night….

 

A woman was dusting and setting new fresh flowers within her shop. The door opened and she smiled wide  
“my my, welcome, please come in”  
“hello, I’ve heard about this place. I wanted to finally investigate it myself”  
“mind if I ask where you heard it from? Seems recently I’ve had a few trolls come and go far sooner than I usually have”  
“my father as well as someone else very dear to my heart”  
“well, what can I do for you? Oh, first I need to know your name”  
“Draal, to keep it simple”  
“hello Draal, please, come in from the dark of the night into my warm lovely shop”  
“i heard you tell the future”  
“I like to think so, within this month alone I’ve had 2 trolls and even a half troll come to get theirs read”  
“my father is one of them, My….well the one dear to my heart is Jim, the half troll, who is the third one? If I may ask”  
“apologies, but I don’t speak of my other clients. Although, I will say this, he was burly, and looked hardly like Jim, he said it was his brother, oh well I suppose that’s simply how half trolls are. I couldn’t have guessed they were related if he didn’t tell me”  
“wait...you’ve met Jim’s brother?!”  
“yes, big troll, bigger than you even”  
“hm….would you be willing to speak of anything else?”  
“he was very intimidating looking, other than that I apologize, but I mustn't  
“i understand, I will not pry. May I get my fortune spoken of?”  
“of course! Come, into the back” She gestured and Draal made his way with her  
“ah, I’m sorry, I just realized you’d need payment, I have no human currency”  
“for a troll like you, I will be paid in something else”  
“oh? What may I offer?”  
“stories. I absolutely love hearing tales of troll’s lives! Your father, ohhh how exciting! Jim and his brother didn’t tell me much, oh well, no harm done, although Jim paid in cash. Now then, sit sit! Do you know how this works?”  
“my father explained it to me”

“good to know. Now then, let’s start…

 

The past. 3 of wands.  
“active waiting”  
“understand that you can be positive your efforts are nearly ready to finally pay off. You should focus on your efforts. Making sure you’ve seen them through to the end”

‘hm...training perhaps? Or something else?’

 

The present. 8 of cups.  
“leaving something behind, whatever it may be, to search for something else altogether”

“perhaps it is in your own path, perhaps it is in another, but you will no longer need or want something on it. You will find something else, for the answer to the question at hand. Perhaps leaving behind something, will result in sadness, possibly regret. However you will know for certainty that you have chosen what you wanted, found the answer you sought”

‘far too many things to guess what that could be. Has it yet to happen? Or soon? No it’s the present. Still….hmm...i don’t understand...is it with Jim?’

The future. 2 of swords.  
“a conflict between heart and mind”

“while you feel like you’re doing everything you can, you could possibly simply accomplish nothing. Take a look at where you are. You may have to admit fears, or see sadness, but you will know something else. You must figure out which you want, you may only keep one though. It could end in disaster, or absolute bliss”

‘must that be about Jim? Our love? It said accomplish nothing….what fears? What sadness? That we cannot be together?…..what of the second option? I will only go with that one. No other, I must, I must keep Jim in my life. No matter the option. No matter the consequences.’

“well, my dear troll, that is it. That is all. Seems like your life is becoming very complex, difficult waters to sail through. Like I always say, these cards can be vague, or simply nothing at all. I always find them fun though. Do what you will with what you’ve learned. My advice? Take one day at a time, let your worries fall within a different date, only when they matter. For now, enjoy yourself in the moments you have, you never know when you might loose them”  
“yes….all of this is….a lot to take In….thank you very much for this, I truly appreciate it”  
“of course, now, my payment, let’s start with something exciting! What battles would you like to boast of? What victories do you have to tell for me?” THAT cheered Draal right up, he made a big smile and was excited. Enjoy his moments, if ever brief….


	40. teaching isn't easy. especially when your students are world ending trolls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toby. you are more than a friend. you are nothing short of perfection. Gunmar's glad he didn't eat you
> 
>  
> 
> Also WTF JIM!? YOU GONNA EXPLAIN YOUR SHIT OR WHAT?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cute idea in my head. read some AU stuff from a Jraal post on tumblr. pretty much like a bouncer ish theme. then my mind imagined this whole thing of romantic flirty bodyguard.  
> Draal being like a bouncer bodyguard style. big leather jacket, sunglasses that reflected, ear piece, the works. him always getting between  
> others and Jim like  
> "Hold up, you don't have permission"  
> "for what?"  
> "TO LIVE!" beats the shit out of them for getting too close
> 
> ANYWAYS, ENJOY!

Jim cracked his neck and stretched a bit. The elevator to the Janus order opened up. Jim walked down the hallway, greeting nearby changelings, the newer ones cowering and overall being skittish, the older workers would occasionally high five Jim or even fist bump. Jim asked around, looking for a certain polymorph. Finally being pointed to the right direction Jim walked off! Only to slow down when he heard two changelings murmuring to themselves down a different hallway. Jim grinned as he heard what one of them was talking about. Jim leaned up against the wall and listened with intent. Right after the two changelings were done talking, Jim made his way down that hall  
“hey guys! how’s it going?” one changeling cowered a bit  
“oh g-good”  
“nice to know! Hey, you know what. you’ve been doing a great Job I wanted to personally thank you”  
“o-oh..thank you so much! This is, It’s, wow, I am so gratefully to be noticed!”  
“of course! Keep up the great work, want a hug?” the changeling nodded furiously. Jim went in and gave him a nice big hug, even purring a bit  
“there. Nice and warm! Alright I have to get going! See ya!”  
“thank you so much! B-bye!” Jim turned around and walked away, when he was down a hall, he grinned and giggled a bit to himself…

A little bit later after a few more hallways. Jim saw just who he was looking for in a room with a few other changelings talking to each other. Jim popped into the doorway  
“Hiiii Otto!” all the changelings in the room jumped a little and gasped at the sudden silent entrance  
“sorry for scaring everyone!”  
“its f-fine! Really, hello to you too, son of mine kaiser”  
“sooo whatcha all up to? what’s with the super old record player”  
“it’s...um….actually called a phonograph” Jim walked over to it and looked closer, the other changelings clearly nervous, not just being next to Jim, but also because he’s a little too close to it.  
“p-please be careful, it’s very old and very fragile” Otto managed to squeak out nervously  
“you know, I was about to make this huge joke of me pretending to be angry at all of you and threaten to send you to my father directly, but I’m not feeling like it. So, what’s it do?”  
“it helps us speak to the...holy mother”  
“wait this can talk...to my mom?”  
“no no not her, our holy mother...the...pale lady”  
“oh, cool” Jim said casually, the changelings looked to one another, unsure how to feel. Not truly knowing if Jim fully understands what it actually does and how significant it is  
“so, how does it work?”  
“she...sometimes...speaks to us through it”  
“oh, does the record actually matter then?”  
“not...as much as one might thi-” Jim stuck his face into the horn  
“hello? Helloooooo? Pale lady? Morgana? You in here? Can you hear a half troll?”  
“PLEASE! DON-don’t speak her name!...please...don’t...stick you face in it...p-please...it’s very fragile”  
“relax I wo-OOPS!” Jim pretended to look like he broke something. The changelings all gasped. Jim just laughed and said everything's fine  
“see? No harm done. So, why exactly can’t I say her name?”  
“it-its-”

“it’s just Morgana. So if Morgana and I met and had a talk, Morgana and I of course, what would Morgana and I actually talk about?”  
“PLEASE STOP!” Otto yelled out, only to cover his mouth right after and cower  
“I’m...I….forgive me please! Mercy! I just...she can’t be called”  
“who can’t be called, Morgana? Or someone like Morgana, or is there only one Morgana in the world, if there were more Morganas in the world then every time someone said “hey Morgana how’s it going?’ or even ‘hey Morgana wana hangout later?’ it would be kinda funny huh? Cause if this Morgana heard it CONSTANTLY then how would she know where it’s coming from? it’s like is she was named like, Lilly. Then if everyone said the word Lilly then wouldn’t she hear it? I guess Morgana just isn’t that common name” Jim shrugged casually and looked at the ancient revered relic  
“Morgana, wana talk? No? welp, no call for me. Typical, the half troll doesn’t get to be involved. Alright, well I’ll see you all later, bye Morgana! Wana say bye Jim? Just one quick ‘good bye Jim this is Morgana talking’ No? Alright, well no biggie! Oh but, Otto. You have to come with me to Walt’s office. Now. You and I need to have a private chat. About certain things. Specific things. don’t pee your pants...overalls...whatever. I just need to talk to you and Walt about some very very very secret and specific things. Alright, let’s get going! By my changelings!” Jim casually walked out, the changelings looking at him in utter horror, as if they’d just seen something out of a pure nightmare manifested from their darkest fears. As Otto and Jim left the room, the phonograph started to play on it’s own….

 

……………………………………………………………………….....…….….

Otto swallowed and tried to keep his breathing still and silent. Jim was just doing his happy cheerful smile. Only the two of them were in the room. Waiting for Walt.  
“Hey Otto”  
“y-yes?”  
“wana see a neat trick?”  
“s-sure, of course” Jim summoned his blade out of thin air, Otto gasping out in shock  
“pretty neat huh? Now I’m getting closer and closer to being like my dad”  
“y-you can summon your own blade?”  
“yep! It was soooo painful, the ritual surgery thingy, BUT well worth it now. Look at my blade. Forged from only the most cruelest darkest most powerful parts in allllll the darklands. Infused with my blood. My very own mini decimaar blade” Jim tapped the blade with his finger, then slowly ran his tongue across the razor sharp edge. After he twirled the sword around  
“can’t control people’s minds. Man I want to. I truly truly want to. Otto. Would you want that? For me to control your mind?” Otto was shaking heavily and unsure what to say  
“so Otto? Are you willing to serve me?”  
“I...am...”  
“good. Good. Would you let me kill you?”  
“i-i-if y-your fathe-”  
“no no no. not my dad. me. If I wanted it to happen and my father let it. Would you let me kill you?”  
“y-yes”  
“good. Good.” Jim swung his sword around and stared Otto directly into the eyes, then used his power and tried to look intimidating  
“Otto”  
“y-yes?”  
“I heard you talking ill of me”

Otto gasped loudly and forced out through his broken breathing  
“i-i-i w-would ne-never do such a thing!”  
“ohhh I’m kidding! About all of this!” Jim laughed, powered down and had his sword vanish  
“Don’t worry Otto, I like you! I won’t kill you or let anything happen to you. At least I’ll try my best” Otto smiled and tried to hold himself still. Finally Walt opened the door and stepped through  
“sorry I’m late, had to finish paperwork at the school”  
“Walt! Friend! Buddy! Worker! Pal! Servant! Sacrificial pawn! Impure! how’s it going?!”  
“well, someone’s friendly today. And in heat apparently”  
“yep! that’s me! Ohhh speaking of, wana hear something really cool while I was walking through the halls?” Walt made his way over to his desk and sat down, setting some paperwork on his desk  
“yes, please do tell”  
“guess who was talking about a sexual fantasy of me~”  
“hm?’  
“a certain changeling, can’t remember his name. But he was saying, very quietly to someone, he has this fantasy of taking me in my nest. Me moaning and begging for him”  
“did he now?” Otto gasped out in anger  
“he will be punished im-”  
“relax! Relax. I liked it, I thought of it as a compliment. So I pretended I didn’t hear anything, turned the corner and talked to him face to face. I gave my big sweet loving eyes and said how thankful I was to him that he was doing such a good job. I gave him a nice big friendly hug and purred, just for him~” Walt casually just filed some papers and spoke  
“well, suddenly growing affections for our kind? More than usual at least?”  
“naahhh I just thought I’d make his day, give him something to imagine when he wants in his private time~ I made sure to really be soft and loving, purr deeply and affectionately. I was almost tempted to rub his chest, but I thought maybe that would send too strong a signal. Actually come to think of it he probably smells like my heat now. Ohhh man I bet he’s just DYING from it! Wana bet how long he can last without running to the bathroom or going home to finally relieve alll that sweet sweet spicy lust~”  
“amusing. So you called us both here, what can we do for you?”

 

“i need help. And you both will help me. Oh and keep it hush hush of course”  
“oh? what’s this now?” Walt looked up at Jim, fidgeting with his pen as Jim continued  
“i heard a small story. Some troll guy was going around looking at Merlins walls or whatever. He was writing in some big book of his. Dear daddy didn’t like it one bit since it said his weakness and everything. The guy dad overthrew, I don’t remember his name right now, commissioned the book to be written because he heard that someone was going to betray him. So blah blah future whatever blah blah book was locked away by changelings, blah blah. So here I am. I want the book” Walt stopped and looked at Jim with shock, Otto was just as shocked  
“so? Where is it?”  
“might I ask how you know? Where you learned this from?”  
“rumors. Stories Blinky told me. I connected the dots and boom, here’s our meeting. So I want it. I get it ‘it’s old and powerful, you’re young and naive, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into’ relax. I know. You might not think it. But I do. I truly do”  
“the book you are referring to is called the book of Ga-Huel”  
“book of ga wall got it….oh it’s a joke. Anyways, lemme see it. It can read the future, show’s images and stories. Let me see it”  
“Jim I don-”  
“listen. You know I hate throwing my weight around. I want to be the fun and laid back and fun! Did I mention fun? Kind of boss, not some mean grumpy yelling out orders and lashing everyone with a whip type. So. Fork it over. As the son of Gunmar commands. You are to follow or instantly be proven as an act of treason” Walt clicked his pen  
“very well. I only ask that you be careful. You let me show you how to use it. And how dangerous it can be”  
“You got it! Well I guess I didn’t need you Otto. Nah it’s fine, alright my sweet polymorph go back to whatever, never forget, I love everyone!”  
“y-yes son of my kaiser. Thank you” Otto awkwardly bowed and exited quickly. Jim turned his eyes back to Walt and powered up  
“now then. This is my first step in a very. Very. Long line of things for me to become a deity”

………………………………………………………………………………….

A few hours earlier that morning….

Toby was checking himself over in the mirror. He had just finished his bath and gotten dressed. Jim was in his nest, reading the story book he got from trollmarket yesterday  
“so, how’s the book coming along?”  
“eh alright. Not really telling much, most of the stuff I know or kinda knew. Neat little story about someone making a magic candle that would stay lit even underwater, other than that it’s just a regular candle. Kinda neat though. I DID find a couple of interesting things. A few things that lead to another few things that lead to some lost thing that leads to blah blah you get it the idea. I do know one thing. You have to promise to no-what am I saying, you never tell anyone anything”  
“yep! My secrets die with me!”  
“there is a rumor that there is a magic book that tells the future”  
“whaaaaatttt no way! that’s cool!”  
“well, like with all future telling stuff, it’s vague. Except this book is 100% accurate. Only it talks about gumm-gumm stuff, well the overall general stuff I guess”  
“ohhhh and since you’re a gumm-gumm you can totally tell your own future!”  
“eh sorta. it’s mostly just talking about stuff like the day my dad was born and him overthrowing the old leader and blah. Still, if there is at least a tiny bit of use, I want it”  
“so where is it? Lost to time?”  
“yeah actually. Well I think I know someone who might know”  
“some troll person?”  
“Walt actually, and Nomura actually” Toby stopped mid turn  
“relax Tobes relaxxx. Nothing world ending. Just that they both know about old gumm-gumm junk, they might know where a clue is or something. it’s like asking a history major if they know about greek mythology”  
“oh...okay….sorry I always panic”  
“i know you do Tobes. Relax, nice deep breath. There, better?”  
“much”  
“so, while I go around searching, I need YOU to distract my dad and bro”  
“wait WAIT WHAT?! I mean, I can sometimes handle one at a time but BOTH?! I don’t now Jim, I mean, what do I even say to get them to pay attention to me all day?!”  
“gee. What do you think? What have they both been wanting to know, the reason they always want to talk to you”  
“oh yeah….duh”  
“just say it’s a good lesson to learn for both of them, so why not at the same time instead of different times! You have waaay more than enough stuff to talk about since they hardly know anything”  
“you’re right, you’re right. Okay, both bulls, all eyes...and eye...on me. No pressure”  
“you know they want to kill you as much as they do me. They want to keep you nice and safe. They think you’re like some glass figurine, the slightest movement and you die. They fuck up the ONE THING that they can learn from about me, and it’s pretty much game over. Trust me, they want you alive more than almost all others”

 

“so what should I do with them?”  
“whatever. I mean, it’s gonna be your class, dear teacher Tobes”  
“and two of the world ending evil creatures my students. Sounds fun!”  
“ohhh good idea I have! Do something with them, like roast marshmallows or something, just some basic thing that is easy to understand, and show them a fun activity that they can know for the future! Plus that will ease up your tension. They won’t be staring at you if they’re focusing on not melting their marshmallows!”  
“do I HAVE to do that specifically? I mean it’s a great idea! I’m just wondering”  
“do whatever, just was an example”  
“a perfect example!”  
“first, before we leave. We need to do one thing”

 

……………………………………………………………………..

Toby and Jim had left a few minutes later, each ready for the day! Jim and Toby went back and forth to the store to pick up an entire backpack full of marshmallow supplies, more than enough for teaching time! Although it would take like, 15 full bags just to fill Bular up, still it’s not about being full, it’s about learning! Now the two walked to a library, not just any, but THE library, Blinky’s. As the two came closer to the entrance, they heard two familiar voices

“a little higher, a little more”  
“here?”  
“a little more”  
“here?”  
“perfect!”

Toby was in aw was the two entered the library, seeing Arrrg and Blinky organize books of various things. The room was dome shaped, everything chiseled into the stone walls. Fine rugs and seats, tables, crystals, skulls, and materials, filled the room. Each wall was lined with books. Some in perfect condition, others so torn and used, they looked like they would turn to dust if you touched them. Toby had a slight headache, trying to take it all in, he spun around and felt dizzy as he did, almost tripping until Jim caught him  
“hey Blinky hey Arrrg”  
“master Jim!” the two called out happily. Arrrg was lifting Blinky up with an arm outstretched, the much smaller troll trying to reach up on his tipy toes to put a few books back in place  
“Jimbo...this...place is massive! I’ve never seen a library like this! Or anything close to it!” Blinky was lowered to the ground as soon as he finished, clapping his four hands together as to dust them off  
“good morning young Tobias”  
“morning toas”  
“morning you two”  
“so master Jim what may I help you with?”  
“actually I came to see if you had a book, well I mean a very specific book”  
“oh? Which might that be”  
“morning of ha volume 135”  
“ah, my favorite thousand part series” Toby suddenly turned around and gasped  
“THOUSAND?! LIKE A THOUSAND BOOKS?!”  
“yes, you say it like it’s a bad thing”

“THAT’S A SHIT LOAD OF BOOKS!”  
“Tobes, trolls do live a long time, plus the books aren’t that thick, well I mean they are, but the writing is pretty big, since they need to write big”  
“okay, still shocking but alright. I don’t think I’ve read even 100 books in my life”  
“well, If you ever need any help with anything, you can ask Blinky, he knows pretty much everything”  
“goodness no! Oh you flatter me too much master Jim!”  
“well you are the smartest troll, well person, I know”  
“well, between books, wisdom of the ages, constant study, witnessing history, and my brothers teachings, you learn to pick up a few things” Toby looked at an open book on a nearby table, then looked up and asked Blinky  
“you have a brother?”  
“had a brother. Former adviser to our great dark underlord Gunmar”  
“ohhh that’s kinda neat! you’re the adviser now that he’s gone, like some family ‘pass the torch’ thing? Or a tradition or something?”  
“oh no nothing of the sort, he held the position before me and I took it when he was killed for treason”  
“wait..uh...go back a little?”  
“the day I obtained my position was the day my brother was killed. It was a good day, for me at least”  
“wait weren’t you...sad?”  
“of course I was, I loved my brother dearly. BUT he was no longer loyal to our dark underlord and was slain, so I understood”  
“Tobes, we’re gumm-gumms. Being loyal to my dad is the number one priority”  
“precisely. When my brother was slain, Jim’s father offered me the position, I took it right away! And have proved myself indisposable since then! I raised master Jim since he was but a babe from day 1. all the way until now” Blinky lovingly pat Jim on the shoulder  
“so when did that happen?”  
“caring for master Jim?”  
“no your whole...letting your brother die and becoming the next adviser, which I’m assuming you’re better at than he was”  
“HA! FAR BETTER! If I do say so myself. I have not been adviser for as long as my brother had, however I am far more loyal. This happened long long ago, far before master Jim was even thought of”  
“so, what exactly made him...well...disposable”  
“oh that, well to keep It brief, he was enjoying his life a bit too much. He was always by our lords side, allowed a generous amount of resource to look over, and overall have access to most if not all places. He grew far too in love with his position, he started to only think for himself, using resources on his own joys, instead of properly managing them for our armies and various other agents. He started to think far too highly of himself, thinking himself untouchable. He started to have others follow and obey him and only him, turning their loyal eyes to him and not our true lord. Gunmar found out one day, and well, my brother didn’t live to see the end of it. By the next day I had his position and every detail of my responsibilities memorized. I’ve done a far better job, I was even allowed to select whichever mate I desired. I only chose the most capable, violent, bloodthirsty, powerful subject. Arrrg”

Arrrg nuzzled him as he walked past, pushing carts of books around for future sorting  
“so, biggest of the biggest huh?”  
“exactly”  
“so you two plan on having kids?”  
“but of course! Only in the future however. My current and most important responsibility is tending to master Jim, making sure he is growing healthy and proper. Speaking of, you truly have been greatly slacking on your training. However your father has already spoken to me of your life, so we will keep it on hold for the time being” Blinky handed Jim the book he was looking for as well as place a few other books down on a nearby table  
“thanks Blinky. So, sorting day today?”  
“yes, quite exciting!” Toby peeked into another book and snorted  
“exciting? Seems dull to me”  
“oh not at all! Remembering each and every piece of literature and scrap of wisdom within this room is wonderful! As well as doing mental activities on remembering which events transpired in which volumes. I was actually sorting through a wonderful selection on agriculture! Oh you humans have such wonderful imaginations and creations! Another reason why I was given the privilege of raising master Jim, I know far more about human civilization than any other, even more than my brother did”  
“neat, why’s that?”  
“my brother, as well as all others, found it uninteresting, such a strange mental set isn’t it? Humans are just as fascinating as they are delicious!”  
“good...to know” Toby flipped through some pages, seeing various images until one caught his eye  
“hey what’s this? It looks like a dagger with green drops on it. I’m guessing it’s poison because the troll dude looks like he’s in pain and it also has what I’m assuming to be a troll skull on the bottle” Jim closed his book and walked over  
“oh that’s creeper sun poison”  
“thanks for reminding me! I totally forgot”  
“haha, okay yeah I shouldn’t have said it like that. it’s pretty much an insta death. One drop, and you turn to stone pretty much within a second, works on anyone, not just trolls”  
“oh dam! So if I got even the smallest cut, I’d be a Toby statue?”  
“yep!”  
“good to know”  
“well if you get cut no bigge, at least you’ll look good!”  
“thanks!”  
“well actually it’s because we have the antidote too, so as long as you don’t shatter and fall apart, we can cure you!”  
“ohhh shiiittt I just realized! If you did cut me, and I became a statue, and I was all alive and junk, it’s like time travel!”  
“what?”  
“think about it, you could just unstone me and I’d be right there with you again!”  
“oh that is pretty neat huh”  
“master Jim I must attend to your father soon, did you require anything else before I leave?”  
“nah that’s it, thanks, promise to return the book soon”  
“take your time! Oh but erm...please be a bit more...clean than your brother...He’s...made a bit of a mess with a few other books, especially books of more….erotic nature” Toby laughed  
“wait your brother was jerking off to troll pictures?!”  
“guess so Tobes, everyone has needs. Alright no talking about that. let’s get going”

………………………………………………………………………………

The two reported in as their usual routine. Spoke about their plans for the day, then went their separate ways. As Jim left the throne room, Gunmar asked Toby why he doesn’t accompany his son  
“it’s cause he wanted the day for himself boss, even Jim likes to have his own time to himself, so he’s off to the races! Not any literal races but you get my point. While he’s doing his own thing, I thought it would be a great time for some of us time! Good time to get a bit more teaching in! If you’re up for it, same with you Bular, you’re both trying to learn, so why not both at the same time, beats trying to say this stuff at two different times today”  
“hm. Yes, that does sound appropriate. Yes, today will be spent learning”  
“you up for it too Bular?”  
“yes, anytime”  
“alright, sweet! I have a fun activity while we talk” Toby pulled out a bag from his backpack and held it up with a smile  
“roasting marshmallows!”

…………………………………………………………………….

The three of them headed to a cooking station, a nice big area to roast marshmallows together! Even if it was a bit too big. Gunmar cleared everyone out of the entire place, leaving only the three of them to occupy it. Toby sat down on a stool and brought out some packets of the sweet treats. He first thought they would just use regular sticks or something, until Gunmar handed him a spear. Well, it’ll work! So why not?  
“one for you, and one for you, and one for me, that all makes three!” Toby said with a chipper attitude, impaling the poor treat onto the razor sharp weapon  
“now, all you want to do is this. Nice and simple!” Toby explained as he held his spear over the fire “Lots of people like it different ways. Some hardly toasted, others lightly, other heavily, and some even like theirs burnt (personally I like it like that) Jim likes his burnt (YES I’M MAKING IT CANNON SO DEAL WITH IT) personally I only like it somewhat toasted, everyone has their own preference. So try it out!” Bular watched the flames cook his meager treat, hardly a tab of food  
“how do I know when it’s done”  
“just by looking at it. Mines done! They don’t take long to cook, then you just pull it off HOT SPEAR AHH and then eat it” Gunmar watched his be cooked to a crisp. If Jim enjoyed it, he wanted to see if he would. It was eh.  
“here, both of you get your own bag” Toby says handing each one out  
“okay let’s see...hmm...what to talk about...okay, let’s start with simple things, your history! Jim’s told me everything, but it’s still neat to hear it from others perspectives, I mean you’ve both lived through all of it. Well, not you Bular since you weren’t born yet-you get what I mean. Since I’m the youngest one here, and by here I mean the entire darklands, well Jim was but now I am, why don’t you tell me your lives! Well I guess you haven’t lived through all of earlier gumm-gumm history since the whole war with people happened which made you be born boss, although I guess all the super important parts were the ones you lived through, actually you were apart of all of them come to think of it. Okay I’m just rambling now” Gunmar spoke of his life. The day he was born, his first kill, and so on and so forth. His betrayal of Orlagk, the day he met Bular’s mother, only to be interrupted by Toby  
“wait who is she? How come you guys never talk about it?”  
“she is not to be mentioned.”  
“how come?” Toby said while he blew on his marshmallow and ate it  
“she isn’t. I decree it.”  
“yeah but wh-” Toby looked at the now slowly becoming agitated Gunmar  
“haha...okay yeah moving on...” Gunmar continued, the day they fought at the kilahead bridge, something Toby wanted to ask about but suddenly remembered not to interrupt, as well as not wanting to question thing’s that are more….sensitive. Just because he couldn’t be killed, doesn’t mean he couldn’t go without some kind of punishment….Toby remembered Jim saying that one day. Then Jim’s mother came up, Toby REALLY wanted to ask about her, but like with Bular’s mother, he didn’t want to open his mouth. Gunmar was surprisingly...sadder than all the other topics. He seemed to slow down when discussing things, feel resentment to himself for not doing well enough for Jim. Then came Jim, then at the present time. Toby had been roasting marshmallow after marshmallow, making sure to keep his face stuffed so he couldn’t ask questions by accident, as well as make it look like he had an excuse not to talk.

 

"so, after you retire or something, Bular gets the throne?"  
"yes. but that will be far past your time as well as...hm"  
"Jim’s"  
"yes. although we prefer not to think about his....short lifespan"  
"i get it. i guess it doesn't really affect me since...well I’m human. all of you are going to outlive me, out of the four of us I’m going to be the one to kick the bucket first, so i never really think about Jim’s mortality, although its always the opposite. we talk about mine. Jim’s gonna be sad and miss me and all that. which is why he wants to make every second with me count" Gunmar and Bular were silent for a bit, not sure what to say or reply. He was lucky in a way. He didn’t have to think about just how old Jim was going to get. Toby started to feel disturbed and anxious from the lack of talking, so he brought up Arrrg and Blinky’s history. Toby explained that Jim told him he was raised by them entirely. Toby suddenly gags and says how sorry he is for saying it. It’s true. Gunmar regrets it. yes Blinky primarily raised him. Arrrg is his mate and the head hound, he helped raise Jim as well. The two, loving and caring for a whelp not even their own. The true father, ignoring him his entire life. What kind of a father is that? 

“Hey, so since Arrrg is the number one hound, top of the top, strongest of the strong, then who’s in second place?” Gunmar grunted out while blowing on his tiny marshmallow, truly becoming fond for the tiny treats  
“Garg”  
"haha, Arrrg and Garg. sound alike. well human names are the same. like Justin and Austin. So, when is Jim gonna get hitched? Uh married”  
“when he wishes it”  
“but no matter what, he WILL have one?”  
“yes. That is my only demand. I know well enough that love comes in the most unlikely places. So I will not force his choice, I will give him plenty of options to choose from”  
“buuut you’re hand picking them? Not a problem! Just curious”  
“yes. I will only choose the greatest of the great for my son to wed and eventually have a child with”  
“hows that gonna go down?”  
“a competition”  
“like, just killing or something?”  
“that will be the biggest part of it. But it will be split into multiple competitions. Well rounded and evenly challenging for all skills. The few who pass will be given the option to be apart of the ones my son may choose of as his mate. The day that comes and my son chooses who he wishes, they will be apart of. Male only however, since that is his preference”  
“yeah, how many gay champions are there?”  
“Gay?”  
“yeah”  
“what’s this”

“ohh that’s right. Jim said trolls don’t-uhh it’s a human thing, never mind it’s kinda complicated. Humans always are haha….well….to keep it brief, when a human male is interested in another male, he’s called gay. When one sex likes the opposite, it’s straight, well there’s a lot more and a lot of complicated things to explain, so point is, trolls guys who like troll guys”  
“hm. There is more than enough”

“hey Bular, what about you? you’ve been pretty quiet”  
“….hm…...hm…...hm...hm? HM? OH apologies, I suppose I became lost in my head. I will be by my brothers side, looking each champion over. I have no doubts in their abilities, but attitudes and physical prowess are two very different things”  
“cool, hope I’m alive to see what studs Jim’s into!..uh...anyways, so what about your love life? Unless it’s too personal then we can just move on!”  
“i have absolutely no interest in relations right now”  
“why’s that?”  
“i don’t desire it. I solely must focus on more important things right now, instead of clutter my time and mind with other things that would steal too much of my attention away”  
“one of those things like being a better brother? SORRY IF THAT’S OFFENSIVE! I DIDN’T MEAN IT TO BE!”  
“it’s fine. Yes.”  
“well, good to get priorities straight! Sooo...male or female or what?”  
“i don’t care about the gender of my mate, just so long as I love them, they return it in truth without just wanting a higher status, they wish to wed and bear my whelp”  
“well, we all know Jim can only have one, what about you? Just going for the one?”  
“that will be decided in the future. Like I said, I don’t care enough to put much thought into the matter. What lesson are we going to learn? you’ve not taught us anything as of yet.”  
“oh! Sorry, just thought it would be like a warm up-okay well, role playing!”  
“what.”  
“it’s simple!” Toby stood up, dusted himself and cleared his throat  
“I’m going to be Gunmar” Gunmar’s eye focused  
“what do you mean you are going to be me.”  
“nono! Nothing bad! Just humor me! I promise, this has NOTHING to do with mocking you in anyway! Like I said, humor me” Toby cleared his throat, closed one eye, and put his hands to his head, stretching his index fingers out to make horns, then spoke in a deep voice  
“i am Gunmar! The black! The skull crusher!”  
“i am not amused child.” meanwhile Bular couldn’t help but grow a small grin  
“okay, now Gunmar, you are Jim”  
“what.”  
“this role play will be about teaching perspectives. YOU will pretend to be Jim, try to see how he lives life. How he sees how you interact with him. Pretend you’re in his shoes-well he doesn’t wear any-you get what I mean” Gunmar closed his eye. If this would help him be a better father, might as well humor it  
“fine. I am my son Jim”  
“Jim, I want you to know, I want to be invested in your life more, I love you”  
“thank you father. I appreciate the effort you’re putting in and investing your time in me”  
“nope! UH SORRY I JUST MEAN TO CORRECT YOU! You have to try to see through JIM’S eye-eyes. He wouldn’t have said father, also another thing to note is your wording. The way you said it and why you said how you said it, is because you’re seeing how YOU would imagine Jim. Not how Jim actually would be. He would be really hurt to hear how all you’re doing is investing your time in him. To him, it sounds like you have nothing better to do or that doing so isn’t truly meaningful, just another project to work on. Communication is one of the most important things. How you say things, why you say it, that sort of thing. Now, the PROPER way you should have said, which is the way Jim will truly understand you love him, would be ‘Son, I’m deeply in regret for not being in your life. I want to promise you that I will make sure to give you everything I can so I can be apart of your life. You are one of the most important things to me, top priority. You matter so much to me, I will do everything I can, whatever it takes, to truly prove this. This isn’t just wording, but true meaning backed by action. You aren’t a subject. You are my son’ like that” Gunmar was furious, but tried not to show it. He wasn’t mad at Toby, no he was mad at HIMSELF. He NEVER would have thought to say it like that. No wonder his son just felt like a subject. He didn’t truly say and show he was a son and nothing less. Actions speak louder than words. He wanted Jim by his side far more often. Doing things to show he truly loves him, wants to hold him close and never let go. Gunmar won’t fail. He can’t afford to fail. Toby is going to have to teach him better communication skills. He truly just speaks to him like another subject, not a son. Gunmar wondered if Bular thought the same way deep down…..

Gunmar snorted out in anger, not able to hold it in any longer  
“hey boss, it’s okay”  
“no. it isn’t. This shouldn’t be difficult. I should already know this”  
“which is why you’re learning, along with Bular. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all  
“what?”  
“oh it’s a human saying, basically it means the greatest of things don’t just happen overnight. You need to build up on it first in order to become greater than you currently are”  
“ah. hm. Keep teaching”  
"everyone sees the world in their way, they think how others might think and feel, but you see it in YOUR ANSWERS. you have to imagine how THEY see it, think and feel it. the way you feel and think things can't be applied to them"  
“interesting. Something to note”  
“alright, time to change it up a little. Bular, now YOU be your father and I’ll be you” Bular and Gunmar both said  
“what” at the same time  
“just go with it. Bular, you will show how you see things. What your sight is through your dad’s while looking at Jim and me aka yourself. Okay that’s complicated sounding...um...hmm….just pretend to be him and talk to Jim” Bular couldn’t hold back a smile as he thought of how to be his father to his ‘brother’. Gunmar didn’t like how much Bular was smiling at this  
“sons”  
“yes fa-dad?”  
“yes father?”  
“my sons. step forward. I want you to both understand, I hold much pride in my heart for you both. Even if one brother is olde-"  
“nope”  
“what?! I can’t state the obvious age difference?!"  
"you can just not that way"  
"UGH. Fine. Jim, you and your older brother. Like that?”  
“yes”  
“mean much to me. I’ve been in your brothers life for far longer than yours. Is that okay to say?”  
“yes, I’ll correct you when you need to be”  
“I love you both….equally. Even if one of you have had-”  
“nooooo. you’re thinking about being resentful towards Jim. you’ve had a much bigger head start, you’ve done waaay more things to make your father proud and stuff, but you resent Jim because he for some reason has an equal amount of love even if he’s never done anything to earn it. Am I wrong?” Bular as well as Gunmar were taken aback by that  
“I’m going to take that as a no. I’m good at reading people once I start getting to know them. I can tell the three of you are the only family you have. That means the three of you need to stay together a lot more, in the sense of no longer feeling like each individual is separate from the lives of the others. You will have armies and stuff, but no matter what, the three of you are the closest things to one another. No one else will ever be able to be family, well I mean until you have kids and marry-you get my meaning. The three of you need to connect more. Bond. Share. Gun-boss, you feel like you’ve ignored Jim. Upsetting his mother because of it...I….that...might have….i took it too far...uh anyways, Jim is important to you because she was. He is all you have left of her. Thing is, you CAN’T look at it like that. You see her and NOT Jim. Yes, she will always be apart of him, but he is his own individual. You can’t keep trying to look into him and only see regret as well as her. You have to open up and wipe the slate clean. it’s Jim’s time in your heart, not hers. Shes had her turn, it’s unfair and selfish to ignore Jim when he has to compete with his own mother for your affection. Love should never be a competition. It shouldn’t be some reward, it shouldn’t be something you have to earn, to show you’re worthy of it. It should be a given. You might get angry and stuff, but you must always love him, as well as Bular, and same for you for both. Jim isn’t his mother. Let him be him. See him for who he is, who he’s going to become. that’s how you’ll learn to grow.

 

Bular you see it unfair that Jim just gets this massive head start just because he’s your brother. you’ve worked your ass off for what he’s just given for doing nothing. I really don’t know how trolls do family stuff, or gumm-gumms in general, but you need to accept he’s your brother. He will be loved just like you do. It isn’t fair for him to be loved less just because he has yet to ‘prove’ himself to your dad. You both have your own lives, you should be loved differently, that SHOULD happen. That however does NOT and SHOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING to do with the equal affection. Gunm-boss, you love Bular because how much he reminds you of...well...you. You love how violent and strong he is and stuff. You need to see what his personality is. His hobbies, who he is in general, not just some mini version of yourself. He will never be you. Bular stop trying to be your father. Yes, similarities are good, something to work forward too is good, improving yourself is good. what’s NOT GOOD is that you’re just trying to copy exactly as he does. Do things your own way. Become your own person. Yes, you are his so and will naturally follow in his footsteps, but you can’t just be his shadow. Be your own blood thirsty human hungry troll. Back to the resentment. You have to stop seeing Jim as his mother, just like I told him. You want to love Jim? Really love him? Care for him? Then let him be himself. Grow, change, show who he becomes. don’t let him just force himself to become both of how you are. THAT’S why he’s killing himself practically. Because he wants to BE YOU. Do what YOU DO, CAN DO. He needs to learn his own limits. Naturally grow and surpass them. In time. He hates it, I know, but he needs to be his own person, follow his own path. Not the same. He can’t, and most likely will NEVER keep up with your footsteps. Which is why he needs to make his own path. Both of you need to be there to help him through life. Teach him that he can’t be you two NOT because he’s a half troll, but because he’s Jim. No one else but Jim.

 

When Jim starts to really, really see your changes. He’ll actually start to no longer be shocked, be suddenly startled by the sudden affection and inclusion. If you sleep somewhere cold and painful for so long, and then suddenly get to be somewhere where it’s comfortable and warm, you’re going to be suspicious and not fully understanding the drastic change. don’t expect him to suddenly accept things either. Humans have a hard time usually. Most people need to grow into things first before moving on. We all know that when I’m gone, Jim’s going to get really, really depressed. He needs someone to turn to. Or else he’ll just bottle up his emotions which will eventually kill him. He needs to know who can and will comfort him. don’t be like how I am. Be how you are in your own comforting ways. Yes, do what I teach you, but in your own ways. You can’t mimic mine exactly, it will never be possible” Both the trolls looked In shock, their entire worlds flipped upside down and turned inside out. The human just unlocked things in them they would have never been able to on their own.

“okay, another thing to note is well uh, one big mistake parents do is improperly scolding their children, guess this will apply to you too Bular, but in a brotherly way. Sure they do need it, everyone does stuff they have to be punished for, but a lot of times, they're accidents or mistakes. in those cases, they don’t NEED to be scolded, they already feel horrible as is, you don’t need to drill it in deeper. what they need is comfort. support. telling them its good to learn from this, its also okay to heal. To kindly teach them where the mistake was. to help them understand so they don’t do it again. Like, sharing wisdom i guess? uh...hmm.…how do i explain it....okay...hmm...lets say, Jim’s little or whatever, point is, hes playing with a sword that’s too dangerous for him. he knows hes not supposed to but does it anyways. he ends up cutting himself badly on accident. you don’t need to yell at him. he can already understand what he did wrong by, ya know, bleeding. instead, tell him how to properly handle a sword so he doesn’t do it again. i guess that the easiest comparison i can make. If he tries to do something that WILL hurt him, try to prevent him, but not with force or anger. If he really is dead set on doing it, help him. At least help to train him, show him how to make it the least painful and dangerous. We call it the clean needle act. You can’t stop him from doing something, at least help him in a way that will be beneficial to him. The clean needle is usually a reference for someone doing drugs. You can yell at them and do whatever else, but they will run off to do it. The clean needle is helping them through it, being supportive. If they’re going to do the drug, at least let them have a space where you know where they are, and it’s safe for them. They won’t be exposed to others and be in some place you don’t know anything about.

 

Hmmm...okay imagine Jim is sneaking off, stealing a sword and using it. he’s going to use it no matter how much you yell at it. If you take it away, he’s just going to get another one from somewhere else. he’s going to go somewhere, somewhere you can’t follow. Somewhere you won’t know. If he ends up getting hurt bad and needs help, you’re never going to know where he is or even if he’s hurt. What the clean needle would be in this case, training him how to be safe, saying he can do it, but only in a reserved area were you know where it is, and it’s safe for him. If he hurts himself, you know where to find him and help him when he needs it. Help him enough and in a supportive way, he won’t have to feel like sneaking around anymore, he might have his fun with the swords and move on to something less dangerous. Let him get it all out of his system, or else he’s just going to go right back to doing it. Does this help?”

 

“very” Gunmar and Bular ended up saying at the same time  
“good. Well, I don’t want to do too much and get things too complicated. One step at a time and...stuff. So let’s just focus on what to do with what I said. Focus on that before moving on. That way when something comes down to the subject, you’ll know how to do it well”  
“I’m glad I never ate you by mistake that day” Gunmar says, eating the last of his marshmallow  
“thanks boss…..okay I’ve really been curious about this, I don’t want to seem offensive in any way...but….you only have one eye….is it...hard to see? And do things? You were born with two, then when you lost your eye, was it hard to move around and do things? Since everything would be off balance?”

“yes actually. It took me a good amount of time to adjust. I no longer have issues handling my sight. I will admit, I would bump into things at first, thinking they weren’t as close” Toby smiled and began to keep tutoring them. By that night, Toby said he was tired, they said goodnight to him and let him leave. Toby felt exhausted. Talking so much, interacting, teaching, he was only one guy. And they did it the whole day. Toby opened the doors to Jim’s room and stopped with absolute shock. He saw Jim, dead center of the room, on a HUGE pile of treasure, wearing a little crown while sipping a drink from a cup.  
“oh hey Tobes”  
“uh…….hey?”  
“so how was your day?” Toby entered the room fully and shut the door behind himself  
“it was….good?”  
“nice. How was my dad and bro?”  
“okay. You obviously know that this FUCKING GIANT TREASURE PILE YOU’RE SITTING ON WASN’T HERE BEFORE. ANSWERS. NOW!”  
“I’ll tell you all about my day if you tell me about yours. Oh also I have a magic book that can predict the future. Also I was vored by a giant troll”


	41. Sin's of the father. part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim. oh Jim. what have you gotten yourself into this time?
> 
>  
> 
> What are you planning?
> 
> this goes beyond normal thinking.
> 
> oh. sweet blood. how bitter and strong. it burns and screams. write in pain. forced to answer. what will come next?
> 
> This isn't good. this isn't safe. a key to the future shouldn't be handled like this. something terrible might happen. something...different.
> 
> also YAY VORE JOKES FOR THE FUTURE!
> 
> FUCK YEAH! SUPER RICH NOW! HA TAKE THAT YOU TROLL BITCH
> 
> sweet memories of blood. guide by bloodstain. enlightened by the ash. ignite for truth.
> 
> Bular. secrets like that shouldn't be kept away from your father.
> 
> ALSO TROLL HELL EXISTS and Jim is the ultimate sinner~ time to suck some troll satan dick!
> 
> ALSO GOD. DRAAL, STOP BEING SUCH A STUD! you make Jim confused and distracted!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally had a dumb fanfic/actual moment. i was re watching an ep to get some references. and i was like  
> 'wait that doesn't happen. this is supposed to' until shortly after i realized, that's only in my fanfic. fucking dumbass XD
> 
> thought of the stupidest joke. someone says to jim happy mothers day! he falls to his knees and starts to cry. toby comes over to him  
> "hey! what have i been telling you not to do on this day?"  
> "cry about it without you?"  
> "exactly, so move over so i can cry too"
> 
> OKAY THAT'S ALL FOR NOW! ENJOY!

“Waaaaaallllllllllllllllllltttttttttt you naughty naughty changeling!” Jim said condescendingly.  
“yes, I’ve been a bad little changeling” Walt smirks in return as the two stood in Walt’s office, watching the bookshelf lower into the ground. Jim did a small whistle and turned to Walt, another condescendingly small grin  
“why didn’t I know about this sooner young man?”  
“i didn’t find it necessary at the time”  
“well, don’t mind if I take a peek around”  
“help yourself. Do be careful, some of this is very fragile and old” Jim walked around, looked, touched, and even lick a couple things. He would be hit on the head with a book when he licked something  
“no eating”  
“i was just tasting!”  
“remember oh so long ago? My advice? No eating things that aren’t human food”  
“good times. Cringy times. Sooo, wheres the magic booooook?”  
“where else would one be?”  
“on a pedestal opened up showing deep secret evil lore next to a fairly lit desk with….what’s this?” Jim stopped at the desk looking at strange writing and designs, various skulls and eyeballs. Angry troll faces and crystals  
“looks troll but….weird”  
“ancient version of it. Think of it as the Latin version of troll. The designs are one that was supposed to be a plan of attack oh so long ago. To keep it brief since I highly doubt you wish to hear about a 3 hour plan, when your father escaped, these plans were one fragment of a much larger one, split up so our enemies wouldn’t be able to figure out our plots. Your father was to gain more power from certain dark magic rituals. Lots of sacrifice, heartstone, magics, that sort of thing”  
“could this empower anyone?”  
“no. this was specifically designed to only fit your father. He wanted this to be specific only to him so no one else could possibly benefit from it. I honestly don’t know where the other fragments of the plans are. Lost to time. This was the only remaining one we have in our possession. Without the all the pieces together, each individual piece is practically just scribbles and nonsense. The plans can’t be used and the pieces all lost save this one, so no one is willing to invest time and resource into something that is useless. Even if we did gather everything for whatever reason, it still wouldn’t work. Your father needs to be out of the darklands to have it preformed on him. Not even Bular could benefit from it”

“hm….but….he doesn’t have dads blood….like I do...” Jim’s eyes became a bit more focused, his mind drifting off into space, ideas slowly forming and being put together.  
“Jim, this won’t work for you. You aren’t your father”  
“but I have his blood. So far everything he can do I can too, well from what I can do...which is summoning my sword and powering myself up for like, a minute or something before I feel like passing out”  
“even if this could benefit you, which is about as likely as the moon will crash into the earth by some kind of magic from some sort of demented object (get it?) your body wouldn’t be able to even handle it. It would most likely literally disintegrate into ash from the sheer pressure of the overwhelming power. Between the two of us, I think your father himself would be horribly wounded afterwards. He would be far more powerful, but it would take a tremendous amount of time for him to recover fully, and that’s if he’s in peak performance”  
“hm…..speaking of…...now I want you to be honest with me, truly honest….do you believe I could grow as powerful as my dad?”  
“in all kind honesty. No, I do not. This….well this technically does have to do with you, but you simply cannot accomplish it. Even with his blood. you’ve got a drop of it from an entire ocean. Jim, I believe in you. I know you can and will accomplish such great things. Only in your own way though. No matter how many drops you collect, you just won’t ever become an ocean. I’m sorry Jim”  
“no, it’s alright, I expected that answer. I don’t find it offensive or anything, I just wanted to hear it out loud. Not the part of the ocean, I know that, but that I CAN and WILL do things. I know I want to be like dad, but I can’t and never will. I really am just a watered down version of him. The tiny drop. I’m okay with that though. It took so long to accept it…..but I finally do now. Toby helped me with that….along with some other enlightening things I’ve experienced. I know that if I master my blood, I will be able to do what I want”  
“like I said, you as a person in your own right will be able to do things most can never dream of, even your brother couldn’t do the things you can”  
“and I can’t him and he can’t me and blah blah I get it. Well, no biggie I guess. Alright, no more heart to heart, I’ve had terrible emotions lately. This heat is killing me. So no more being exposed to my inner self and shit. So, back to the future reading book”

 

“you know it already well enough, but like I say, I’m always here to talk to. Well, here we have it. The book of Ga-Huel”  
“so...how does it work?”  
“see, this young man is what’s known as a book. You read the words on the page. Nothing as fancy as mobile devices and computers but that’s how the ancients learned things”  
“haha. Funny, I was born before this existed”  
“you did try to eat a school computer though”  
“in my defense, that’s when I first came up top. Also when I was told that you learn from what’s inside, I tried to get into it. I licked the screen and looked and poked and then chewed. I never swallowed a bite!”  
“whatever you say my dark prince. In all seriousness, it’s magics are strange and unfamiliar. A type of divination magic, but none like the world has ever seen. To this day we still don’t fully understand it’s magics. All we know is that it tells the past, the present, and possible future. Outcomes are….different though. Things are sometimes set in stone, but a single image doesn’t reveal the entire moment”  
“gotcha. Hm….so….now what?”  
“well that’s it. The book will randomly spawn a page. Sometimes within moments of one another, sometimes centuries apart. It has no pattern, at least one we can discern of”  
“wait if this book says that it can kill dad, why don’t any of you just destroy it?”  
“think about it. Yes, it says how to kill. But it tells the future, gives you hints and knowledge if you look close enough. It literally helps show you the bigger picture. Why would your father wish to get rid of it?”  
“okay I understand now. Wait so why is it locked In here and not some ultra bunker or vault”  
“well, no one knows it exists anymore, besides rumors and faded memories. It hasn’t shown any new pages since your father was sent into the darklands for the first time. Plus, the others are afraid. I’m the only one ‘foolish’ enough to take it. Everyone believes that the owner will see their own death and become obsessed with it until they do eventually die, slowly driving them into insanity. So far it’s not been the truth for me. Not a scrap of information regarding my own demise, as well as my mind being sharper than ever”  
“hmm….so, if it doesn’t do anything, it’s just a regular book”  
“exactly. Which is why others loose interest in it when they learn that it hasn’t ‘worked’ in a long while”

 

Jim touched a page. It was soft and had the texture of skin, like when people used to make books and maps with actual animal skins. Jim picked up the book and flipped through it. From the beginning of when trolls lived in peace munching on humans together, to the final image of Gunmar being sent into the darklands the very first time. Hardly 20% of the books pages were used. The entire rest was just blank page after blank page.  
“huh. Neat I guess. Never saw these pictures before, so that’s cool” Walt turned around and slowly walked back to his desk, sitting down and starting to tend to paperwork  
“a history lesson is always nice. Enjoy yourself. Don’t mind me” Jim closed the book and inspected it from front to back. It just looked like any old regular troll book. Hardly anything of importance to it. If it sat in a pile of just everyday books, you’d never be able to actually tell which was which. Jim set the book on the table and frowned, wishing it could have done something besides showing historical pages. A small glow in the corner of his eye caught Jim’s interest. He looked at a small sheath and pulled out a glowing dagger from it, looking it over in awe  
“cool...” He swung it around a bit. It felt….strange in his hand. Like the weight constantly shifted around, similar to having water in a bottle and moving it around. Jim turned his head around and smiled  
“hey Walt wh-AH!” Jim gasped and hissed in pain. The dagger tilted too far in his hand on one side and cut him. It was only a small cut on one of his fingers. The dagger felt like it was hot and shocking at the same time. Jim’s attention slowly changed from his cut to the book as it suddenly moved. A couple drops of his blood fell to an open page. It glowed reddish gold and….sizzled. Small steam was coming off the page. The sound of it’s sizzle almost sounded like…..screaming…..like someone in intense pain..

“what….” Jim watched as the books pages seemed to crinkle and stain, smoothing itself out before what could be seen as flinching in pain. Suddenly from the bloodstain, words seemed to appear. The stain itself shaping into letters, ancient troll. Only to then change into the now modern troll.  
“pain.”  
“what….hey….Walt” Jim turned around only to see Walt standing close to him watching in shock  
“unbelievable”  
“what just happened?”  
“i have no idea….it….formed words”  
“Well, a word. Pain.”  
“the book’s never done that before. Anytime it has ever entered something new, it’s always been this bright flash. Not….whatever just happened”  
“it looked like it was hurt. Wait is the book...like...alive?”  
“no. not as far as anyone knows.”

The two turned back to looking at the book. Everything seemed to go back to normal. Just a regular book once more. Jim squeezed his finger and let another drop of blood fall onto the page. The book again looked like it was flinching in pain. The vague sounds of screams in a sizzle. The book molded from the blood  
“pain. Stop”  
“ooookkkkkaaaaayyy what the hell”  
“it reacts to your blood.” Jim pressed his finger cut to the page. The sounds of screams seemed to lightly grow louder. The book’s page seemed to writhe in pain. Once more the blood formed  
“stop. hurts”  
“Gunmar hurts you?”  
“yes”  
“why?” the words stopped, Jim squeezed his finger to milk out another drop  
“pain. Hurts. Evil. Corrupt blood.”  
“are you alive?”  
“unsure”  
“can you tell me my future?”  
“unsure. Cannot. Too strange.”  
“because I’m a half troll?”  
“unsure. Sight never muddled before.”  
“wow….okay so the combination of being a half troll AND having my dads blood seems to really weird out the book. Okay book. Who owns you?”  
“no one. Self.”  
“book. You belong to me now.”  
“no. foul.”  
“oh HELL NO. I am NOT getting disrespected by a fucking book!” Jim grabbed the dagger and slit his palm, then slammed it down onto the page. The sounds of screams could be completely understood now as the sizzle was louder than something large placed onto a burning hot surface  
“you will NEVER speak like that of me again. You belong to me now. I am your master, now and until all of time. You are broken. You are MINE” Jim didn’t know what suddenly went through him. He felt so….angry. Controlling. Forceful. His body powered up and he snarled  
“i will hurt you until you turn to dust. You are MINE. You belong to ME. SUBMIT”  
“YES. YES. OWNED. PAIN. NO MORE”  
“I am your master. You will do as I say”  
“YES”  
“being burned in fire would be less painful than this, wouldn’t it?”  
“YES”

 

“again. Who is your master? Is it Walt? Is it a changeling? A troll? A human?”  
“ONLY YOU. SWEAR” Jim felt so tired and heavy all of a sudden. He had to hold himself onto the desk before his eyes rolled up and he crumbled to the ground.

 

……………………………………………………………………………..

It was roughly an hour later. Jim was awake and feeling better. He was sipping a blood pack, flipping through the pages, asking the book things from time to time. Putting a drop of his blood onto it, like a whip almost. It was smart. Although vague. It had an intelligence to it. It could only answer with simple things. Jim tested it’s capabilities overall. What it could do, what it couldn’t. Seeing its full power, to it’s weakest state. The book apparently didn’t even understand itself completely. It knew about as much as anyone else. Things just happened. No idea why or when. that’s all it knew. Jim was satisfied enough. He spoke to it at length, trying to see how much it could retain and memorize. It wasn’t every detail, but it was close. Jim asked it to repeat what Jim said. A large red building next to an apple tree with 4 apples unpicked. Nearby was a truck with only three working tires, one deflated. The book responded  
“large building. Apple tree. Unpicked. Truck. Tires unmatched”

 

good enough Jim thought.  
“Book. you’re going to tell me everything I want from here on out. Can you read my future right now?”  
“no. muddled”  
“because of some kind of butterfly effect or something?”  
“possible. Unsure.”  
“good enough” Jim said he needed to leave. The book was his now. Walt wanted to argue but knew it wouldn’t truly matter. He said goodbye and to take care of the book. Jim left saying he would…

…………………………………………………………………….

Jim was in his room. He wanted privacy. He wanted to focus. He wanted no one else to hear what he was going to say.  
“book. you’re going to help me like I said. The very first, true task your master is giving you is this. You will help me find the way to kill my father”  
“agreed. Why?”  
“i have my own reasons”  
“treason? Father. Gunmar. History in pages”  
“yeah I know it is I’ve seen it. And no, it’s not. If anything it will help my father”  
“confused”  
“only one way to kill my dad. Right?”  
“yes. One. Only one”  
“if I learn it, and only I learn it. I can be a safe keeper of sorts. My dad will love that I’m the only one who knows. it’s no longer something to worry about coming out of the blue one day. I’ll be the one able to do so. My father will be proud I sought this out just to keep him safe. I have no intention on hurting him in any way. so. let’s begin. Where do I start?”  
“book. Different.”  
“which?”  
“The Final Testament of Bodus”  
“wasn’t he your creator?”  
“yes”  
“where is he now?”  
“dead. Slain. Long ago”  
“are you sad?”  
“no emotions. Only pages. Thoughts”  
“so are you mad at me for hurting you?”  
“no. only wish no longer hurt”  
“serve me to your fullest capabilities and I won’t”  
“serve well. Promise”  
“okay, so, that’s the ONLY book that has the answers?”  
“yes”  
“okay. No biggie. Where do I find it?”  
“magic shop”  
“okay, where?”  
“trollmarket”

Jim’s eyes started to open wider in surprise  
“is it rot guts?”  
“unsure”  
“Well it’s the ONLY magic shop there”  
“then yes. No direct answer. Only vague”  
“gottcha. Good job book! Alright. Time for a little trip to trollmarket”

…………………………………………………………………………..

Jim finished walking down the crystal stairs. He made his way through the huge crowds once more. He was wearing a small backpack, letting him carry around the book without anyone thinking anything suspicious. One time he thought he saw Kanjigar. He wasn’t sure if he should even make himself known. no. this was a somewhat stealth mission. Focus on the book.

“Jim” Jim’s heart leaped in joy and excitement from the voice  
“Draal!” Jim smiled and saw down a small corner the blue troll. Jim scooted past some rude trolls and over to him. They hugged and kissed  
“what are you doing here?”  
“i came to look for-uh...something private”  
“oh? Which kind of privacy? Something involving me?~”  
“not the fun kind. Just kinda personal I guess”  
“would it be possible to perhaps be in each others company for the time?” Jim bit his lip. He really really really wanted to. It was like promising yourself to only take a quick shower, but once that hot water hits you and your body relaxes, you feel like you just want to stay forever.  
‘Jim. One mission. Do it. No doing Draal. Mission. Not Draal.’  
“i wouldn’t want anything else in the world”  
‘am I here? Am I honestly being listened to? Stop with your heart and think with your head ME. FOCUS!’

Draal kissed him more and then dug his nose into Jim’s chest, inhaling deeply  
“mh~ you smell as amazing as always~”  
“that’s just the heat”  
“mh~ what a nice thing it is. Speaking of. If you aren’t too sore...could we...”  
‘DO. NOT. FUCK. HIM.’ Jim moaned and bit his lip more. He looked off into the crowded streets. Well it was busy, and Jim didn’t need to go RIGHT away…  
“maybe….just….one time”  
‘alright. I’m leaving. Keys are on the desk. Make poor decisions and illogical plans. I don’t care anymore’ 

Draal dug his nose in deep once more for a good bit of time before suddenly picking Jim up bridal style and started to walk  
“i heard humans find this gesture to be of affection”  
“it is. You don’t have to though”  
“i want to. Also save more energy in your legs and prevent soreness from approaching faster. you’ll need all the energy you can get after all~”  
“wow….okay…..I am way too turned on now then I should be”  
“mh~ the more aroused you become the stronger your heat is~ let me hurry you home before I can no longer control myself”  
“then go wild on me?”  
“what else would I do? The little half troll needs to remember his place. What better way of reminding him than to show him who’s under who. In a literal and metaphorical way I mean”  
“no it’s fine I understood it. Okay my big bull, keep talking like that. it’s really getting me needy~”  
“half troll. About to serve his better once again. I suppose I will allow you to pleasure me. Make something useful out of you. Give you a good reason to be alive”  
“that last bit was a bit too much. Keep it around ‘a good reason to stay by my side’ and the like”  
“sorry. I didn’t mean to offend”  
“it’s okay big guy, I know you didn’t. Now let’s hurry and get home so you can fuck my brains out”  
“when I first heard that I was truly panicked. I didn’t want to LITERALLY fuck your brains out. I thought it would just end up killing you. Thankfully now I know it’s just a human expression”  
“yep. That it is. Alright, go back to dirty talking. I want my bull to put me in my place”  
“under me”  
“yes~” and so Draal carried him home, sensually undressed him, and then roughly plowed him into his nest. What? Hey! You got Jraal porn already! I don’t plan on writing any in this one! Although expect more in the future~ XD

 

Jim was panting along with Draal. Jim needed to get going…  
Draal made a deep growl next to the side of Jim’s head, sending shivers down the poor omega’s spine asking  
“once more?”  
“….yes” and again. And a third time. And a fourth. Jim was drained, same with Draal. The two laid there, talking and falling asleep….

 

Jim woke up comfortably on his bulls chest. Feeling a nice back rub from the strong hand  
“sorry, didn’t mean to wake you~”  
“it’s fine” Jim purred and nuzzled into the chest  
“if you’re up for it. Care for another go?”  
“dam. My bull is such a stud~” once more into the fray!

 

Jim wanted to just lay there forever. Cuddling and relaxing. Only to suddenly jolt awake when he heard he’s just spent. 4. hours. Humping. Plus a small power nap, but still!  
“FUCK ME I GOTTA GO!”  
“i already did. Do you want another?”  
“hmm...….no, no no not right now! I came here for a reason!” Jim tried to get up, only to have his leg snag on a blanket and fall flat onto his face. Draal started to lightly laugh  
“hey! don’t laugh big dick!”  
“where do you need to go? What is this task of yours?”  
“nothing! Okay, I need to go bathe, do my thing, and…..well I’m not sure what next”  
“could I at least help clean you?”  
“Dammit. Why are you so tempting?!…..Yes”  
“cannot resist me simply”  
“I swear you’re an incubus”  
“A what?”  
“male demon that seduces humans. Alright let’s hurry!” they didn’t. The shower took a lot longer than it should have. Soapy bubbles and gentle but firm hands, didn’t cause them to speed up anytime soon. It was well past noon now and Jim needed to focus. Finally he said goodbye and ran off before he could turn back around and run back into Draal’s arms once more. Jim ran and made his way to good ol’ Rot guts. He pounded on the door and watched as a port opened up  
“hello, welcome to Rot guts, ohh hello pet Jim”  
‘still better than abomination’  
“hello”  
“how are you this fine day? How is the trollhunter? what may I assist you with today?”  
“hi, I’m good, he’s good as far as I know at this very second, and I need a book”  
“oh yes! We have many! What kind are you looking for? Mundane, magic, historic, joke book-”  
“The Final Testament of Bodus”

“hm...odd...not that it’s a bad thing! don’t get the wrong idea! it’s just something no one’s ever asked for. Let me see if we still even have it-”  
“who is it? Oh hello pet Jim. Do you always smell funny? Every time you come here you do-”  
“oi! Numbskull! Stop saying that! How many-” the port closes as well as the other one. Jim was tempted to dig into his backpack, open the book up and ask if there were anyway to get them to pay attention for longer than a minute without bickering. Jim wondered why he and Bular didn’t more often. Then again he has ignored his poor little brother for oh so long” a port hole opened back up  
“-yes. Good. Now don’t talk about the Roman empire again. Now then, where were we, ahh yes! The book you requested. Here it is! In prime condition! Well, a little dusty from sitting for so long but perfect otherwise!” The book was dispensed through a slot. Jim picked it up and looked it over. Once again, another plain ordinary book.  
“thanks, so did you want me to give something in return now for the total of my other stuff or what?”  
“oh no! don’t even worry about it! we’ll simply have a little word with your master, our beloved trollhunter for our business. Nothing bad! I would never dare speak ill of you, you’re so very well behaved! Simply for business”  
“alright then I’ll leave, thanks again, goodbye”  
“goodbye! don’t forget to mention on just how well you enjoy our business!” Jim smiled and waved once more before turning around and walking away thinking  
‘kiss ass. I wonder how often Kanjigar gets treated like that, he is a hero after all. Then again, it’s not like me where someone will worry about their potential death if they make me frown in the slightest.’

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Jim had found a quiet place far out of the way to sit and focus. He made sure not even the smallest gnome was nearby to witness what he was doing. He opened both books, his newly acquired future telling one, as well as his apparent secret keeper. Jim flipped through the final testament, skimming and looking over small details here and there. Everything was just mundane troll history 101. He grunted in annoyance and opened Ga-Huel  
“alright. Well I can’t find anything. You got any notes to share?”  
“ignite for truth. Enlightened by ash.”  
“the hell kind of note is that? what is this god dam darksouls? Well, time for crab I guess. Well at least no poison swamp.” 

Jim dug through his backpack, some smaller pockets with random utilities. Pencil eraser, a couple pens, a key to something he has no idea of. Might need it if he ever does find the lock. Fun surprise someday! Maybe. A pocket knife, something Jim forgot to give back to Steve. The blonde human left it at Toby’s house when he left. Jim truly had no need for one. Between his fangs, nails, and claws, he really had more than enough sharp things to use. Now including his sword he can just instantly summon at will. Random scraps of paper, notes, to do lists, coupons, receipts. Gum, oh sweet sweet gum. Jim flipped his shit when he first found out about it. He panicked thinking someone just figured out his true identity, only to soon discover it was just a type of chewing food. It was an awful mess his first experience. He had it stuck in his fangs and fur. Bubble gone horribly wrong. He whimpered as Claire helped cut off the mess. Ever since then, he’s vowed to truly master bubble blowing. A fun idea he had was to chew a whole bunch, blow a huge bubble and pop it. Then cry saying his tongue exploded. A fun prank on his father and brother, Jim was SURE they would get a kick out of the strange sudden action out of no where.

His backpack truly was a wonderland of random crap. Any household drawer would truly be jealous. Finally he found a lighter. He opened it up and sparked up the little flame. He was tempted to make a shitty pun, but didn’t, only because no one was around to hear it and hate it. If a Jim says a shitty pun and no ones around to hear it, does he make a sound? Jim blow to the fire slowly consuming the book. Strangely even the metal parts lit up like dried paper, something that never would happen with common things. Eventually it was a simple pile of ash and embers.  
“alright book, now what?”  
“breath for knowledge.”  
“like blowing it? Alright. If you say so” Jim did a nice long blow, watching the ash scatter across the stone ground. At first nothing was happening until finally it started to form words  
“wow. Cool. Wish Tobes were here. This is like some skyrim shout wall…..huh….

In darkest tide, when daylight darest wane, the Myrddin Wylt obscured a shadow’s bane.

Three forces elemental thou must seek. In marshland, caverns deep, and mountain’s peak.

Where worthy perish, ye will prevail in night and eclipse all who quarry with thy might.

 

The hell does this mean? Magic is so weird. Why is everything so old fashioned? Why can’t it just be like ‘oh dave has the power, go to him at his house and ask for it’ well whatever. Life isn’t simple, especially for a half troll. Okay, what the hell is a Myrddin Wylt. Bet Blinky knows, hes super into weird old crap like that. Marshland, caverns deep, and mountain’s peak….hmm…..okay, three pieces. Each in a single place. Caverns deep….could that be where the Krubera live?….no idea about the other too. Maybe some big hidden treasure is in some cave in some mountain. Marshland...huh….some old sunken vault?….why am I talking to myself all of a sudden?” Jim took out his phone and snapped a picture.  
“here I come Blinky, get that big brain of yours ready. Why am I still talking to myself?”

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Jim was somewhat trying to sneak around in the darklands. He didn’t want anyone to see him and question why he was there, or at the very least end up saying someone saw him and the news somehow gets to Gunmar. Jim wondered how Toby was with the whole distraction thingy. Jim smiled as he saw Blinky in his library, Arrrg nuzzling into him a bit too much. Blinky was trying to swat him away with a book.  
“-ay. Shoo”  
“no. time.”  
“I’m busy! You know it’s organizing day!”  
“have fun with me!”  
“we will later!”  
“no later! Now!” Arrrg started to sniff at the air, only to suddenly turn to Jim who waved hello  
“master Jim”  
“master Jim! Salutations! How goes your day?” Blinky pushed Arrrg away who finally got the hint and walked off to another section of the library, pushing a cart around and sorted it.  
“hey, Blinky. You love riddles and stuff, I ran across one. Wanted to know a bit more about it”  
“ohhh a riddle? Please do tell!” Jim pulled out his phone and showed the picture  
“basically, one person asked me something, wrote in ash to be all symbolic or something, and I can’t figure it out. Especially this part”  
“ohh how interesting! To answer your question this is an old name for Merlin”  
“like the wizard guy from stories?”  
“yes. Hmmm...as far as I can tell this is mentioning some sort of weapon of insurmountable power. Merlin created a weapon that is the bane of shadow. Separated into three pieces, each in different areas, the locations vague but clearly informative about the specific environments. Once re created the wielder will become unmatched in power”  
“ohhhhh, sounds great….so….what is it?”  
“haven’t the foggiest. Is there any additional knowledge to this? It would aid in revealing the answer to your riddle. The three pieces, the bane, and to what shadow the bane was created for”  
“sorry, all I got”  
“apologies master Jim. I can’t help you. Truly upsetting”  
“ah it’s fine, thanks for trying! At least you gave me some answer!”  
“might I ask again who questioned you?”  
“just some guy I met today, no one important. Guess he was looking for others to solve riddles or something. Thought it might be neat to take a look, guess I was right. Alright I gotta get going, thanks again!”  
“anytime master Jim”  
“goodbye master Jim”  
“yes, as to repeat Arrrg, goodbye master Jim”  
“goodbye, see you guys later”

……………….………………………………………………………………..

Jim sat in his nest, through various troll history books, along with his original troll story book for any kind of clues. He sighed and tossed another book aside  
“welp. Got nothing, do you have anything book?” he asked Ga-Huel, opening it up  
“found. Answer”  
“tell me”  
“keep. Hidden in vault.”  
“well someone would obviously keep it if it’s in a vault”  
“Gatto’s keep”  
“wait, floating rock face?! Okay, so why is it there?”  
“greatest treasures. Too powerful to possess. Locked up by Gatto.”  
“well, suddenly rock face is a treasure hoarder. Okay. So go there. Get what the first piece is. And then that’s it?”  
“unsure”  
“thanks for this, I mean it. Okay! Have a plan! Good job book! Serving your master well. Oh wait, first, how do I get there?”  
“gyre.”  
“like the things talked about in trollmarket?”  
“possibly.”  
“trollmarket. Round two. What was originally supposed to take 10 min has taken over 5 hours. All I have to do is not see Draal or Kanjigar and I’ll be good to go! Back your bags book, we’re heading out! Kinda funny, cause I’m packing you in my bag. Get it?….yeah whatever fine don’t answer. Alright let’s go.” Before Jim closed the book, one last message came up  
“Gatto. Riddle answer. Death.”  
“wait...like, the answer to the riddle is death? Or will I die if I get it wrong?”  
“unsure”  
“Well. Thanks for the heads up at least”

……………………………………………………….…………...

 

A quick trip to trollmarket. Jim constantly reminding himself not to get distracted. He ran around trying to ask various trolls where the nearest gyre was. Almost everyone told him to go away, shoo, or a slur. Finally one was kind enough to point him in the right direction! If only to say that it was good he was leaving. So, Jim opened the portal, stepped through and then watched in awe as the troll vehicle showed itself  
“cool. Huh, kinda looks like some giant steampunk hamster wheel.” He jumped into and looked at the panel  
“welp. Now what Book? Never mind you’re in my backpack, also I can’t read and drive. so. I guess I just pull a few levers and hope for the best! Jim stop talking to yourself. let’s start with th-”

It was the worst thing Jim’s ever felt in his life. He was beyond wanting to vomit. Being a half troll, he never was able to ride roller coasters. Not because of some racial issue, but merely, he was too big. He could never find a seat to fit in. sure, others were as tall as he was. But his legs never fit. Even in open rides, they were too long to stick out of. A true curse of never experiencing the feeling of screaming on a ride. Now? Now he imagined this must be what it’s like, except a million times more intense. He hated it. He never wanted to do this ever again. He was almost happy now that he could always use his ‘i can’t fit’ excuse. As he barreled down the tunnels, he had a sudden realization. He had no idea where he was going. How to even stop it. How to go back. Would he just be in this hell until it somehow ran out of energy and stopped in it’s tracks? Jim held onto whatever he could as hard as he could, just so he wouldn’t be thrown back or even out of the gyre. As soon as it started it suddenly came to a halt. His fur was wind blown, his organs seemed to be melted, and he slowly had to walk down the steps, trying to put his mind back together, wondering how he survived it.

“i have never been more thankful for my amulet than before. My one way home. I am NEVER taking that hell device again. I would rather go without having sex for the rest of my-nope not worth it. Rather take the hell device than have to call off dick. Once again talking to yourself Jim. Wait, did you curse me book!? The moment I had you I started talking to myself! Great. Maybe the insanity thing really is happening to me…...what...the hell…..it’s so hot….oh god this IS hell isn’t it?!….whoa..” Jim slowed himself down as he looked around 

 

(we know what it looks like. I’m not going to describe it XD)

 

“this really is troll hell isn’t it? HAHAHAH oookay Jim don’t look down into the fucking lava. Just pretend you’re walking to a….non lava place….oh...uh excuse me, I’m looking for-whoa...nice...masks...like a trial metal working one….uh I was here to see Gatto? I don’t have an appointment, does he take walk ins?” the troll simply pointed upward  
“okay, guess I’ll just walk there then. Thanks!” Jim felt a little creeped out. He always hated not being able to see other’s faces. He never knew what they were looking at. He couldn’t tell their expressions. It made him feel uneasy.

 

Jim hated the walking. The sheer heat drained him. His heat already drained him far faster, now this on top of it?! He felt like his body was melting to jelly. He missed his home. His nice, cold cozy home. He missed his nest. He missed cold in general. He would suck a dick just for a fan right now. Oh who’s he kidding, he’s always down to suck dick, especially now, with being in his natural monthly heat. Finally he made it. He panted heavily and looked around. No one. Jim wanted to collapse onto the ground. He couldn’t find anyone. Did that troll lie to him? Just to make him climb? Well this is troll hell. Would make sense to make him suffer. Maybe he can blow troll satan, get on his good side. Troll satan’s little wife wouldn’t be half bad….At least it would get him out of suffering. Maybe he just wanted some sugar daddy in general. He really was a hoe wasn’t he?  
“Gatto….where…..are you….” he yelled out. The earth shook and the voice boomed behind him  
“who has awakened Gatto” Jim made a sharp inhale and stumbled backwards a bit.  
“what’s….this…..YOU?!”  
“okay...wow...i was expecting a giant rock face-not an entire volcano. Well, mountain trolls aren’t much diff-”  
“what are you doing in my keep!?”  
“hiiii! So uh, I needed to talk to you” Gatto sneered as he looked upon the tiny tiny half troll  
“why should I waste even a moment more on you!?”  
“i kinda need something” Gatto suddenly started to laugh  
“need something? And why would I EVER give you anything?!”  
“well, now I’m honestly not thinking about being a smartass right no-HOLY FUCK YOU JUST ATE THAT DUDE!”  
“your voice. Your being. It is disturbing me.”  
“I’ll be gone the moment we finish. Now, I need-”  
“something. No matter how small, how insignificant, I will never. Never. Give you even a rock. I hate you with my entirety.”  
“still angry about my riddle?”  
“yes. Actually, now that you’re here. I can exact a bit of…..revenge.”  
“how exactly?”  
“why don’t you answer my riddle.”  
“and if I don’t?”  
“then you will simply go away. Never to be seen again.”

“what if I have to come here to do trollhunting business?”  
“i don’t care. Fine. If it will shut your horrid mouth up. If you solve my riddle correctly, I’ll let you have anything you want.”  
“okay, I like the sound of it. And if I get it wrong?”  
“i be rid of you from here once and for all. No longer having to be in your company ever again.”  
“ominous. Alright. Tell me the riddle. I know I’ll answer it right. Or at least I’ll try”  
“what begins and has no end, and ends all that which begins?” Jim said within a moment after he spoke  
“death” Gatto’s became surprised  
“what?! How could you possibly know it?! AND solve it so quickly?!”  
“i read it somewhere before” Jim couldn’t help but hold back a smirk  
“sooo Gatto, my priz-” Jim was pushed forward suddenly. He turned around to see a dozen guards holding their weapons towards him. If he wasn’t so tired, he would have easily noticed them coming up from behind  
“hey what the hell?” behind him Gatto boomed out  
“from something as disgusting and foul as you are, I’ve never tasted a half troll before. No one ever has, or at least spoken about it. It has piqued my curiosity” Jim was in complete shock as he turned around to see the giant mouth opened, and him pushed into it. The mouth snapped shut quickly, knocking Jim down the throat  
“not bad. so...unique flavored”

………………….……………………………………..…………………..

Jim cam to a thump onto the stone floor  
“ow…..ugh….UGH...DID I JUST GET VORED?!” Jim got up and looked around. The heat far greater now.  
“I’m in a stomach. Wow…...well if this WAS my kink….. would this hell become heaven? Guess this really proves I’m not into vore…..holy fuck THIS TREASURE! Wait he EATS the treasure?!” Jim walked over to a pile of gold and dug his hands into it  
“coooooollll….oh shit I’m in a stomach. Book, you had better have sooommmeee kind of answer for me or else I’m hurling you into his stomach acid lava, whatever.” Jim opened his backpack up and opened the book. It seemed to be nervous, as if already knowing immense pain was about to befall it  
“so? Well? Explain!”  
“unsure. No pain. Thinking”  
“alright you think. But hurry up.” as Jim looked around suddenly he felt something he’s never had before. His entire body seemed to be….pulling him. It felt strange. Like his blood was trying to leave his body. It started to glow on it’s own. Jim followed the tug until he came upon a pile of gold. The pull became stronger. His body just screamed at him to do...something. Jim dug through the pile until he found a glowing purple rock. his entire body felt an immense shock run through it when he reached out and grabbed it. It wasn’t painful...it was…..hard to explain. He didn’t even understand it fully himself. It was almost magnetic. The purple rock being the magnet and his blood metal. Jim looked at it, his entire body seemed to vibrate, his blood wanting to be pulled into it. Jim closed his eyes and felt something…..familiar.

 

Deep deep inside of him. He felt this...energy. It was…..nice. It seemed….nostalgic almost….like putting something soft on that you’ve worn for a while, having it be broken in to fit your body perfectly. It felt so….good…..so….comfortable….soothing….he wanted to melt into the stone. Feel that sensation all over. His eyes opened as the stomach around him shook. He had this intense urge to hold the stone, keep it close. Never let it go, but he had to shove it into his bag so he could focus. He looked at the book once more. It had a message  
“transverse my bloodstain.”  
“okay, what the hell does that mean?”  
“bloodstain. Past. Memories. Travel. Blood. Amulet” Jim pulled out his amulet and looked at it. Everything seemed normal  
“my amulet. Yeah I use it to go back and forth between my room and the surface. I can only go to a close area. It can’t take me further than a small part of Arcadia. So my blood can help me travel more?”  
“bloodstain. Print upon the wall. Memories kept close.” Jim pulled out the knife and slit his palm once more. Deeper and further this time  
“fucking shit that hurts.” He winched and looked around. He walked up to the stomach wall and pressed his hand against it. Hot and rough, it stung to touch it. After a good amount of blood. It shoved a good large stain.  
“okay book. Now what?”  
“transverse by blood. Memories upon the stain.” Jim put the book back in his bag, along with a shit load of gold, and did the quick teleport to his room. The sudden shift in temperature stung almost worse than his cut. He was fine. Everything was normal once more. He took the book out once again and opened it  
“okay book. Now what?”  
“transverse by blood. Memories upon the stain”  
“memories?” Jim looked at his hand. Then closed his eyes and used his amulet. He imagined the bloodstain on the wall. Suddenly he felt a massive heat surround him. He opened his eyes and gasped. He was back in the stomach  
“holy fuck….i….can go back and forth now!? Just by smearing my blood on stuff?! Holy fuck that’s awesome!” Jim looked around once again and smiled  
“oh fuck this dude alll his shit is mine now.”

 

………………………………………………………………………………………….

“So yeah Tobes. I got a massive heavy duty bag, did a shit load of back and fourths, and boom! His shit is allll mine. Look at this!” Jim waved his arm around and laughed  
“holy shit Jimbo you’re rich! Also did you have to tell me about your sex life?”  
“uh, duh. Now come up here and be a king with me!” the two laughed as Toby struggled to walk up the heap. Jim helped pull him up and they sat down together. Jim finding a crown and putting it on Toby’s head  
“well, don’t you look good in gold”  
“this is awesome! Wow. You were eaten by a troll”  
“yep! Well, now I can make vore jokes”  
“oh gee. Am I eager for those or what?”  
“yes you are. Now then! Are you as uncomfortable as I am? This pile isn’t soft”  
“oh yeah, my everything is hurting already. let’s swim in it!”  
“that’s a myth Tobes. This is just a ton of solids, not liquids” Toby pushed some gold and treasure around  
“hm. Yeah, well thanks for nothing cartoons. Hey, what about the stone thingy? The purple one” Jim got off the pile and walked over to his nest, opening his backpack up and grabbing onto the stone. The same magnetic, soft, loving feeling flowed through his body once more. Toby came over to him and looked at it. It didn’t take long before Jim started to glow again  
“so Jimbo, feel anything….different?”  
“other than the feeling I mentioned, no. it does feel really, really good though”  
“Can I hold it?” a small spark of anger snapped into Jim’s heart. He didn’t want to let go of it. He didn’t want anyone else to have it. The spark quickly faded, hardly lasting but a second.  
“sure here”  
“whoa...well I don’t feel anything. Other than the surface at least. it’s smooth, feels kinda warm”  
“yeah….i think…..hmm...not sure actually...it feel so familiar….i can’t….hmm….it’s on the tip of my tongue”  
“well, why don’t we go to sleep, maybe in the morning you’ll remember?”  
“yeah….yeah that might help”

 

The two got ready for bed, it didn’t take long for Toby to fall asleep….Jim couldn’t though. He just kept feeling the need to hold the stone, use it somehow. Have it be apart of him, or the other way around. It was frustrating. So close, he knows the answer, he just doesn’t...know it. He closed his eyes and breathed. Calming himself until he drifted off to sleep…

……………….……………………………………………………..

Walt was sitting in his office at the Janus order. Fiddling with his pen, waiting. The door was opened nervously by a changeling who fled quickly as Bular stepped into the room  
“what is it. Impure.”  
“I have information that I deemed important.”  
“which is?”  
“something of a personal matter”  
“you sent a messenger who said you requested me to come here tonight...for you? Why would you ever even think for a moment that I would even consider your problems something to-”  
“it isn’t about me Bular. it’s about Jim” Bular’s gaze became intense and walked forward, now on the other side of the desk  
“don’t interrupt me again impure. Go on”  
“he came today and asked a few questions and made a rather….interesting remark. He took with him the book of Ga-Huel. He wished to keep it.”  
“what? That book is useless. I’m surprised he even knows about it”  
“well it was a bit of an open secret. THAT however isn’t what’s surprising. What truly is for this...he can use it. His blood. He can literally force it to work. It was more active than it’s ever been. It actual spoke to him. In a sentient manner.”  
“what?! that’s not possible. The book only shows images”  
“exactly my shock as well. Somehow his blood is forcing it to actually think, plan, come up with answers of anything he desires. Granted the answers are vague and show little of what is to come, but the fact that he can force it out at any given moment is…...unsettling. You know how dangerous magic like that is. The fact that he’s a half troll AND carries your fathers blood, is a very...unique and dangerous. Hes causing effects that no one else could possibly produce. This is just one single example. I don’t know how many others we’re going to witness within the future. But clearly, it won’t be anything we can expect. As for his remark. He literally said he wished to become a deity. He has some long list planned out, somehow by the end of it he will ascend to some form of immortality. The sudden desire to have a god complex has never been seen within him before. This time, it quite literally is a god complex. He has spoken no detail whatsoever to me about his plans. I only fear of what road he wishes to travel. The few being in all of history who have literally tried to become immortal have all failed, in a horribly painful manner. Not a single individual heard of has ever somehow ascended into something more than mortal. They never had Gunmar’s blood pumping through their hearts though.”

 

Bular wasn’t sure what to make of all this information. He was silent for quite some time before crossing his arms and tapping his fingers on them. He looked at Walt once more  
“from this point on wards, I don’t want anyone else to learn about this. If he does anything that would somehow be involved with whatever it is that he is scheming, inform me right away”  
“this will stay between us. However, your father of course-”  
“my father is not to learn about this. No, this isn’t betrayl. I simply dont want his mind staying on this, clouding his thinking and distracting him. He already has a lot to think about. Things more important to focus on. If for whatever reason this does come up. Then I’ll be the one to inform him”  
“if he asks me for any details in specific?”  
“then mention them.”  
“this will be kept secret between the two of us I can assure you. Unless your father takes notice. But you already understand it. Alright, that is all I wished to speak to you about”  
“did my brother has anything….different about him?”  
“hmm...no….not anything else that I could notice. Any tiny difference between his usual self, is most likely due to his heat, as is the norm for him. I have no idea what he plans on using the book for. He only said he was keeping it. I doubt you’ll take it, but if you want my advice, keep a close eye on him, don’t intervene directly or speak to him about this. Let him move on his own. Watch them carefully. Try to get a better look at what he could be planning. An object that can be forced to speak about future events at any given time, highly dangerous. The answers are typically vague. I fear he might receive an answer to something he isn’t sure of, and ending up going down something horrible by mistake. Like I said, a close eye on him, if something is clearly spelling danger, intervene. If not, let him go about his plans. The more information known, the more that could be prevented. This truly is something we can’t be bumbling around in the dark for”  
“hm. If that’s all, I’m leaving”  
“that is all” With that, Bular turned around and made his way back to the darklands. What has Jim gotten himself into this time? This wasn’t normal for him. He pushed himself further and further than he should just to be stronger. This? This was entirely different. Nothing in comparison.


	42. Sin's of the father. part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an outcome for life. a lesson to be learned?
> 
>  
> 
> life is pain. suffering for both a father and a son. no more memories. he's gone.  
> Jim's gone.
> 
>  
> 
> then the spawn of life feeds a new life. only, things just suffer more. no one lives happily every second of their life. when they die, what do  
> they even have to show of it? what memories would there be to remember?
> 
> Jim, oh Jim. your fathers here now. for as long as it lasts
> 
> Jim, oh Jim. Toby's here. Toby's here for as long as he can

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ENJOY THE SUFFERING! SO SOME THINGS TO MENTION  
> i super love the bloodborne soundtrack  
> personally i super love ludwigs theme, he's awesome! terrible to fight, but amazing! plus his second form music is my faaavvvv. other favs  
> Gehrman  
> Cleric beast  
> Amygdala  
> Rom, the Vacuous spider  
> moonlit melody  
> Ebrietas, daughter of the cosmos  
> lullaby for mergo (the one video someone made where the sounds of the winter launters singing and the lullaby played together, thats what  
> the gumm-gumm hum would be like, if ony slightly different
> 
> gay porn acting (or just general porn acting) is the fucking best, besides the actual fucking. just, its so bad its amazing.  
> "bruh i aint gay"  
> "yeah man but come on, suck dis dick"  
> "well....okay...but....i just don't know.." meanwhile he's already grabbing the dudes dick and stoking it without even being told to do it like  
> "whoa, this is totally weird and crazy that I'm even thinking about this" like really dude? really?  
> "oh man, i think a storm is coming, we better get inside the house since we're outside in the backyard" like obviously dude XD ALSO ITS A CLEAR FUCKING SKY. YOU COULDN'T THINK OF ANNNYYYTHHHIIINNNGGG ELSE TO SAY?! geez Draal would be a better actor than you absolute fav will always be lemon stealing whore. i. fucking. die. each time. if you haven't seen it. oh my fucking god look it up RIGHT NOW
> 
> it made me have the stupidest fucking idea that jim and draal try to make their own porno and its just a disaster. draal always looking at the  
> camera awkwardly, always freezing up and needing to be reminded what his lines are. hes more focused on getting that right rather than the actual sex. Jim is trying to be sexy but just can't stop feeling weird when the cameras on him. draal also wanting to use props but partially eats them or something. or like 'i have your pizza delivery' but he gets mad cause he sees that there wasn't any pizza in the box, so hes storming around demanding the pizza stealing culprit comes out at once.
> 
> the dora movie coming out. i don't even know what words to say. who is this movie for?! why did they have moments where they close up on her boobs jiggling and her sliding on her knees, camera a bit too close to her. THE FUCKING BOWIE KNIFE! her short shorts just a bit too short WHO THE FUCK WAS LIKE "hey, everyone watched her growing up? well NOW they can relate to her! lets make a movie about her but older!" LIKE WTF?! DID THEY KNOW WHAT THE SHOW WAS?! HOW THE FUCK ARE THEY GONNA MAKE A MOVIE LIKE THAT?!  
> "can YOU tell me where the sniper in the tree is located? is it over by the bodies? is it over by the car? great job!"  
> "back pack back pack where's my knife? come on boots! we need to go....'stop'....swiper. once and for all."
> 
> getting into Vanguard!! this past week. on ep 21 of the reboot. never seen the others, i thought 'eh won't matter anyways' and im kinda lost XD well np. so far its...meh. it looks fun but i really love Future card buddyfigh more. yes, i love it so what XD that shows super over the top.   
>  but i like that there is just a shiit load of beefy dragon dudes. have you seen Drum? or Batzz? honestly XD the animation ended recently so that sucks, oh well everything good ends eventually. the card game is super simple and fun too although it totally went crazy extreme over the top a lot. unlike in Vanguard, magic is real and the monsters live among everyone and yes can use their powers to really fuck around and destroy shit. the seasons dont all really connect even if they use the same characters and shit, think how Pokemon does stuff. it's like each region never happened to ash and junk. welp to sum up, Vanguard is neat
> 
> friend and i were talking about a super dark depressing au idea thing (i hate you, you bitch) pretty much, jim is depressed, hes trollhunter, he cant take it anymore and well, anyways so draal becomes the next trollhunter. meanwhile jim wakes up in the void and remembers hes there forever. he hates it. he just wants to sleep. no more of anything. so he curls up in a corner and just blocks everything and everyone else out. kanjigar trying to comfort him gently but jim just doesn't want to interact at all. draal later on enters the void and wants to talk to jim, just understand why he didn't come for help, hes not mad, he just wants to understand and blah blah emotional problems, boyfriend feels like a failure cause he couldn't help him and etc and just super dark and morbid. just fyi yes in that au everyones aged up and troll jim and etc. i NEVER do anything with underage stuff, always age up. unless for whatever specific reason it isn't, well you get my point. and yes, my friend and i make each other cry all the time
> 
> alright! enjoy the suffering!

A small whispering singing voice could be heard in the distance, ever so quiet.

“child, where have you scampered off to?

 

Sweet child you are mine

 

This land is lifeless

 

He was born from heartstone, I was born atop

 

You were born from us

 

I’m here my sweet child, right here in the heart

 

You’re cold and shiver, you’ve no place to go

 

You’re mine. My sweet child. You’re his. My sweet child

 

Run home, they called, run home, like the life I’ve lost

 

Come back, they cried, run off no more, they aren’t your kind, that isn’t your home

 

You don’t belong in either world

 

You’ve truly no place to go”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the depths, you could look over and witness the endless abyss. Howling wind muffling the cries it carried. Of a woman’s voice that clung to the voices. Humming, out of tune, followed by somber weeping. Breathing ragged and distorted. Ever so silent and came bittersweet memories, it was ignored in order to forget. Listened to from afar, being near would bring only ruin. A rusty hum, a wicked tune could shatter stone. A breath drawn close to a new babe.

 

 

 

 

“A living voice within a heart. It mumbles and speaks to deaf ears. Only two could listen and focus, both far gone from the sweet stone. The stone would speak out, chirp in delight, to those that praise it. Others, sought to own it, use it for life. Pointless efforts made full, a cycle of death among the living, as the living grew among the dead. Of only one who was born without death, death could not be born. The blood that spilled downwards, into the next life. The stone could be heard, the words could be spoken. Of sweet life feeds into death, prolonging a different life. The sweet songs that sing, as sweetly as could be. When one listened close, only two could hear. Near it, swallow the music and make a new melody. Would a new song be made from the new life, or would more words be snuffed out just like the first life did. The heart called out, softly ringing in the life’s ear. It called him home, called him forth. Be born once more, free of sin, unshakable faith within. The heart would rot, the song would perish, when feed to new life. The new life had the stone sing in his blood. His heart wasn’t full. Sing along and be near, or leave down as if never here.”

 

 

 

 

 

It didn’t all make sense. How could something be born in a lifeless place. Of two parents who were different, in more ways than one. He wasn’t full, from two parents who were different. His blood was different, unknown to all. Not in the same way as others would have thought. He wasn’t born the same.

 

Guarded by a shadow, was a small light.  
Because of his blood, he had no use to his homeland, for, he had never had their full blood

The blood said  
born and raised inside the darkness, he had little use of his homeland, he had not full blood like the others.

 

Where then, should the child leave, run off to. In a half living, among the full, or life among the resentful with a sweet singing heart.

……………………………………………………………………………..

Gunmar breathed heavily, he turned himself all around, searching with his one good eye. He heard the hums and called outward, trying to find the source. He came upon a stone and looked past it. A woman was singing and held a small baby  
“Victoria….you’re….alive” Gunmar breathed out in shock. Victoria rocked the baby in her arms and hummed as she walked further ahead away from Gunmar. Gunmar tried his best to move forward, but it felt like gravity had a far stronger hold. He tripped over the large stone but ignored it, focusing on the woman, trying his best to trail her. She spoke in a happy singsong voice  
“the happiest day of my life, was my last”  
“Victoria, please stay there!”  
“i never had a single minute with you, only one small moment. Why did you let me die?”  
“i didn’t!”  
“you weren’t strong enough to say either one”  
“i….i...”  
“i was gone. He was alone”  
“i wanted to protect you! Both of you!”  
“yet you never did. My life, burned quicker than a match. Did it have any meaning to you?”  
“yes! It meant the world to me!”  
“all those years. Wasted”  
“no! Well spent! Full of life and love like I’ve never felt before!”  
“my sweet baby boy, you look just like me. So young, such a fleeting thing. He’s just another match to you, isn’t he?”  
“no! He means so much to me! Just like you!”  
“yet you failed. He’s gone like I am”  
“no! Please stay! I won’t fail this time!”  
“let’s go together my sweet child, I’ll welcome you” Gunmar finally caught up. With unsteady steps, he stumbled forward, arm outstretched, in an attempt to grab onto her shoulder. He turned her form around, only to see her face, nothing but static, then hear her cry out in the terrible noise. It grew louder and louder. Gunmar felt as if his head would break apart from the noise. He held it tightly, afraid it would chip apart. He closed his eye and dropped to his knees. The noise stopped. He opened his eye to see Jim standing further ahead, the age he is now, his figure, looking out to the sun in front of them. Gunmar got off his knees, trying to reach out, only to pull back and howl with pain from the touch of the light.   
“son” he called out. Jim was silent and never turned around or even moved. Gunmar forced himself past the pain, slowly and finally reaching Jim.  
“son” Gunmar touched Jim’s should, speaking in a pleading voice, the same as his mother.  
“stay here. don’t leave with your mother. Please. I promise. I’ll be a good father from now on. Just...don’t…..don’t go….don’t leave me like she did. please” Jim started to walk forward, slowly burning away like old dried paper  
“son no! No NO NO!” Gunmar watched Jim turn to ash and floated to the floor. Gunmar fell to his knees at the pile of ash as he scooped up as much as he could, all while he cradles it. Trying his best to hum to it and keep it from blowing away.  
“no….no…..I’ve got nothing left….please….come back….come back”

 

“good. they’re gone.” a deep voice booms behind Gunmar. He suddenly gets very still in fear remembering who the voice belonged to. The sun started to fade away as a large dark shadow rose behind him and took a very vauge form. Gunmar turned around and grit his jaw  
“the whore and its spawn have finally left”   
“never speak about them like that!” Gunmar roared out to the immense morphing shadow  
“i gave you a son. A perfect son. Then you let me die.”  
“no. I did not.”  
“then you took a whore. An abomination to fuck. She died, along with the sick thing that spawned from her womb.”  
“NEVER SPEAK LIKE THAT!”  
“i died. I gave you a son. You failed him. You took a whore and let her die. Then failed your second son. How does it feel? To truly repeat yourself. How does it feel to know that no matter what, you will always be a failure. Weak. Pathetic. Everything you hold dear is soiled, rotted, and decomposes because of you. The things you care most for die, all because of your sinful weakness”  
“i am NOT WEAK!”  
“then why cling to something so trivial? it’s ash my love. The abomination you hold in your arms, is simple ash”  
“no. you are not my love, NEVER refer to me like that again!”  
“i gave you a son, yet you took a whore after me, did I mean that little to you?”  
“you k-”  
“what’s wrong? Upset that I boasted you? Helped you grow stronger, raise your image, stir up the soldiers for you.”  
“i-”  
“if it weren’t for me. You would be some pathetic low life side commander.”  
“you-”  
“let me die. You let me die to be rid of me.”  
“i...”  
“you failed, simply because you feared I would overtake you. Grow stronger than you. Everything was because of me.”  
“no! I ROSE UP! I AM-”  
“weak.”  
“I W-”  
“prove how strong you are. Prove your fatherhood. Kill him.” Gunmar looked in his arms, noticing the ash was gone. He looked next to him, noticing a figure. Jim stood across from him. Face static just like Victorias.  
“kill him my love. He wants to die.”  
“no! h-”  
“tries too hard. Let him die. You are killing him. End his pain. Now.” Gunmar’s blade was summoned and he started to walk towards Jim.  
“n-no. I don’t want this!”  
“put the blade to his throat.” Gunmar did as instructed  
“y-you’re controlling me! I would never-”  
“cut his throat. He is too weak to live. Punish him. Put him out of his misery. Let him join his whore mother. If you are so keen on loving him, then let him rest in peace. Take away all the pain and torments of life.”  
“I WILL NEVER HARM MY SO-”  
“stop talking and end the abominations life. you’re too weak to even kill a whelp. You always were weak. Vile. Small. I took your love. I boasted it across the lands. I helped you rise to power. My thanks from you? You let me die. Killed me.”  
“i did no such thing!”  
“you are just like a human, a bug, a plant. Nothing but soft weakness”  
“y-ou-”  
“my death made you happy didn’t it? Finally relived that you no longer had the looming fear of me becoming stronger than you.”

 

“I AM-”  
“look at your disgusting mistake. He wants to die. you’re killing him. you’ve always killed him slowly. If you love that thing, then stop tormenting him. End his pain.”  
“i never harmed him! I will NEVER harm him!”  
“you never hold your promises. You do nothing but break them.”  
“MY WORD I-”  
“oh? So do you honestly wish to tell me that you truly believe you kept your promise to that whore? To me? To your gumm-gumms?”  
“HOW DA-”  
“I’m surprised you haven’t sullied your loins by taking a changeling. You seem to enjoy filth”  
“YOU A-”  
“YOU speak too much. Kill that...thing.”  
“dad” Gunmar turned his attention to Jim who is slowly, willingly coming closer, letting the sharp side of the blade slowly dig itself into his neck  
“please. Dad. Stop hurting me. Let me be with mom. Let me finally be with her, finally meet her. You’re too weak to have kept her alive, you’re too weak to keep me alive. End my prolonged suffering. If you love me. Take my life” Jim’s neck started to slowly bleed as the edge sliced into his neck little by little  
“no! Son, I can’t move! Stop! I don’t want your death!”  
“Gunmar, do you hear it in his voice? His breath itself is one of suicide. he’s wanted this for a long time. you’ve fed this fire. Now end it.”  
“NO I WILL NOT HARM MY SON!”  
“you already are. Finish the job. Look at you. You always were truly unfit to lead. I tried to show you, show everyone that you truly were the one who SHOULD lead. Yet you failed, time and time again. I prevented your weakness from overtaking you, I burned it out of you so that only true power would be your form, pure and unpolluted from weak, pathetic thoughts and feelings. You let me die. The weakness set in, you rushed in between the legs of that whore for comfort and made another spawn. Throw your spawn down. Let his limp lifeless body feed the beasts. Let them gnaw on his bones in the depths of the darklands.”  
“father” Gunmar looked to his other side. Bular was bowing down in front of him.  
“father. End his life. You torment him enough. Let him feel peace for once. Show him mercy from this cruel world” Jim’s neck was sliced into more and more. Gunmar tried to jerk his arm away, move the blade, do anything he could to prevent Jim’s death  
“abandon him father. Let him sleep a dreamless sleep. Let him rest. You have me. That is all you require.”  
“dad. Please. Help me”  
“NO!”  
“you killed mom. Now you’re killing me”  
“NO NO NO-”

 

Gunmar gasped heavily as he suddenly woke up. A pounding at his room door  
“my dark underlord, do I have your permission to gather the troops?” Gunmar managed to spit out a simple ‘yes’. The banging stopped and Gunmar held his head. He looked around and tried to steady himself. It was all just a terrible dream. That’s it. Nothing more. Nothing more. Nothing more.

 

……………………………………………………………………………………...

 

It was the morning. Toby and Jim were awake and just about done getting ready for the day!  
“birthstone. dad’s birthstone?” Jim spoke out loud as he looked at the birthstone in his hand.  
“yep, says it in the book. won’t tell me the answers to our math work, but whatever I guess.” Toby was holding the book of Ga-Huel in his arms as he sat cross legged on a rug  
“so the shadow is actually my dad. The bane is whatever thing that can kill him. So Merlin made some weapon to kill my dad, the one troll guy found out, wrote it in his book which I found and burned, and now am currently holding my dads birthstone”  
“oh and you got vored by a volcano troll. Well at least it isn’t a kidney stone”  
“ew gross. Wait….is this like….his placenta?”  
“do trolls HAVE that? Well if it IS it’s like a crystal one right?”  
“well maybe it’s like, part of a shell? Like an egg shell left over”  
“haha, what like your dad’s a chick or something?”  
“i don’t know! that’s just what I could think of Tobes. Well whatever the case. It makes sense why my bodies all weird”  
“like it’s some old piece of it? And your blood is Gunmar’s, so it’s like trying to reunite or something. Freaky”  
“yeah it is huh? Well, my life is either stranger now or this is just another normal thing that’s just new to me”  
“i mean, technically it’s both”  
“haha true”  
“so. If his birthstone is the first piece, what are the other two?”  
“dunno. Caverns deep must be about the Krubera, while the marshlands, I got nothing”  
“so what are you planning on doing with the birthstone?”  
“eat it”  
“well, want me to bring you a knife? Or a chisel I guess haha”  
“not exactly. It technically just...a piece of old heartstone. All different and corrupted from the human and troll fighting, then turned into my dad”  
“if you eat that is it like eating your dad?”  
“no, I’m still thinking it’s like an eggshell”  
“so how exactly ARE you gonna eat it?”  
“well. I kinda just, drain it. With heartstone, I just focus on it. I kinda look around in the dark until I feel something, like a...tug? Like something strong to pull at. Then I suck it up and boom, heartstone consumed. The life giving energies are drained and it just turns into useless rock, as if it wasn’t anything but that already”  
“hmmmmmmmmmmmm…...Well you’re the expert on this. Speaking of, are you going to tell your dad about this?”  
“...no...not...yet….i want it to be a surprise. Now that I know WHAT it is, now I’m not sure how he’ll feel about it. I just thought it would be like some sword or something that could kill him”  
“instead it’s a part of something that created him. I guess that makes sense in an ironic sort of way. The only thing that can kill him is what brought him into this world in the first place”  
“yeah….it is…..alright we gotta get going. We can deal with this stuff later. Here give me the book, I’m going stash this puppy for now. Don’t know what anyone is going to think if they find out I can suddenly read the future”  
“yeah. Cool.”  
“look, I’ll ask the book later about your math problems. Okay?”  
“it’s not that….just….you get all the cool stuff! I want magic stuff and super powers and junk! I deserve this! It is technically apart of my new life, why don’t I get to have some!?”  
“hmmmmmmmm. we’ll talk about this later. Maybe I can find you something magical. Maybe not something big, but something neat”

…………………………………………………..……………………………..……..

Toby, Jim, Bular, and Gunmar walked through a large training ground as Gunmar spoke to his troops. Bular by his fathers side, while behind them a few steps back were Toby and Jim  
“my loyal followers. You have all done well in maintaining yourselves, thus maintaining all of us. I know that occasionally a flicker of doubt shows its ugly self within your hearts every so often. Banish it. Our day will come. We will rise and sweep across the surface world and own it as we should. Each day we-” Behind him Toby and Jim quietly whispered to one another, Gunmar’s voice simply becoming background noise  
“thinking of the shiny stone?”  
“no. not now Tobes.”  
“just...you know...think about it, having it be something for others to think about too”  
“i get it.”  
“just saying. Things have been on a good roll recently”  
“exactly Tobes! Which is why I don’t want anything to stop it or slow it down.”  
“this might make things even better”  
“or worse.”  
“people are more optimistic now. Like I told you this morning”  
“which is why I don’t want anything to suddenly derail it all”  
“Jimbo. Things might be better”  
“or worse.”  
“why don’t you give a sudden thought out loud. Something might help you understand, saying stuff out loud sometimes helps people think”  
“as well as loose your concentration.”  
“why are you so worried?”  
“you KNOW why! I can’t afford to do something and mess everything up”  
“Jimbo. Everything Is stable. This might help”  
“if it will make you change the subject. Then I will openly wonder about something. See what happens without be having to go into more detailed thoughts. Also not while others are talking and others are around to listen.”

“-and you will know comforts of pleasure for your rewards. Now. March forth and complete your daily tasks” the lines of soldiers at their sides bowed before marching back to the training grounds, leaving the four totally alone. As the four walked over a path with no one around, Toby elbowed Jim and motioned with his head. Jim rolled his eyes and spoke up  
“uh hey, dad?”  
“yes my son?”  
“i was wondering about...birth”  
“hm….ah…...uh…....when someone is having a child, soon their bodies will finished developing the fetus within it. They have a sudden-”  
“ooohh no...nonon not that...i...kinda meant yours?” Gunmar came to a slow stop and turned his head to look at Jim  
“well dad...i was….well reading this one troll story book, filled with random stories and rumors and crap. It was talking about you. Just the whole ‘ultimate evil, born from heartstone from the war yadda yadda’ it wasn’t anything in detail. But that got me thinking, what WAS your birth like? I mean, it’s not like anyone else is born like that. I was just...kinda curious”  
“ah. A lot less messy to explain then. Less bodily fluids involved. I awoke suddenly and cracked through my encasing. My mind raced with thoughts, plans, and visions. I knew already what I was made from. Made for. It wasn’t long after that I reached the top ranks in the gumm-gumm armies. Then overthrew the weak Orlagk and his slow ideals.” Toby tapped his chin in thought, pulling up his memories in his mind and then speaking aloud  
“and that’s when you lost your eye...at the gumm-gumm civil war”  
“yes. An eye, in exchange for his death, leadership, and power. Seems a fair trade”  
“not for the other guy I guess...haha...uh...” Jim picked up right after Toby, shifting the awkwardness off of him as quickly as Jim could  
“so yep it was great from then the future and stuff! My mind keeps coming to the heartstone. It was the first one the trolls ever used when they stopped eating people. Their bodies became attuned to it and everything. So, what happened to it?”  
“it corrupted and gave me life”  
“i mean, I know that, but AFTER that. Did it just like...vanish? Or something?”  
“it gave it’s entire life force into creating me. It became nothing but rubble, and old memories”  
“what if some pieces were around? Well I mean, heartstone still exists if it isn’t drained all the way right? Would there be chunks still left?” Gunmar fully turned around and got close to Jim, bending down a little and sniffing at him far past boundaries of personal space for a few awkward moments. A small growl formed in Gunmars throat as he stood back up fully and had a look of….Jim couldn’t really understand it. A mix of confusion, Seriousness, Possibly a touch of curiosity  
“you have it don’t you?” Jim just made a confused face, unsure how to reply  
“i can smell it on you. My birthstone” Jim’s voice became nervous and quiet  
“...yeah….i have it” Gunmar’s attitude and expression turned purely into curiosity now  
“hm. You were busy yesterday, weren’t you?”  
“yeah…..kinda….”  
“yes. My heartstone wasn’t fully consumed. It was almost completely, however a tiny shard of it escaped my vision. I heard tales that it still had lingered throughout the ages. My little gumm-gumm found his fathers birthstone didn’t he?” Jim shivered a bit and wasn’t sure how he felt about hearing ‘his little gumm-gumm’. Jim’s only heard it two other times in his life. Both when he was just a small child. He assumed he was called that as a baby. Point is, he hasn’t heard it since then. Hearing it again brought back...a cold love. A cute nickname, one that a father made for their child out of love. This one? Empty almost. Jim….wasn’t sure if he liked it. His father said it, clearly in affection. Trying to be more of a loving figure. Jim didn’t fully feel it that way. It just brought up cold empty love. More factual than a warm meaningful one.  
“yeah I did. I heard rumors. One thing lead to another. I found it. I have it. I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me….finding it….”  
“why would you seek it out? Uncover the secret?”  
“i…..i…..i...just….” Jim averted his eyes towards the floor and felt an intense shyness.  
“wanted to….be closer….to you...” Gunmar wasn’t sure how to feel. He found it cute, loving, sweet that his son wanted to be closer to him. Just like with what Toby was saying, Jim was wanting to come closer, little by little, and this was a perfect example. The OTHER side to this feeling was sadness. His son didn’t say it directly. Almost as if he was ashamed for wanting to grow closer. The exact opposite of how Gunmar wanted Jim to feel.

 

“thank you son” Jim’s gaze came back into his father with a loving smile  
“why….are you thanking me?”  
“because you want to be closer. Just as I do you. You sought it out on your own accord. You recovered it. Not and easy task, no doubt. Yet you were strong and clever enough to seek it out and recover it all on your own. Nothing but pride is to be felt for accomplishing such a feat” Jim felt like he was blushing. He never could show it with skin coloration change, but he was human enough to understand it well and show the expression.  
“thanks….dad”  
“so. What were you planning on doing with it?”  
“i...uh...wasn’t...sure….”  
“oh?”  
“was thinking of…...well I….uh….just... gonna give it back to you….i just….wasn’t sure how you would feel if I brought it home”  
“is that all? I’m not mad about anything, just curious. I have no need of it”  
“i….was…..i might….have also thought of….eating…..it...to...become...closer to...you” Jim flinched at that last part, unsure what would happen. Nothing did. His mood turned to sudden shock when his father replied  
“good”  
“what?”  
“i want you to consume it. But only in front of me”  
“okay….yeah I can...do...that” Jim closed his eyes tightly as he saw Gunmar extend his arm. Thinking of some act of…..he didn’t know. Gunmar’s never even laid a finger on him in anger or violence. Jim relaxed as he felt himself be gently pet. He opened his eyes and looked at a kind expression on his fathers face.  
“is that all you had on your mind my son?”  
“yeah that’s all dad” Jim looked at Gunmar who was giving a kind smile. Jim felt himself warm up from it, a soft gentle father son moment. Something he still feels so strange to. He loves it, although if he were to admit, he had an underlining despair that this warm love and affection would end as quickly as it began. In a deeper part of him, he didn’t want to get his hopes up. Only to have it all crash down around him, hurting him more than he would when he was in the cold isolation from his family.

Bular was having a hard time keeping down his resentment. He had it for multiple reasons. The first, was because their father NEVER ONCE gave him the same kind of loving treatment. He wanted to kill that resentment however, as fast as he could. Toby’s words echoed through his head. Jim’s happiness was far more important than simple sibling jealousy. The second reason, was because he was jealous that he and Jim didn’t share warm tender brotherly moments. He wanted to have Jim see him with love and tenderness, knowing he could always rely on Bular. The big black bull would make sure that would happen, that day would and WILL come. The sooner the better.

A small earth tremor was felt. Toby had felt them occasionally during his time spent in the darklands so it wasn’t completely surprising. The surprising part was that it felt a lot closer than he would have preferred. Then came a second, far stronger now, Far sooner.   
“uh…..guys…...what’s that….sorry for interrupting this but….you do feel that right?” Toby said panicked, backing up into Bular by accident. The warm moment was quickly fading away as the tremors and vibrations in the air became increasingly more intense every second. The ground beneath them cracked apart, Toby fell into Bular’s arms while backing up from the cracking earth, Gunmar took a few steps back onto more solid ground. Jim stumbled backwards away from them and was just about to fall over the side when a giant creature burst through the ground and ate him, tunneling elsewhere. Toby shouted in horror  
“A GIANT WORM JUST ATE JIM! OH FUCK! OH GOD! JIIIIMMMM!” Bular had to keep his hold onto Toby stronger as the human tried to wiggle free  
“relax.”  
“DID YOU NOT SEE THAT THING FUCKING EAT HIM?!”  
“this isn’t the first time that’s happened to him”  
“WHAT!?” The earth shook heavily once more before the worm burst through the earth screeching and flailing around. Then collapsing onto the ground with a few twitches. The point of a sword stabbed through the surface from underneath it. Suddenly a part was sliced up enough to where Jim fell out. He gagged and coughed, shortly after, he stumbled over to it’s still twitching head and buried his blade into it deeply. Then let his sword go, having it vanish into thin air. He looked himself over and complained  
“ugh. God.”   
“JIIMMM!!!” Toby broke the grasp held onto him and ran over to Jim, grabbing his best friend and held onto him tightly  
“oh my god! you’re alive!”  
“ugh. Nasty. Yeah. I am” Jim said wiping the slime off, or at least trying to  
“WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!”  
“you remember those giant eel worm angler fish things? That was one of them”  
“THAT WAS ONE OF THEM!?”  
“yes. that’s what I just said”  
“YOU’RE ALL SLIMY AND GROSS! HOW DID YOU SURVIVE?!”  
“well, they swallow stuff whole and then digest stuff over time like snake. I just had to stop myself, jam my sword into it and wham. Kill it”  
“I’M SO SO SO HAPPY YOU’RE ALIVE” Toby started to tear up  
“hey hey! Calm down”  
“I THOUGHT I LOST YOU!”  
“well. I’m still here!”  
“WHY ARE YOU SO CASUAL ABOUT THIS?!”  
“this is kinda common. Well, depending on what location you’re in”  
“GETTING EATEN!?”  
“that was….like my third time now? Anyways, it’s always somehow more nasty each time”  
“YOU WERE VORED BY A THING AND YOU’RE ALL CASUAL ABOUT IT?!”  
“hey, vored two times in two days. Funny”  
“THIS ISN’T FUNNY! I NEARLY HAD A HEART ATTACK!”  
“come on Tobes. Relaaaxxxx. Everything’s okay. See? Worse thing is that I’m covered in digestive fluid. Well, so are YOU now” Toby pulled off and desperately tried to clean himself off as quickly as he could  
“relax Tobes. it’s pretty weak, you’d need to bathe in this stuff for hours just for it to kill you. Like I said, they’re like a snake, eat things and digest them over time. They actually eat rock more than anything else, they dig tunnels and passages, so we use them. Kinda like someone would some animal. Like domestication in a way”  
“YOU JUST OWN THESE THINGS AS CATTLE?!”  
“kinda yeah. Wonder where this little guy came from”  
“LITTLE?!”  
“Ooooohhhh yeah. This is just a baby, maybe, a couple days old? It might have strayed off from one of the pen’s we use for them’  
“A BABY?! WHAT DO THE ADULTS LOOK LIKE?!”  
“bigger than a school bus. All I’ll say. I actually have this one friend who’s a natural at raising them. Only troll who hasn’t been eaten and died from it”  
“WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?!”  
“it means he managed to dig himself out each time”  
“GETTING EATEN IS COMMON?!”  
“yeah, pretty much like I said. Eventually we train them enough to where they only eat what we feed them. Want me to take you to a good old fashioned worm farm? We could get our own special tour!”  
“NO I DON’T WANT TO BE NEAR ANYTHING LIKE THAT! I ALSO DON’T WANT YOU NEAR ONE AGAIN!”

 

Jim just laughed as Toby still hugged him and cried. Behind them Gunmar and Bular simply watched the scene. Jim just smiling and trying to calm the hyper upset Toby. Bular turned to Gunmar and said  
“he truly does have a great fondness for him”  
“yes. Nothing but full proof of his eternal devotion and affection for your brother. Now I truly know for certain he isn’t using your brother as some sort of position of power, or guise to save his own hide”  
“you’ve had doubts father?”  
“only the most minor of times. You never truly know how will one can act to save their own life”  
“yes. I’ve seen it before, including in your own court”  
“positions and backstabbing politics. I hate it. Nothing but disgrace and dishonor for being so wrapped up in trying to impress me with words rather proving themselves to with actions.”  
“you still hold resentment in your heart for Dic-”  
“yes. Do not mention his name.”  
“father, I have nothing but absolute certainty that from his punishment, it was made nice and clear just what actions such as his will cause”  
“my court has been cleaner since Blinkous became my adviser.”  
“also seems to be the only adviser not from a working part of your armies”  
“he’s shown me more than enough evidence for little to no need for the other ones”  
“trying to keep all your attention and belief to himself father?”  
“not in the same way his brother did. He does it purely out of true loyalty and proper ideals, not of wanting to be rewarded more. that’s how I know his words are true and not with empty praise” the two turned back to the still sniffling Toby, with Jim trying to calm him

 

……………….………………………………………………………………

Jim felt….strange. He felt...awkward in a way. 

The four of them currently stood in the throne room. Jim and Toby had gone back to their shared room, cleaned themselves up, and brought the birth stone back with them. Jim’s heart beat faster as well as steady his breathing. Jim had no idea why he suddenly felt this way. As he stood at the steps of the throne, he held the stone close, looking it over, feeling that same odd magnetic sensation. He looked up to his father who was smiling and feeling a small sense of pride for his son. Then Jim turned his gaze to Bular, his expression was simply curiosity, although deep within his heart there was a small twitch of resentment and jealousy. Why didn’t he have their shared fathers blood as well? Bular forced those feelings away as hard as he could though. Jim’s sight turned to Toby who smiled and gave a small thumbs up, somehow relaxing Jim, knowing his best friend was next to him, able to help him no matter what unknowns awaited before their path in life.  
“whenever you are ready my son” Gunmar said softly in a gentle tone. Jim only nodded and closed his eyes. He mentally searched the stone, finding the weight, the tug, and pulled on it. It seemed to be somehow violent in jerking back, pulling Jim towards it, as if alive and had a will of it’s own. Jim had to do a small battle of will with it, almost having a slight panic of him somehow loosing himself in the heartstone. The panic subsided when the retaliation died after the few brief moments it lived. Jim felt like cold electricity was making it’s way through his veins. It was painful. A strange foreign pain he’s never experienced before. It almost somehow seemed to make his nerves go numb, covering it and replacing it entirely with the cold lightning. The panic started to return as he felt like it was consuming him, instead of the other way around.

The energy seemed to…..agree with his body soon after. As if somehow understanding it was it’s own blood, no longer being hostile, but accepting. The feeling faded and was replaced with that immense high, except this was far different. It seemed to throw his mind into an entirely different view. His body shivered heavily and he gasped out. He swallowed whatever excitement he could. It felt like it was overwhelming him, the high too strong that his body was almost trying to reject it, vomit it out of his system. This heartstone was like nothing Jim’s ever felt before. This wasn’t some battery, some source of power, it was a living creature, massive and willful, trying to cram itself into a tiny tiny form. Jim was starting to feel like a small box, more and more was being put into him, slowly cracking the walls with the intense pressure, the sheer volume was far more massive than Jim could even focus on entirely. This energy was trying to possess him, not fuel him. It seemed….eager…..as if finding another host, the only other one that could bear it’s power, it’s weight.

 

All of this. All of this was in one small stone, hardly a chip of the original heartstone. How much power it must had had fully formed, was something Jim couldn’t even imagine. Something with this amount of pure power, energy, force, it started to make sense why Gunmar couldn’t be killed naturally. It was almost like taking a squirt gun to extinguish the sun. Jim’s mind raced with thoughts of…..malice. Cruelty. Joy for pain. He suddenly had a small mental giggle as he had a small vision of a woman screaming out for mercy. He felt like he was in the eye of a storm. The storm was absolute chaos and violence. Hate and spite. Jim’s senses felt like they would soon be overwhelmed. He would loose everything that was him. His beliefs, trusts, ideas, dreams, desires, everything that made Jim Jim. He felt like he wanted to slip away, let the storm slip into his form, control him, become him. His attention was snapped back into reality when he no longer felt the storm, the pull, the pressure, the raw energy. The birthstone, It was drained. He opened his eyes and looked around. Scared and worried faces were the only expression in the room currently.  
“what’s wrong?”  
“Jimbo….you….okay?”  
“yeah why?”  
“cause….you were muttering something….and also smoking and glowing, like brightly, really brightly, like you might suddenly burst into fire and be incinerated”  
“What are y-” Jim smelled the smoke and looked at himself. He suddenly felt the immense pain. His entire body burned like it’s never felt it before. The brand that went onto his neck oh so long ago almost felt cold compared to this. He really was bright. He almost couldn’t look at himself. His body glowed brighter than the heartstone, brighter than a powerful light source. He dropped the drained birthstone and patted his skin, as if trying to put out an invisible fire.  
“Jimbo you okay?” Jim stopped mid pat and looked over at Toby, his usual concered voice and worried look.

 

Jim…...hated him. He just…...wanted to rip Toby’ head off, literally. He hated Toby, hated the thoughts of humans, he had such anger, resentment, hate, bitterness towards the concept of humans. It made him the angriest he’s ever been, he wanted to roar out as loudly as he could, let his emotions flow through him as he tore the weak pathetic stupid vile human apart and fed on his corpse. Jim visably trembled, only a hair away from attacking Toby, trying his best to calm down.  
“Jimb-”  
“stop. Talking. Tobes….i…..i don’t want to hear your voice right now….i….i can’t explain it but please...just…..don’t talk” Jim was practically foaming at the mouth. Jim took deep breaths, closing his eyes and calming himself down. It was hardly working. Slowly dripping water onto a cracked dry earth chunk to get it moist once more. It hardly worked, but it worked nonetheless. Toby’s scent hit Jim’s senses, he went into a fury. He clenched his jaw and held his horns. He was practically feeling like someone else was in his body, screaming at him to lash out, go to the surface and just start a slaughter, killing every human he could as quickly as he could. Jim’s anger suddenly cooled as he felt himself be hugged. He opened his eyes. Gunmar was holding him, rubbing his back, relaxing him.  
“i know what you’re feeling. It’s how I felt when I was first born. you’re far too…..hmm…..soft….to handle it…..this is one fear I had, that it would overwhelm you, hence why I wanted you to consume it in front of me. Deep breaths. Relax your muscles. Close your eyes. Imagine something quiet and soothing”  
“i...i..just….want to hurt him….i want to hurt everyone….”  
“i know you do. Bular, take him to their...hmm..no...not there….take him around the darklands, then to your room to rest when you so decide. For reasons I cannot explain right now, Jim needs to be away from him” Bular nodded and lead Toby away.   
“i...i smell him….it hurts….”  
“which is why I wanted him gone, away from you”  
“please...i….i don’t want him anymore…...let me kill him….i don’t want him anymore….”  
“no you don’t. This is just a moment of intense hate. You love him. Try to remember all the good times you’ve had”  
“i…..why…...why do you suddenly care about a stupid human? We eat humans, we kill them…..i-” Jim suddenly passed out

 

………………………………………………………………….

Jim was weeping uncontrollably. He was sniffling and shaking tremendously. He curled up and held himself. Toby was next to him, pulling him close and gently rubbing his horns. Jim buried himself into Toby’s chest, suddenly needing to be as close as possible, his best friends touch, presence, and scent calmed him  
“i-i-i-i w-wanted to hu-rt y-you”  
“i know, you didn’t though. You are so strong, I’m so proud of you” Jim has been like this for almost an entire hour. After passing out he was carried into his room, gently laid in his nest and rested. Gunmar didn’t leave his side until he woke up an entire 2 hours later. Jim’s body just shutting down, unable to process everything. Everything had overwhelmed him so much, he needed a reboot. While he rested, Gunmar walked around Jim’s room, looking at everything, studying every detail. He learned a few things about his son from it which caused him to have mixed feelings. One part, he was happy he learned new things, the other part, he hated himself for not being involved enough to already know these things, and the last part, he was sad. Sad that he was never there for all of this. He wasn’t there when Jim graduated high school, or enrolled into college. He wasn’t there when Jim celebrated events and holidays. He wasn’t there when Jim needed help, in every way. He wasn’t there for….his son’s entire life. Such a fleeting thing, all of it happening so fast. All of it just flying by, all the while, Gunmar didn’t even pay any attention to it. He always just assumed he could do it later when it was important, putting everything off thinking it was minor and didn’t matter. It did matter. All of this was important to Jim, but he never thought for a second on how his son felt. Gunmar knew his son wouldn’t be around for long, he knew that to begin with, yet such a massive chunk of his life was just….ignored. His nightmare really was right. Jim was a match, hardly lasting. He won’t be around much longer, then what? When his son is dead, what is he going to remember? What would he have experienced? If Jim died somehow suddenly, what would he even know?

 

Gunmar looked at his son’s sleeping form, curled up in his nest, looking peaceful. Gunmar grew a faint smile, he was so cute, so innocent looking. Gunmar’s smile faded. He should have watched Jim more. He should have been there for him. He should have known what Jim looked like when he slept as a whelp, as a small child, as a teenager, and now. Gunmar’s heart hurt. He almost was on the verge of crying. He had such intense regrets. This wasn’t something that could be taken back. Jim’s life can’t be extended. Every second, is a small burn to him. Every second, he fades away little by little. The clock is ticking, and he doesn’t have that much longer. The overwhelming feeling of the dark deep sadness in his heart started to take him. His mother, oh Victoria. Taken away so suddenly. He never even had a chance to say goodbye, say I love you one last time. What if Jim’s the same way, he hardly believes his father cares about him, would his words even matter?

 

Gunmar broke his promise. He tries to convince himself he didn’t. But he did plain and simple. He broke Victoria’s heart. So long ago. The one thing that mattered to him most. As if it never even mattered, just something to toss aside and have others to deal with it. Victoria. Gunmar can’t even say he’s sorry, it’s far too late for that, she’s far too gone. Even if he could, it wouldn’t matter, she wouldn’t forgive him, she wouldn’t love him anymore. Gunmar wouldn’t if the roles were reversed. It is unforgivable. The terrible dark decrepit cold pain choked his heart. All that regret, he just drowned in it, felt sorry for himself. It was a common thing, when thinking about Victoria, and even Jim for that matter. He always ignored it, pushed it into the back of his head, made sure not to think about it. Every time Jim came up, it found it’s way back into his mind, and overtake his heart. He always felt it was too late for Jim. It was too late to be a father. All that time, he would never get back.

 

No. now he needs to finally accept it and move on. No more pity parties. No more staying still, letting it get to him. He doesn’t need it anymore. he’s harmed himself through all these years for far too long. No more regrets. Time to move past it. Like what Toby said. it’s not to late. He still has time. He can’t just see Victoria in his eyes and hurt. it’s Jim’s time, not hers. Jim is here, Jim is now. If he just wallows in self pity about the past, then all the time he does have left, will be gone, feeding the sadness and regret. It’s time to make it up. Time to move on, accept she’s gone. Accept her death wasn’t his fault. She wouldn’t want him to be like this, she would want him to be with their son right now, not crying over the past. She would yell at him to toughen up, only she had the guts to assault him in order to remember not to become weak, soft, but in an emotional way, not in a physical way like-like Bular’s mother. No, she can be dealt with another time, he has time for that in his life, he doesn’t have time for Jim.

 

Gunmar wished he could go to the surface world, not just to take over, but…..to be apart of his son’s life. Bular was lucky, he could spend the day learning Jim’s activities, partaking in them. Gunmar was stuck down here, sulking whenever he thought of Jim, regretting it and wanting to not think of Jim or be with him, only to feed into the cycle more. When they took over the surface, Gunmar would make sure to do every activity he could do that Jim loves to do. They would eat together and bond over activities, he would be shown around to his son’s favorite places, see his son’s favorite things, experience his life fully for the first time. Now, it was a matter of doing everything he could down below within their home. This is what he could do, he won’t let a second more of Jim’s life to go to waste….

 

Jim had woken up, his head hurting and a surge of emotions flooding him. It was so overwhelming, he instantly broke down. Gunmar tried to soothe him, calm him, but he failed. Jim just cried, begging for Toby to come back, he needed Toby, not anyone else. Gunmar hurt hearing that, he didn’t even want him. Gunmar shook it off and went to fetch Toby, let him soothe his son, it’s the most he could do right now. That’s what his son needed, so that’s what he’ll do. Now in the present, Jim wouldn’t stop crying into Toby, managing to explain that Jim wanted to kill him, hurt him, had terrible thoughts about hating him. Toby just said how Jim was so good, so strong to resist them. He was wonderful and that showed that truly no matter what, their friendship mattered more than anything else. It would overcome everything. Jim stuttered and apologized more no matter what. All that hate, all that anger and pain and resentment, now was only aimed at himself. Nothing but voices shouting at him in his head, saying what a horrible rotten disgusting vile creature he is. How could he hate something that only has ever wanted to love him? And not want anything in return except love. How could he dare even consider harming his best friend? How could he even think for a moment that he hated him? He was selfish and awful. He didn’t deserve love. Attention. Affection. Any and everything. He wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t good enough for all of it. He wanted to die. He told Toby, he wants to die. His life wasn’t worth living anymore. Toby reminded him that it was, everything was going amazing, this was just a bump. Sure it was big, but it’s over now, they can move past it. No one said the road would be easy to travel. This just proves that no matter what other bumps happen, they will work through it together. Jim begged Toby not to leave him, he can’t live without him. Toby said he wasn’t going anywhere, he would stand by his side every second. Jim said he never wanted him to die. He can’t live without him. He didn’t want to live anymore when Toby died. Toby told him every things just….intense right now. No more thinking about that, or the future, only right now matters, because right now is what’s happening, nothing else.

 

Jim’s sobbing finally died down, he was a gross mess, and very tired. Not physically but, just drained overall. He didn’t have any energy left to think, or feel even. He just muttered out how he wanted to rest. He just…..didn’t want to think and feel right now. He didn’t want to experience life In general. Toby was getting up to leave, only for Jim to start whimpering and starting to sob again, begging him not to leave  
“it’s alright Jimbo, I’m just going to go get something over here. Okay? let’s watch something mindless and dumb. Just take our minds off of things and lay around. A good old classic Saturday style. Ohhh we should get some popcorn a weary smile formed on Jim’s face, he managed to let out a couple light chuckles  
“that sounds more perfect than life itself” So, the two watched various dumb things on Jim’s laptop, all while Jim curled up on Toby’s lap, being pet and having his horns rubbed, being fed popcorn and other snacks. The entire day was just that. It was peaceful, at least Toby tried to keep it that way. Minimal movement and noise. Keep the atmosphere as gentle as possible. Finally the night came and Jim fell asleep. Toby left quietly to talk to Bular and Gunmar quickly before Jim noticed he was gone. He made it simple and quick, exchanging information. It was awful for Jim for multiple reasons. The first being that he’s in heat so his emotions are already extreme. Then consuming heartstone always amplified his emotions severely. Lastly, it was birthstone. The fragment contained only a sliver of what created Gunmar. All that hate and rage started to consume Jim. The energies were far too intense. His body hardly survived, now his mind was feeling horrible pain, surviving even less than his body did. They didn’t know just how long his mind would be this broken. They hoped it wouldn’t be much longer. That was the hope at least…..

 

Toby quietly opened the door. Only to hear Jim whimpering. Toby hated that he took too long. He slipped into bed and let Jim curl up onto him whimpering and letting out a few tears. They both fell asleep not long after, the painful day over and done with. Hopefully being able to move on tomorrow, no more pain or breaking. Jim couldn’t handle it, and secretly, Gunmar couldn’t either…..


	43. Sin's of the father. part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'cry cry all you want, no matter what, they all will die'  
> Jim won't stop hurting, pain just keeps flowing back and forth, like the tide on a beach.  
> Tobys there to help though!....right?.....he always will!.....right?  
> if you keep eating nothing but junk food, you're going to get sick. EAT A FUCKING VEGETABLE JIM!  
> Toby relax! no one will kill Gunmar. just sit back relax and watch him crack a skull open.  
> oh hey! congrats on the new promotion!  
> JIMOLOGY PROFESSIONAL COMING THROUGH! STEP ASIDE!
> 
> Jim...why....are you thinking that?...
> 
> JIM. STOP. FUCKING. WITH TOBY. HE'S GONNA HAVE A HEART ATTACK AND IT WILL BE ALL YOUR FAULT!  
> teenagers are stupid  
> hasn't anyone seen a horror movie?! well THEY clearly haven't
> 
>  
> 
> ah, nothing is more fun than a little memento of your first kill
> 
> hey! he can do magic tricks! ooohhh fun!
> 
> aaaannnndddd now you're crying again. hey, Toby's there....RIGHT?!
> 
> oh god please no
> 
>  
> 
> Jim no
> 
>  
> 
> Don't
> 
>  
> 
> and BAM Jim can't get anymore surprised now can he?
> 
> well shit, SOMEONES gonna have a talk. hopefully it's pretty. well, for one persons sake at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wana hear a dumb joke?  
> Jim: Tobes, can you get my top?  
> Toby: Here you go, Jimbo. [hands over shirt]  
> Jim: I meant can you go get Draal.
> 
> been playing a lot of armello recently. if i haven't mentioned it yet, the game is just a board game game of thrones furry version. also a lot of geneforge 5. fuck i forgot how much i loved that game. also fallout new vegas is wonderful. heroes of might and magic 5 tribes of the east is also a game i loved when i was younger, got it again on steam and so many memories. The division two is....okay. it's just the same thing as the first game but slightly different. certain aspects of the first game i like better than the second one. been playing darkest dungeon again fuck i forgot how hard it is. think side scroller dark souls
> 
> funny idea of gunmar and bular SUPER getting into game of thrones. them super into each episode and constantly talking about it and getting PISSED when their fav characters die. they want it to be changed. when they take over they were going to make sure it would be force ably re written how they want it to be Also Bular watching American horror story. being totally freaked out about everything but also super interested in the plot of each season but also needs jim to be with him, not cause hes scared, but because he knows human things and can tell him that it isn't real, also a good bonding experience. THATS why. not because hes scared shitless about ghosts and magic and vampires and stuff
> 
> someone asked me about the story and how i planned it out and all that. honestly, it's not easy XD ORIGINAL STORY was supposed to be. pretty much, humans extinct. the characters that are human, claire toby barbara etc, were half trolls. half trolls lesser and owned by whoever blah blah. barbara is owned by vendel who helps with work around the place, hes kind to her and all that. jim gets owned by draal and things get passionate. jim hates how his kind is treated and pretty much becomes a serial killer. then later on he meets gunmar and makes a deal with him and blah blah. well, obviously i didn't write that story XD things with THIS STORY had different things planned for it. like for example, the chapter where toby learns about jim eating people, and then them going out into the woods with eli and steve, then jim needing to feed and gets caught by kanjigar. THAT chapter was supposed to be chapter 2, also jim only went with the boyfriends. only reason why he went was because a troop of gumm-gumms were going to sweep the area and jim didn't want his friends to die, so he orders them to go elsewhere, then kanjigar finds him and is worried about him since he just fought gumm-gumms. another idea that got scrapped was that Draal was supposed to find out about Jim being a gumm-gumm early on in this fic. Draal is super torn and wants jim but isn't sure since hes a gumm-gumm and all that. a scene i wrote where the two meet under the cover of night and be with one another~ Draal asking if Jim is worried that his father might find out about him. Jim says he was going to ask the same thing. also jim having their kid in a few chapters after that, and then trying to hide everything and cover it up however best he can. jim eventually flees to trollmarket and has to stay there for the rest of his life, too worried of anyone finding him ever, so he never gets to go to the surface again. then way later on down the line at the very end of the fic, Jim and Draal's son goes to the surface, hes walking around at night but he isn't supposed to. he sneaks out of trollmarket and walks around, only to hear a noise and a large black figure drop down from someplace like a tree or something. he gasps and asks who he is. the troll says "I'm your uncle" and then the fic ends. well, clearly that story isn't gonna happen XD another thing was that Claire was supposed to stumble into Bular by accident at night as shes trying to follow jim to see where he goes at night, out of curiosity. she screams for help and jim comes to save her
> 
> re discovered the dragons dogma soundtrack. man i forgot how much i loved that game and the music. that game will mess with you from how intense it gets. try it out and look it up! its super fun!
> 
> the song HOME - Resonance when i was writing the bular the brother chapter, this is the music i imaged toby listening too when he was walking home alone at the very beginning of the chapter ACTUALLY this is what INSPIRED ME to write bular the brother in general XD i had the idea of bular chapters, and then listening to this made me think of toby jammin out while hes walking, and bular coming up from behind him and spying on him to learn about toby
> 
> watched the ritual on netflix, super loved it, funny cause i knew some of the runes they used at times, also some of the norse myth stuff  
> i am such a huge nerd for mythology XD
> 
> okay thats all for now! enjoy!

The next morning! It was…...what it was. Jim woke up, cried, begged Toby to never leave him, Toby then left to take a bath, Jim whimpered, then Jim did his own, then the second he finished putting on boxers, he dove into his nest, cried again, and wanted Toby to hold him. So the two sat there watching things on Jim’s laptop and eating snacks, nothing is a good breakfast like scarfing down cookies, left over popcorn, and chocolate bars!

A knock happened, causing Jim to whimper and tighten himself into a ball. Toby said everything was oooookay. He was just going to answer it, see what’s wrong. Toby would be right there, still in view. Toby answered it to a guard asking what’s wrong, why didn’t they check it? Toby replied saying Jim was...feeling how he was last night, the two need peaceful, quiet alone time. The guard left and reported. Toby and Jim spent the rest of the day relaxing and being calm. Fun!

 

The day after that, Jim’s body felt sore all over, he hated himself, BUT his emotions finally settled down enough to be able to have a single thought without breaking down. He said he was strong enough to leave the safety of his room. He was hesitant at first, as if knowing he was about to walk to his death. Toby held his hand and helped him walk. Jim was nervous the entire way. Feeling so…..raw….vulnerable….exposed. The only safe thing he had to survive was his room. Able to lock everything and everyone else out. Keep to his own world. Finally they entered the throne room, Jim was like how Toby originally started when living there. Scared, hiding, staying too close. It was like Toby was introducing Jim to the world. Jim smiled but still felt sore and tired. They walked over by the throne and talked about things so far, it was…...what it was. Still, better than anything else. The peace was suddenly broken when the throne room doors opened up and two large powerful looking gumm-gumm males stomped through it. One with antlers, the other with goat horns. The one with goat horns spoke in a pleading manner while trailing close behind  
"pleas Vaz! come to reason! Thi-"  
"i have SEEN REASON! do not step in my path. GUNMAR!" the powerful roar echoed throughout the room. Gumar replied in an amused tone  
"Vaz. Vak. what are my two generals doing away from their posts? break time? come to visit their dark underlord? How thoughtful"  
"GUNMAR! YOU HAVE GROWN OLD AND WEAK! I DEMAND YOU STEP DOWN AND ALLOW ME TO REPLACE YOU! I AM THE ONLY ONE STRONG ENOUGH TO LEAD OUR KIND!" Gunmar’s attention snapped fully and anger started to course through him  
"you DARE to challenge me? i truly hope this is a jest. For the sake of your own life."  
"i am as serious as it comes. I am sick of all this waiting around. we must be led by someone who ISN'T bound to the darklands like some hound on a chain. YOU have no right to lead. You are unfit and old. You have grown soft and weaker. Your son's are no better. Bular is nothing but a failure of a son, a horrible choice for our future. Your other....child is nothing but a whore who sleeps with others but has yet to bear whelps like all omegas are supposed to." 

 

Jim actually smiled and laughed a bit  
"ouch. well looks like i won't be having sex with a certain someone from now on."  
"i have seen our armies wasted, sitting around growing weak and weary from this waiting. you had your chance, i followed you at every step since you took over. you had a good run, i will give you that, but you've come to an end. a long awaited one." Vaz held his spear and roared, pounding the ground. Gunmar got off his throne and slowly walked towards the challenger, summoning his blade.  
“you dare insult me. insult my guidance and leadership. insult my sons. you have committed treason of the highest order. shame. you truly were my third strongest general. you've had nothing but a blessed well earned privileged life. now you are to die. slowly. painfully." Gunmar roared in return and the two charged at each other. Jim and Bular looked bored and spoke to each other, Jim starting the conversation  
"another one huh?"  
"a wasted general"  
"well, at least he didn't call you a whore"  
"you do not sleep around that much. although i would prefer you to ease on your sexual endeavors. i will not judge though, that is your life, your choices"  
"aww thanks! Geez how long has it been since the last challenger? something like 3-4 years?"  
"roughly that and some months"  
"didn't think it would be one of the top generals"  
"a waste. shame. well, someone else now has the chance to replace him. someone loyal and eternally grateful" Toby looked between the violent fighting, even having to step back behind Jim and Bular as rock shards flew past them, and at the two brothers having their conversation.  
"uhhh guys, wana fill me in? how are you NOT worried about this?! what if he wins?!" the brothers laughed at that with one another  
"Tobes, no challenger has ever won. a lot of challengers, but no one's ever lasted a minute and a half with dad, isn't that right Bular?"  
"two minutes and 32 seconds, if i recall correctly, the highest record currently"  
"oh yeah, i had chocolate ice cream that day, it was nice" 

 

Gunmar slammed Vaz's head into the ground, cracking both the ground and his skull. Gunmar broke off a horn and jammed it into his neck. Vaz finally went limb and groaned. Gunmar stepped on his ribs and stomped a few times before kicking him away.  
"take this pathetic waste of a gumm-gumm away. lock him up in a private chamber. i want to keep him alive so that i might play with him a bit more. I want to make sure he will always remember where his place is. for the rest of his life, however brief it will be." a couple guards nodded and dragged him away. Gunmar turned to the other general and spoke softly  
“now for you. Vak." Vak dropped to his knees and pleaded  
"my dark underlord! he does NOT speak for me! please have mercy! i tried to convince him not to, to stay loyal and under your leadership! i-"  
"silence." Gunmar slowly made his way towards him, flicking off Vaz's blood from his blade. Vak dropped to the ground, fully cowering and whimpering now. Gunmar stood above him, pointing his sword at him. Gunmar spoke softly  
"look at me." Vak raised his head, fear in his eyes, body shaking. Gunmar placed the point of his blade under Vak's chin, lifting his head up  
"you re still loyal to me. Yes?"  
"y-y-yes! of course my dark underlord! i swear to everything! i swear to my mind, body soul-"  
"did you witness that little challenge?"  
"y-yes"  
"you learned from his mistake?"  
"yes!"  
"and what would that be?"  
"to never challenge or question you! never to mock you, your leadership, your sons, your second son's sexual habits"  
"good. good. you are far smarter than he was. good. congratulations. you are now the title holder of my third strongest general. may you serve me well and never question or disobey me"  
"oh thank you! thank you my dark underlord! i swear i will only be the greatest i can be! even further than that!"  
"good. i am pleased to hear this. i would punish you for your cowardice, however, you are shaking like a whelp because it is me. i will forgive it. now, go. return to your duties. i will make it known what has transpired. enjoy your position" Gunmar's blade vanished as Vak rose to his feat. Gunmar nodded and waved him off to leave. Vak bowed one last time before rushing out of the room. Gunmar made his way back to his throne, his boredom lessened, ever slightly at least. Gunmar stopped and turned to his sons speaking in a calm gentle manner  
“my sons, are you alright?”  
“i took no word to heart father. He was a traitor who’s voice carried no meaning”  
“and you Jim?”  
“what? Oh I’m fine-” Jim stopped as Gunmar got onto a knee and hugged Jim lovingly  
“he should never have called you something so foul. You are not one. I want you to truly understand that” Jim tucked himself into the hug, letting himself relax into it  
“thanks dad. I’m fine though, I thought it was a bit funny actually. I know I’m not a whore, even if I do joke about stuff like that” Gunmar began to rub Jim’s back  
“I’m glad to hear it. I want you to never have to hold your emotions or needs back, simply to avoid what others may call you. When you need the touch and comfort of another, do not be afraid to request it. I want you to be healthy, not starved of affection and needs”  
“thanks dad, this means a lot to me. I know that but, hearing it feels nice” Gunmar looked over to Toby who was smiling and nodding yes, praising him for doing a good job. A new fatherly moment, interrupted by Blinky coming into the throne room doors in a merry attitude  
“my dark underlord, Arrrg has finished your order! he’s available now to fight-oh uh, pardon me” he stopped when he noticed the loving father son moment. Gunmar let Jim go and walked to his throne after giving him a couple gentle pats on the head  
“we shall speak in a moment Blinkous. First, so my son what are your plans for today?” Toby interrupted as he rubbed Jim’s back  
“we’re going to go up to the surface, get some fresh air and some sun. help clear things up a bit. Have something else come to mind, moving on past the current situation” Jim smiled at him with a tired expression, eyes still a bit sore and red  
“i would love that Tobes. You really know me too much”  
“what can I say, I’m an expert in Jimology”  
“Jimology?”  
“the study of Jims!” the two shared a laugh warmly while behind them Bular felt…..a bit annoyed as well as jealous. He wanted that. That should be how he and Jim are together. Laughing, making jests, smiling. He will have his time with Jim eventually. Like Toby said. The greatest things don’t happen at once. He will learn, he will become greater, his brother will treat him the same. In time. He has time to learn. He hates waiting, but for this, he can wait as long as he needs to.  
“goodbye brother, goodbye Toby, enjoy yourselves, I will be here if you need me” Bular tried to hold back any tone of annoyance and jealousy, Jim didn’t need that stress. The two smiled back at him. Gunmar spoke sitting on his throne as Blinky approached him  
“goodbye son. Enjoy your day in the sun”

………………………………………………………………………..

Jim and Toby walked the streets. Fresh rain had finished falling, making everything smell clean, or cleaner at least. The warm sunshine would come and go from behind the clouds. Jim groaned a bit into his straw, drinking a milkshake while walking alongside Toby, still having his head a bit clouded and in pain.  
“hey, no noises mister. I know the perfect way to cheer you up”  
“hm?”  
“let’s go get some nesting materials for you! A nice shopping spree! Get a shit ton of pillows and blankets and everything, then just burying ourselves in it at home, getting our scents on it to get you all warm and cozy. A nice comfortable soft safe place for us to just hide in for a while. Eating unhealthy garbage and binge watching movies and shitty sitcoms. Ignoring everything outside of the nest and just being lazy dumb fucks who don’t remember what 2 plus 2 is”  
“god. That. Sounds incredible. Stop knowing me so well”  
“nah, too bad. Suffer. Now then, let’s get this omega into heaven” and so they did! They spent a good couple hours just looking around, far far far less amount of time was spent on actually buying anything. Jim felt good, healthy, alive, just being away from his own head while he checked out everything he could want, feeling nothing but pure comfort from the distractions……

 

Until….

 

 

As the two walked around, they stopped at a store to buy yet more snacks and garbage food! Toby said he’d run inside real fast, since now he was a little….tired of waiting so long for Jim. He didn’t mind, he was happy! But…..you can only take standing around for an entire day for so long….so, off he ran! As Jim waited outside, feeling the fresh breeze and nice sunlight, he heard a woman crying down the street being comforted by what Jim assumed to be her friends. He overheard only a little bit from the few times they talked. She was crying because….her father had just died in a sudden car crash. Jim should have felt bad, felt sorry for her but...he felt….happy….giddy….he smiled and even giggled at it. Watching her in this state, it was almost….refreshing. He almost just wanted to stroll over and say hello, far too casual like. He was enjoying this too much. Any thought of compassion or anything remotely related to it didn’t even manifest in his head. He was too giddy to notice what was going on with himself. This, was equal to watching two small children play with each other. He would hate himself for this, for feeling like this...but….he just didn’t care. His focus snapped back to himself as he heard the door open next to him, seeing Toby walking out of it

 

“alright, got the goodies, ready to go?” Jim had to blink a few times. In his head, he didn’t see Toby. He just saw...some person. A person he knew but, had no feelings for. No anger or hate or joy, just some person he knew from highschool  
“you okay Jimbo?”  
“huh? Yeah, yeah just…..was in my head”  
“well we can’t have that! Think fast!” Toby threw a candy bar at Jim’s head, which just hit him in the face and fell to the floor. Jim didn’t flinch, he just kept staring at Toby. He was trying his best to remember Toby, feel love for him, connect with him….but…..it was like trying to light a lighter in a heavy rainstorm. It just wasn’t happening no matter how hard Jim tried.  
“Jimbo?”  
“yeah, sorry Tobes. Just….feeling kinda weird….”  
“well, no more feelings! let’s go”  
“yeah...let’s….go….Tobes...i…..i need to hug you”  
“okay”  
“is that...weird”  
“nope! Never!” Jim bent down a little and hugged his best friend, trying to just….remember his feelings. He closed his eyes and relaxed. Slow soft breaths, clearing his head, and calming his emotions to a neutral state. Toby’s warmth, his size, his voice, his feelings, his scent, his soft tender affection, it was helping. Jim came tighter into the hug slightly, smiling as his previous self came back to life. He suddenly remembered how much he loves Toby. How sorry he feels for the woman, how much he……….he doesn’t know how to react to what the hell just happened to him...he wasn’t glad…...or angry…..no…..he didn’t want to think about this anymore. He remembered his life, the good parts at least. His friends, Draal, Kanjigar, his brother and father, the sunshine and fun moments on the surface, even the cringy stuff he did at highschool when he didn’t know any better. Jim’s full happiness came back to him, like a soft relaxing warmth in the cold. He was himself again.  
“thanks Tobes. I needed this. You mean the world to me”  
“same here Jimbo, anytime! I like being hugged, who doesn’t like physical affection? People get touched starved too often anyways. it’s nice to feel this kind of thing. Plus it always makes me feel good when I help you. Knowing I’m doing my job properly makes me no longer nervous that you’re dad and brother will eat me if I mess up” Jim started to laugh at that, more of that good warmth washing over him  
“well, no matter how terrible a friend you are to me, only I get to eat you. I make sure it’s nice and clear to everyone”  
“thanks Jimbo, I can’t wait for you to dig in”  
“speaking of digging in, let’s go, I need to get back, I just….feel weird right now. I need to go back to my nest, feel...safe again from the world” The two let go, Jim turned to look back, the crying woman and her friends had left, and in a way, Jim was thankful. He was afraid he might go back into….whatever that state was if he saw and heard them….

 

After coming back with a shitload of materials, the two tossed everything and dove in, just mushing and pushing, pulling things around and making one chaotic mess of everything. Toby looked over at a now relaxed looking Jim  
“so. My omega feel better?”  
“very” Jim said in a relaxed tone, snuggling deeper into his new blankets and pillows  
“so, want me to get more of my shirts or something and put them into this chaos or what?”  
“nah. I’m good. Having you here is all I need”  
“really keeps you from going crazy”  
“you relax me more than anything else in the world, having your scent around helps my nerves when my actual human isn’t around”  
“welp! Glad to get my smell on everything! Speaking of...what….do….i smell like?”  
“what do you mean? You smell like flowers and the ocean mist soaps”  
“not that, although I am liking the new ones you bought, I mean like...my scent scent human thing”  
“oh, well, I can’t describe it”  
“well does it smell good? Or bad or what”  
“its not easy to say. Its like trying to describe the color of something to someone who’s blind. It’s just something you understand when you have heightened senses. It’s not bad or good, well good to me because you relax me, but like….it doesn’t have a specific smell to it. So it’s not like garbage or flowers or rubber or trees or anything. it’s just….there. Everyone has their own, and it’s not something to talk about really, I just don’t know how to explain. Maybe it’s like, trying to describe what color the wind is. You just can’t. It doesn’t have a color, it just exists”

“well, a certain song would disagree with you about that, but yeah sounds complicated. Well good to know I don’t smell terrible!”  
“speaking of things you’re afraid of being terrible. Wana watch horror stuff?”  
“Jimbo you KNOW I can’t stand most stuff! ESPECIALLY the stuff YOU LIKE!”  
“slaughter fest murder boner 7 isn’t scary”  
“YES IT IS! THAT’S NOT FAIR! YOU LITERALLY EAT PEOPLE! YOU’RE NEVER SCARED!”  
“I get scared!”  
“not about horror stuff, THAT’S WHAT I MEAN”  
“ah, yeah haha! Come on, I’m here to make sure nothing bad can get you”  
“oh, no I KNOW nothing is gonna get me, I live here, remember? I don’t need to describe what’s around me. I’m living in a horror movie. What DOES scare me is not being able to sleep because I’ll get nightmares”  
“aww, my Tobes is afraid. Come here, let’s snuggle! We can both make each other feel better”  
“NO. NO YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!”  
“aww why not?”  
“NO YOU KNOW DAAAM WELL WHY THE HELL NOT. YOU ALWAYS MESS WITH ME!”  
“whhhaaaatt? Me? Noo”  
“you always whisper things or make little noises or shit! You always mess with me when I’m already about to piss myself!”  
“pretty please cuddle me! I need it”  
“AND I NEED YOU NOT TO SCARE THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF ME”  
“okay! Okay! Fine. If you cuddle me to keep me emotionally healthy and not have another breakdown, I promise I won’t do anything to scare you” Toby just eyed him with absolutely no trust. Meanwhile Jim gave big innocent sad eyes back  
“no. don’t even lip quiver.”  
“please Tobes?...i….i need it”  
“alright fine! Get your ass over here. And if I hear one creepy whisper or noise from you, I’m going to push you the hell away and run to the nearest corner!”  
“okay deal. Now cuddle me!”

Against Toby’s better judgment, he watched horror movies with Jim. Toby usually never was one to be truly afraid of things, but he always had that eerie chill run down his spine, ESPECIALLY when Jim messed with him. Tickling him lightly, making it feel like a spider, blowing on the back of his neck, making scratching noises and quiet growls, you name it. Jim always laughed, Toby always jumped out of his skin. No matter how many times Toby watched horror things, he never truly got used to it. Weird, he was starting to become far less afraid of the life he’s currently living, than fake horror. A giant monster coming from around the corner screaming, while he watched it in a movie, he wanted to run and cry. While living it, he wanted to run in the ‘OH FUCK I DON’T WANA DIE’ sense. Jim only ever found horror things funny or entertaining. He ate people. He did far worse than the media he watched. So watching someone be chased after with a chainsaw down a dark hallway, really wasn’t something compared to chasing after someone in the woods and tearing into their throat and eating them.

 

The movie portrayed a small group of stupid teenagers, exploring a dark abandoned forest, discovering some old broken down hospital out in the middle of nowhere. A creepy noise was coming from inside. Sounding like a mix of light whispering and coughing. The music started to become more quiet. One of the teens decided to head inside, the group complained but followed soon after, being scared inside from strange cracking in the forest around them. The music started to become more intense. Suddenly loud footprints were heard from one of the upper floors.

 

Toby shivered and mumbled for them not to go deeper in, being one of those kinds of people. He held Jim closer to him, which Jim found funny. Jim whispered out  
“hey Toby….”  
“Jim I swear to god DON’T FUCK WITH ME RIGHT NOW”  
“I’m not….just…..in the hospital…..we should go to one in real life”  
“FUCK OFF NO I AM GOING NOWHERE NEAR ONE”  
“i know a perfect place. All alone. Vandalized. Things broken and creaky. Me and you. Come on. Lets be like the teens”  
“Jim stop talking I am going to piss myself”

 

Back in the movie the group was calling out for a missing friend. Only to hear light groaning and coughing deeper down the hallway, followed by the sound of scraping, metal against metal. Then a large rusty door lightly opened up by itself.

Toby pulled Jim closer, breathing heavily. Jim so so SO wanted to mess with Toby, except he made a promise, besides, if Toby died from a heart attack, Jim wouldn’t know what to do.  
“you fucking pieces of shit don’t go in there….no….nononono” Toby muttered, while Jim giggled a bit. The door slammed open as their missing friend ran out and scared them loudly, causing Toby to shout and flail, knocking over a bunch of food  
“okay okay okay I’m done I’m done turn it off”  
“oh come on! it’s hardly started!”  
“we’ve watched three movies. I’m done, I would rather watch porn with you than keep watching this”  
“ohhh fun! we’ve never jerked off together before!”  
“please! I WILL DO THAT if you just turn it off!”  
“can I blow you?”  
“YES JUST TURN IT OFF”  
“hmmm…….dam I wana suck some dick buuuuut nooooooopppeee! Be scared!”  
“Jim. I will die if I keep watching”  
“no you won’t! Please! For me!”  
“Jim. I’ve dealt with this life, I’ve dealt with the threats AND ATTEMPTS of being eaten, threatened, scared, literally feed you my blood, stay by your side when we walk over a giant endless fucking abyss, had your brother stick my hand in his mouth, watched you eat people, watched soldiers train to bring the end of the world, and a shit ton of other stuff BUT I’M DONE NOW”  
“wait so, allll of that, and you’re going to draw the line. On THIS?!”  
“YES. I AM LITERALLY WILLING TO HAVE ACTUAL PHYSICAL SEX WITH YOU IF WE JUST WATCH LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE. I AM LITERALLY WILLING TO BLOW A LOAD INTO YOU IF WE JUST STOP WATCHING THIS”  
“wow. Literally willing to actually fuck me JUST to get out of a movie that’s slightly scary?”  
“FUCK YOU, NO, THIS IS NOT SLIGHTLY SCARY!”  
“hm. Have you finally mount me, get some dick in me, ooooorrrrr watch you freak out. Dam, I can’t believe I’m saying this but, I’m gonna go with the option where dick isn’t involved”

 

A loud bang on the door to Jim’s room happened suddenly. Toby jumped and fell onto his back  
“OKAY I’M DONE I’M DONE” Jim couldn’t stop laughing now, he had a hard time just calming down enough to ask who it was. A guard heard screaming and wanted to know if everything was alright. Jim said everything was fine, they were just watching a scary movie. Then explained what that was. The guard took his leave and Jim just looked over at Toby, holding himself tightly in a blanket.

“hey stud~”  
“Jim. I am I NO MOOD”  
“whaaaa you JUST SAID you were LITERALLY willing to have sex with me!”  
“Jim. I want to watch anything else. I’m officially and seriously drawing my line. I help you when you’re a mess, now you help me”  
“okay! Okay! Fiiinneee! Geez. Play the friend’s upset card, huh? Okay, if we watch something funny, will that help you?”  
“yes.”  
“is sex still on the table?”  
“NO YOU’VE LOST YOUR OPTION”  
“aww daammm. Alright, come over stud, see? I turned it off”  
“no tricks.”  
“nooo tricks”

 

So Toby nodded and scooted over. The two watched various comedy’s to take their mind off of things. The day ended and they had enjoyed their time together. A nice simple-ish day, a fun stupid day. A day Jim was thankful to have. That night when Jim closed his eyes and listened to Toby’s light sleeping, he knew how thankful he was….

…………………………………………………………………………….

“See Tobes? No nightmares” Jim laughed, finishing getting ready for the morning. Toby just mumbled negatively in reply. Flipping through the fun magic future telling book! Toby stopped as the book started to form words. Toby called over  
“hey Jimbo, you’re going to want to see this”  
“don’t do that movie trope”  
“hey! I saw my chance and took it” Jim sat next to Toby and watched the words on the page form

 

‘Shadows second bane, stone of first life shadow took.’

“whoa book, finally figured it out?”

 

‘yes, master’

 

“great job! Okay but first life shadow took? Like he killed a stone?”  
“Jimbo nooo I think it means Gunmar’s FIRST KILL”  
“oh uh, some king guy right?”  
“yeah! The shattered king, he was the quagawumpa king before, well your dad killed him”  
“how do you know this? it’s great! Just not like, something I would have thought you knew”  
“when I spent time with your dad and brother, he talked about his history, he really was proud of his first kill, told me in detail about it. Messy. Tried not to hurl up my marshmallows”  
“yeah that’s dad for you. Okay SO…...now where the hell are they? I don’t remember where they live-oh fucking duh, marshlands!…..okay where the hell is that exactly, book, where it be at ma hommie?”  
“Jimbo don’t ever say that again”  
“word to my T to the O to the B-E-S”  
“yep okay, I’m not your friend anymore”  
“Awww….wait...book...you’re kidding me right?”  
“what’s it mean Jimbo? ‘Take the gyre’ is that like a sword or something?”  
“no. a terrible terrible thing. Imagine a roller coaster from hell”  
“oh, neat”  
“it’s terrible. Okay, plan. I go out, find the whatever. You stay here, distract dad and Bular. If they say or ask anything, say I needed a day to myself, that’s all I told you”  
“gottcha! Okay, family therapy part 2!”

 

……………………………………………..…………………………….

Jim swallowed as he gripped the lever on the gyre panel.  
“book. If this isn’t the right way, I will burn you.” Jim steadied his breathing before slowly pulling the lever, bracing himself for what was to come

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

didn’t help

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………………………………….……..

 

after a quick gut hurling up, Jim took a few deep long breaths, as well as large swigs of water from a few water bottles he packed. Now he came prepared! Except instead of heat, it was intense humidity. As he walked he looked around

 

(Okay. We all know what this entire episode looks like, okay? Nooo point in explaining it LOOK I SEE NOOO REASON WHY I SHOULD JUST EXPLAIN EVERYTHING WHEN YOU CAN LITERALLY JUST RE WATCH THAT EPISODE OKAY! Also waaaahhhh why didn’t you put Toby in this part? It would have been amazing seeing how they would react with him being an adult

WELL TOUGH SHIT. I COULDN’T THINK OF PROPER INTERACTIONS AND KEEPING THE STORY LINE TOGETHER. YES I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO WRITE IT. And guess what? None of it worked! Sooo I decided to just, fuck it move on with my life. So just like with my Bular the brother (chapter 17) where I worked on it over and over and couldn’t get how I wanted it to be, I’m just gonna mooovveee along. SO YEAH, TOBY IS BEING WITH GUNMAR AND BULAR FOR THE DAY SO TOUGH SHIT. 

 

Now, here, imagine a cute puppy playing with a tennis ball in grass almost as big as the actual puppy, I’ll give you some time

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

...

Okay there, calmed down? Good. Now back to the story!)

 

 

 

Jim stepped from rock to rock, avoiding the little streams of water. Pesky bugs flew around him, occasionally landing on him and then being swatted away. Jim really was thankful his skin had enough stone in it to become too hard for any bug to bite him. No worries about mosquitoes or spiders or parasites of any kind!

 

 

 

(Seriously, bedbugs, gross and nerve chilling. As I previously stated, suuper big fear of parasites irl, especially the internal kind! YOU CAN’T FLICK THEM OFF IF THEY’RE LITERALLY UNDER YOUR SKIN OKAY!)

 

 

As Jim stepped calmly from stone to stone, he looked around, sniffing the air, and listening carefully for everything around him. He stopped and shrugged off his backpack, opening it up and talking to the book

 

 

(So, I REALLY am toooo lazy to keeeep looking up what the weird fucking book’s name is, okay? it’s not something simple to remember. So I’m just gonna call it ‘the book’ or ‘future reading book’ or whatever crap comes to mind. HEY YOU TRY SPELLING IT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD. Go on. Go ahead. No? can’t do it? Have to look it up? EXACTLY and I DON’T want to keep going back and forth/copy paste copy paste a shit ton of times. 

I CAN’T DO IT. SO FUCK IT. WE’LL DO IT LIVE! FUCKING THING SUCKS!

(Bill o’reilly freak out. Always kills me, look it up if you haven’t seen it. It always cheers me up)

 

“alright book, got any info for me?”

‘shadows bane. Second stone. Laid upon the one who rules. The false leader.’

“oookay. Anything more than that?”

‘nothing I can speak of. Vague. Answers only show that.’

“well, better than nothing. Thanks for the help” Jim packed it away. Venturing deeper into the unknown area, Jim’s senses started to pick up on things. Something wasn’t right….He looked around, listened, sniffed, do the best as he could without being noticeably to understand what was going on around him. So far, he couldn’t tell anything was different. He had that feeling though….something wasn’t usual….

 

Wasn’t long after that when he heard chanting and moving bushes. Suddenly he was surrounded, spears jabbed at him  
“whoa! Okay! Uh hey, let’s take this easy!”  
“a half troll? Here?”  
“i can’t believe I’m saying this trope but, take me to your leader, please?”  
“what business do you have here? Why should we let you live?”  
“i come on official business! Business that your leader will want to hear!”  
“half trolls have no business here!” the trolls chanted more and circled closer with their spears. One stopped suddenly and looked at Jim’s neck  
“wait. He bears the trollhunters mark”  
“oh...YEP! I come on official trollhunting business for my master!”  
“what business?”  
“i need to speak to your leader about it. Official orders! don’t want to go against the word of my master! don’t want to upset the trollhunter now, do you?” The trolls stopped and mumbled to one another for a good minute. Jim cleared his throat and spoke up  
“he sent me to speak to your leader, wouldn’t be smart if I were to die or be harmed for it. She would be blamed since I am in her territory trying to speak to her” the trolls mumbled more before one spoke up  
“fine. We take you to her. But no tricks!”  
“nope! None! I swear!”

 

So the trolls took him deeper into the forest! With a few too many spears than Jim would have preferred. He was really starting to enjoy the trollhunters pet card. Finally vines were pulled aside and he was lead past them

 

 

 

(once again, we all know what it looks like so no need to describe)

 

 

 

Many other trolls looked over at Jim, some gasping, some mumbling, some giving him weird looks. Of course, Jim was plenty used to this, so it really didn’t matter. Jim looked at the large statue and gasped  
“holy shit that looks like when Tobes was in highschool” one troll looked at him with a questioning glace, unsure if that was an insult or not, letting said feeling clear in tone  
“who is this, Tobes in highschool?”  
“nothing bad don’t worry, just reminded me of someone important” Jim was lead to a large table where a troll was telling others various things. One of the trolls leading Jim spoke  
“found intruder. Bears mark of trollhunter. Said business he had with you, official” the troll looked up at him and her eyes went wide  
“wait. I remember you from trollmarket”  
“yep it’s….me...i though I-”  
“why are you here? Normally we kill intruders, eat their hearts and make flutes with their arms”  
“huh, how very pachacuti of you”  
“pach what?”  
“nothing”  
“what business do you have?”  
“i needed to speak to you, you are the leader so-”  
“no. I not leader, our king is”  
“oh, I assumed since you were at trollmarket-”  
“no, king no want to go there, so I go as ambassador”  
“oh neat, okay well can I speak to-”  
“king will return shortly, he demand a feast. So feast we make. Perhaps you should stay and eat then, if you do have official trollhunting business with the king”  
“oh uh, I’m not really hungry, but thank you so much for you offer. I ate before coming here, then I sorta hurled-vomited after using the gyre. I’m still pretty sick feeling”  
“ah, share the feeling when using one. Sit he will return soon”  
“thanks for-”  
“go on sit” Jim smiled and sat down on, he looked around and tried to keep his stomach down when he saw what was for the feast. He ate people, so why would swamp maggots make him feel sick? He will never understand. Jim got his mind off of it by looking around. It was nice, far too humid than he enjoyed, but nice. He enjoyed the soft green crystals. Of course he noticed all the glances and whispers about him, although he was thankful that it was actually more about his important and official business than it was about him being a half troll. Still, half troll comments were common. Jim felt small thuds behind him and saw a large troll wearing a crown  
“WHERE’S MY FEAST!” he shouted as he stomped past everyone then sat on the throne  
“here my king-” the king stuffed the food into his mouth.

“my king, you have a visitor”  
“visator?” everyone pointed to Jim and everything became quiet. He smiled and waved  
“hi”  
“ohhhh a half troll, what’s it doing here at my feast? I don’t wana eat him!…..i think”  
“no, he has offical trollhunting business with you”  
“trolhan?”  
“uh hi, mr king...what’s your name?”  
“Blungo! King blungo!”  
“right right, uh hi how’s it going?”  
“what’s going?”  
“never mind...i needed to talk to you”  
“We are talking”  
“that we are….so, the trollhunter is busy, and has many many tasks to do, so I am doing my duties to aid him. Currently I am going around place to place in order to give good greetings and asking if anyone needed help wi-”  
“haha! You half troll! You dance!”  
“huh?”  
“half trolls all dance! Amuse me! Dance!”  
“I’m not-” Jim stopped as he looked at the crown  
‘laid upon the one who rules. So the stone is in the crown...hmm….fun challenge on how to get it out...’ Jim got up and smiled  
“i will entertain the best I can”  
“good! Fun!” Jim took a small green crystal from the ground, pocketed it and then picked up a few more  
“first, I can’t really dance BUT I CAN JUGGLE!”  
“jagle?”  
“it’s. Well watch” Jim was thankful he had enough dexterity and hand eye coordination to be able to do this. He started to toss three, then four, then five crystals in the air, slowly moving closer and closer to the king. Everyone was watching and some were clapping  
“ohh shiny! How keep crystals in air?”  
“it’s juggling, a human art form of-”  
“bored! Do other things!”  
“okay” Jim let the crystals drop one by one.  
“okay...i have one”  
‘Toby. Thank you. For years of magic entertainment you have just given me the best idea’  
“i am going to magically remove the crystal from your crown and then put it back, all while not touching it!”  
“what? How do? Have to touch things to do things!”  
“allow me to show you. First, I need your crown”  
“no! My crown! I king!”  
“i simply want to hold it, no being king, I need it for my trick”  
“no! No tricks! No be made fool!”  
“it’s called a magic trick, it’s what I’m about to do. You do want to see how amazing it can be, right?”  
“hmmm….okay….no pretend king though!” Jim nodded and was handed the crown. He set the crown on a table.  
“alright, everyone watch in amazement as I make something appear from one place to another, all without moving anything! First, a cloth” Jim took off his shirt and grabbed the crystal out of his pocket when it wasn’t noticeable. Then he dramatically swayed his shirt over the crown before quicky throwing it over the crown, grabbing the crystal out of the crown quick enough to where no one could see. He pulled back his shirt and showed how it suddenly was gone!  
“notice how the crystal vanished out of thin air! Ah, but look! It now is in my hand!” a lot of gasps could be heard as he showed it around  
“now, watch as I put it back!” Jim did the same process except switching the fake crystal for the real one, after the quick switch when his shirt was over it, he pulled his shirt back to show it was placed back once more!

 

A lot more gasps were let out along with clapping  
“Alright, here’s your crown back”  
“ohhh how you do that?!”  
“magic!”  
“teach me magic!”  
“i don’t have enough time sadly”  
“make time!”  
“uh…...okay, one final trick I have!”  
“ohh what trick? Need my crown?”  
“nope! Everyone watch as I make myself vanish out of thin air!”  
“how can vanish?”  
“watch!” Jim put his shirt back on and pulled out his amulet from behind, he turned it behind his back and did one last smile, then did his usual teleport to his room. He talked to himself while looking at his amulet  
“you’ve been a great crowd” he laughed and looked closer at the killstone  
“so...you’re the second piece to killing my dad….huh…..now how do I use you? can’t eat you like I did the birthstone...hmm….” Jim looked at it more before he sat down and put it away. He breathed out and rubbed his face, letting himself collapse into his nest. He was tired from doing practically nothing. Still emotionally drained from everything. Well, good to just rest up and slowly get better….

 

He had a nap for a couple hours, woke up, stretched and watched things on his laptop, did some college work that he really needed to catch up on, and overall had a day to himself. He enjoyed it, but started to hate not having Toby around. He felt somewhat….empty without him. Lonely. Jim had a sudden thought that scared him……...when Toby did go back home, whenever that was…..Jim was going to be all alone all over again….no more fun, no more warmth and talking, no more support…..Jim’s heart started to race and he began to panic. Everything was just going to get worse, everything would go back to being terrible, nothing would be good anymore, everything would just stay the same. He didn’t want Toby to leave, ever. He couldn’t take the quiet, the loneliness, the dark all alone. His breathing started to speed up and he held himself, not noticing tears running down his face. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. Everything would be horrible again. Life wouldn’t be happy. Life wouldn’t be good. Everything that was going great in his life was going to suddenly stop, be taken away, never happen again. Jim grabbed both horns and curled up. His life was going to end. He knew it. He knew everything was just a waste of time. His hopes were raised for no reason. He was just going to hurt again. He can’t live without Toby. He had to stay. He had to stay…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim had to kill Nana so Toby had no other place to go….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If shes dead, Jim would be the only one he can turn to, yeah he’s old enough to live on his own, Still…..

 

Jim would keep Toby by his side no matter what.

 

 

No…

 

No what is he thinking!? Literally going to kill the only family he has left just because…..

 

He hated himself even more now for thinking that….

He really was selfish wasn’t he?

He only cared about himself. What kind of friend is that?

He really is a monster…

 

……………………………………………………………………………..

It was night now, Toby was tired after a good long day of teaching. Simple communication skills and verbal challenges. Light but effective material to work on. Toby opened the door, imagining a nice hot bath, get all cozy, relax, and eventually fall asleep. What he came into, was Jim’s muffled cries underneath blankets and pillows. Toby closed the door and ran over, saying that he’s there now…also trying to find where Jim actually was in the giant mess that was Jim’s nest  
“are you under here? no. okay I looked over there...right? Jimbo! Where are you?!”  
“go away…..”  
“no”  
“I’m a monster..”  
“what started this?”  
“you don’t deserve me...I’m awful. I don’t deserve you...you’re too good for me...”  
“come on buddy, where are you?”  
“no. go away. don’t come near me. I’ll just end up hurting you...” after more searching, Toby finally found a horn poking out of a spot. Toby tried to pull the blanket away, only for it to be tightly kept. So Toby pulled harder, Jim held on harder. Toby let go and decided to just dig into the blankets elsewhere. Finally he came onto Jim weeping and holding himself  
“hey buddy”  
“go away.”  
“no. come here, wana talk?”

 

…………………………………………………………………………………

It wasn’t easy for the next couple of hours. But Toby managed to calm Jim down enough to talk it out. Jim was laying his head on Toby’s lap, being pet as they watched something funny as a distraction. They talked, Jim cried and curled up, they talked some more, some more crying, and eventually Jim got it all….well most...of it out of his system. Jim was tired. He was too tired to cry, to think, to even hate himself. He told Toby everything. Even his sudden need to murder. To Jim’s surprise….Toby wasn’t upset, or changed in attitude whatsoever. Toby knew Jim didn’t mean it, he never would have done it anyways. it’s just the heat of the moment. Everything is god awful and Jim wasn’t thinking clearly. Toby comforted him, telling him that everything is gonna be alright. Sure he might be gone, but not gone gone. THAT’S when Jim started to freak out all over again with the sudden thoughts of Toby dying. He couldn’t live without Toby. He wouldn’t.

 

Toby told him that THAT’S not something to even think about at the moment, or ever. Focus on right now. Not something else in the future. After more talking, Jim finally fully-ish, calmed down. There they were now, resting and relaxing. Jim just wanted to fall asleep for good…

 

After a nice long hot bath, he felt better, a lot better. He was smiling again and laughing at what they watched. He felt good-ish, again. He showed Toby the killstone, they talked about it and wondered what it could possibly do. They also wondered what the last stone was. It clearly was a stone since the other two were. All three linked to Gunmar. So what was the very last thing?

 

That night when Toby was asleep, Jim pulled out the book and asked it. The book talked back and Jim just had more questions. After a few minutes of slow back and forth. Jim’s eyes went wide. The book finally learned what the last stone was. Gunmar’s eye  
“as in, his EYE eye?”  
‘yes.’  
“the one he lost?”  
‘yes.’  
“huh. How is THAT gonna play out? ‘hey dad, I brought home your eye! Want it back?’ hmm….okay so...where is it?” Jim’s eyes went wider than ever when he read what the book said

 

‘eye held onto a double living life. A leader, holding onto the leader. Walter’


	44. Sin's of the father. part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A final piece to the ultimate puzzle. only time will tell now on what the future holds.
> 
> Also Bular is impatient AF
> 
> THE AMAZING TOBY SHALL NOW DO FEATS UNIMAGINABLE! 
> 
>  
> 
> Bular calm down. geez it's just a show.
> 
> Jim's getting really freaked out by what he has to read  
> ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY READER! if today is your birthday
> 
>  
> 
> Moonfrost614. thanks for you know what XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> buncha notes!  
> black briar let me.  
> did....did they know what they were getting themselves into? the lyrics?! this is straight up just singing about vore  
> bloodborne au stuff. jim walking around calling for draal who comes running, crashing things around him. he comes over to jim  
> "i told you NOT to run off!" draal drops some super mangled corpse in front of jim and roars "aww you brought me a present. how can i stay mad at you?" jim pets draal  
> fusion jim and bular, seeing draal and jims half is like "oh well didnt think id see him here~" bular is like "the fuck does that mean?!" "NOTHING!"  
> also my friend made me laugh about jraal fusion being all sassy like "THIS IS ME NOW! LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT DAD!" strikes a sassy pose in front of gunmar "i want my son back." "FUCK OFF OLD TIMER!" bular is like "yep that's jim alright"  
> re watching space dandy, ah my high school senior year memories. good times, like prob my only good high school year anyways, i forgot how much i loved that show, also how emotional and super acid trippy it gets  
> friend and i made more jokes about 'family things'. like for example: bular, gunmar, toby, jim, draal, and kanjigar sitting around a table playing go fish. or like, them playing monopoly. now THAT game ends up spilling blood XD also them playing DnD together, Toby as the dungeon master. or like they play MTG and gunmar is a HUGE rule snob "WAIT! this card let's THIS HAPPEN FIRST!" or like "NO you can't use this card in this format!" also them playing like, overwatch Bular is a genj main. he just looks at the others like "WHAT?! i like the cyborg..." "Weeb"  
> officially have over 4500 notes! =D so happy!  
> so I'm going to be talking about little facts i didn't write into this fic, just so you get a good idea on minor details! more will be added in future notes  
> trolls in this DO sweat. its more like wet clay but still smells.  
> half trolls DO sweat also except its more like how humans sweat.  
> whenever jims gonna have sex he DOES have his soon to be lover clean himself up in his bath  
> jims room is lit up by enough crystals its easy to see also none of them (except for more towards the roof) shock you  
> a few guards know toby pretty well, they never directly talk to him, but they know him well enough to know how to help him when he needs it. like proper directions and knowing where he usually wants to go, and how to protect him and stuff  
> gnomes DO live in the darklands are aren't as common as in trollmarket, but you can notice them from time to time. goblins are fairly common and a good amount know jim well enough  
> Kanjigar did wonder why the gumm-gumm soldiers suddenly just stopped attacking the area, but then chalked it up to betrayer leaving since he failed his mission  
> blinky and arrrg live in the same cave, and is very nice and well decorated and tidy  
> bulars room isn't very far from jims so it really doesn't take long to get there. gunmars room takes longer to get too and is a lot bigger and nicer than any other live in room. gunmar and bular do have their own private toilets and bathing areas too. bular doesn't clean himself often. stink boy. unlike jim and gunmar, he thinks its typically unneeded. hey, why wash blood off of yourself if you're about to get more on a bit later that day. jim is the cleanest one in all the darklands, besides toby of course. blinky is a close second as he bathes daily. gunmar cleans himself often but not too often. about middle between jim and bular.  
> jim's room has decorations such as christmas lights, little figurines and lights. candle holders, etc. likes he robbed a michaels. he also likes to eat things when he gets bored with them, or its no longer in season. like fresh spring flower designs when it turns to summer  
> jim DOES have videogames in his room and a big tv and the works  
> jim occasionally brings blinky things from up top. books, food, anything that blinky would be interested in really, even puzzles and kids toy puzzles he can mess around with.  
> bular is illiterate. he never was forced to learn how to read and write since everyone just did it for him, so he never bothered with it  
> Bular DOES jerk off often to images in books. he hardly tends to his sexual needs since he thinks its a waste of time, but that itch does need to be scratched at times.  
> Bular (in this) is pansexual. he doesn't care what gender his mate is. he just wants them to love him for who he is, not because hes a son of gunmar, and also as long as they're willing and able to have as many kids as he wants  
> bular is paranoid about jims choice in a partner. one that he's going to marry. he doesn't want jim to be blinded by love and end up marrying someone who only likes him for his position, not out of pure and unfiltered love  
> bular HAS and DOES have sex, just super rarely

Jim coughs up blood and falls onto his side, grasping at his ribs and wheezing in pain. A large troll figure walks up to him slowly  
“pathetic. Weak. Look at you. Even with dads eye you’re nothing.” Jim barely manages to look up at the troll’s face. Gunmar’s eye, it glints slightly in the light looking into the face of Jim, however, it’s a Jim who’s full troll. Full troll Jim sighs and kicks Jim in the stomach  
“give up already. You know you can’t win little dude.”  
“n-no” Jim manages to cough out, along with some blood.  
“looser. Cry baby. Weak. Softie. This is why dad never was proud of you. Why Bular didn’t want you around.” Jim wailed out, trying his best to get up off the ground. Full troll Jim kicks him across the ground.  
“see? If you were me, you could actually fight. Don’t you want that? don’t you want to win? To put champions to shame? To have dad be proud of you for the first time in your life? I fought Bular and won. Totally judo flipped his ass. Don’t you want that?” Jim gagged and took a weak breath. Pushing himself up off the ground with his arm, ever so weakly at least.  
“n-no...i….I’m not…..giving up”  
“well, whatever, you’re the one suffering.”  
“you….killed…..everyone.”  
“you didn’t need any more humans bruh” full troll Jim snorts and scratches his wild unkempt fur  
“i need to bathe, haven’t had one in like...what...a month?”

“you…..i….won’t….”  
“won’t what?”  
“won’t….won’t let go….”  
“You don’t need him. Don’t you hate having those emotions? That pain?”  
“i do. But….it’s worth it….to actually feel things...”  
“humanity is your sickness. it’s just weighing you down broham” Jim manages to get up onto his knees. He summons his blade and uses it to prop himself up. He grabs his chest and wheezes in pain more. Afterwards, he wipes the blood off his face and looks at full troll Jim. Tall, fur wild, horns long like their fathers. A bored expression on his face as he scratches himself. Two blue eyes peer down, matching his gaze  
“you givin in or what?”  
“…..no….”  
“whatever. Getting bored.” full troll Jim walks over and picks Jim up by the scruff looking directly into his eyes face to face. Jim weakly tries to attack full troll Jim, only to be punched in retaliation and thrown to the ground.  
“any time now. Tick tock. can’t play with the big dogs obviously. You wana kill him off yet or what?”  
“no….i...would….rather…..die….”  
“really? Kill all THIS” full troll Jim struck a few muscle poses, flexing his biceps and kissing them  
“for that?” he looks over at a broken beaten bloody and scarred full human Jim cowering in a corner  
“yes….i...won’t let go….”  
“pffft. Whatever. Shit sucks” full troll Jim smacks Jim onto his back and steps onto his chest, slowly crushing him  
“now. Bark when you give in. bark when you want to be a big dog for once. Woof woof. Be a big doggo. Shit gets pretty lit son”  
“n-no” Jim had no energy left. he’s been running on empty for at least ten minutes now. His grip is soft and meaningless as he clasped his hands onto the leg in an attempt to pull it off. Clearly having no effect.  
“just some looser half troll garbage kid. Mom died for you, least you can do for her is be me, make her death not go to waste. Really don’t want to teach Bular how to chest bump? don’t want to get him in a head lock? Or even stand up to dad for over 10 minutes, beating Bular’s score. Come ooonnn, me, plus our blood, plus dad’s eye, we’re pretty much unstoppable. Hell we fuckin gave Arrrg a smack down in the ring in under 5 minutes. Ding ding he’s done for” Jim’s vision started to fade. He coughed up a bit more blood and his body went limp.  
“openly sigh. Well, guess I’ll give you a good beat down later. You will remember my name. HEY, FUCKTARD, GET OVER HERE” full troll Jim shouted at human Jim who just flinched and curled up in the corner tighter  
“just some poor little kiddo, having to do all this? Not very fair huh?” full troll Jim snorted and scratched his fur again  
“wake up lil dude. Time to go” full troll Jim picked human Jim up by the shirt and walked off into darkness. 

 

Jim opened his eyes and yawned wide, sharp fangs jutting out along with a long tongue. He scratched his wild thick fur and sat up, snorted and looked around. He stretched more and got up out of his nest. He walked over to a stone shelf, next to some smashed up papers, he took his amulet off of it. Jim did his morning ritual pat on the side of his wall. Eyes slowly scanning the contents of the shelves. Various human and troll skulls, along with horns, teeth, and pelts. The human skulls all having a letter carved into them. T, C, E, ST, D, M, SH. Among the troll skulls, some horns, familiar ones, could be seen. A smooth long horn, a large bulky split horn, one long curvy old horn with small metal plates bolted into them, one curved white horn with gold bands and tree roots grown on it. Jim kicked his bedroom doors open and roared out with a chuckle. He walked to the throne room, every guard cowered and bowed before him. Jim would kick the occasional guard off the side of a bridge for laughs. The throne room doors opened up and Jim roared out his presence. Bular stood at the throne, a small sneer formed on his face, a wound still fresh and healing. Gunmar watched Jim approach, unsure how to feel about his unruly child.  
“yoooooo pops! Dadirino! I’m up!”  
“yes, good morning son”  
“Sup Bro!”  
“hello. Jim.”  
“aww, what’s wrong? Big bruh still mad cause he got his ass handed to him? Aww, wana cry about it?”  
“no.” Bular snarled. Jim laughed and snarled back louder. Gunmar slammed his fist on his throne and call out  
“enough.”  
“pft. Whatever. So pops who am I killing today?”  
“come nightfall. You will return to heartstone trollmarket, you-”  
“will gather up the survivors blah fuckin blah, boooooring. Why can’t I fight someone?”  
“do. Not. Interrupt. Again. You’ve fought everyone there. Only weak smaller trolls are alive. You will return to hearstone trollmarket and bring home more hearstone for me to consume.”  
“whhhaaaattt that’s it? Ugh. Give the boring shit to Bular! he’s too beaten up to even do anything else”  
Bular snarled and held his arm close to his chest, a deep cut along it, turned to stone. Hardly any feeling or even use out of it anymore. That wasn’t the only broken part of him. A chunk of his tail was broken off, along with his entire left horn. A few Fangs broken, as well as missing, from his maw. A finger was cut off, His right leg almost partially stone, hardly able to be used to walk. He’d lost most feeling in the right side of his jaw, along with some parts of his back and a small amount of ribs that still stung when he breathed too intensely. The fighting and various activities he once was easily capable of preforming, seem like an impossibility now.  
“do not question me. Son.” Gunmar spat out with bitterness at the end  
“fiiinee whatever. I’m out. Peace. Tell Garg to stop having his dick be so sore when I get home” Jim howled in laughter before leaving the throne room. Bular growled and looked to his father  
“father I’m...I’m...I’m not a cripple...I’m useful”  
“i know you are my son. I know you are”  
“please, give me a task”  
“you have your tasks”  
“i meant….something…worthy....something….actually useful….”  
“you do not need to prove yourself, you’ve done that enough times already. I want you to let your wounds heal first, do not push your past your limits...again” Bular sighed through his nose and closed his eyes, softly saying  
“yes father” everything grew quiet shortly after that. Bular broke it as he spoke up again  
“father?”  
“yes son?”  
“i...I’m feeling it again.”  
“i am as well”  
“we shouldn’t have let him become full troll.”  
“hm.”  
“do you disagree with me? I just….i don’t enjoy him like this”  
“he’s brash. Vulgar, disrespectful. He is stronger, tougher, far more powerful than others. I don’t know if the trade off is on the same level.”  
“i miss…..i miss how he was”  
“hm…...” Gunmar closed his eye, remembering how little his son was. How he felt so…..loving. Gentle. High spirited. He would smile and make jokes with Toby. How he showed human feelings. An age long past. All Jim wants to do now is fight and fuck. He doesn’t care about others anymore. He only wishes to flaunt his strength around and prove he’s the strongest, loudest, biggest one in the room. He isn’t the soft sweet happy creature he once was anymore. Jim was bigger than Bular was, if only a tiny bit. He wasn’t able to be held in arms anymore. Carried. Hugged. It feels like a lifetime ago, Jim was growing and getting stronger. Toby taught them lessons and helped bond them all together. Partake in fun activities together. A time, far behind them. This time, Jim was the one who felt distant to both Gunmar and Bular, not the other way around.

Gunmar made a small sigh, then spoke softly  
“Bular, go, rest my son”  
“I’ve hardly done anything but stand today”  
“i want you to rest before doing your rounds tonight” Bular said softly as he started to slowly limp away

“yes father” a couple guards offered their help, Bular begrudgingly accepted it. For a long time, he hated being offered help, he didn’t want to show weakness, worthlessness. Now? Now he’s come to accept it. He hates it, but he can do nothing else but accept it. Now he needs help doing a great many things, even things as simple as walking and keeping his balance at times. He could only preform simple tasks now. He couldn’t even patrol the training grounds like he used to be able to. He needed to constantly rest, just to get back what little energy he has left in him. A good many of those wounds were inflicted upon him by Jim. Jim was punished for his far too intense actions, but what hurt the most was that Jim simply didn’t care anymore. He had no compassion for others. No empathy. He was selfish and no longer could even think a single thought that wasn’t about himself. Bular remembers when Jim would ask to help him whenever he was hurt. Bular always hated being asked, he told Jim never to, but Jim didn’t listen. He cared for his older brother. Now? Now the only thing Jim cares about his older brother is fighting and putting him down. Bular could hardly fight now, even if he pushed past all his intense pain.

A great many times, Bular would try to remember what Jim used to be like. Mentally re live moments where he was joyful, playful, running around making jokes and mocking Bular, except back then they were out of fun, not out of actual mockery and disrespect. Bular tried his best not to feel or think when in public, he tried his best to hold back all emotions that weren’t anger when in the company of others. When he was alone in his room, he would remember better times. When Jim first changed, they had fun together. Fought all out. Killed and ate together. Hunted and slaughtered. Over take the biggest opponents. Then…..then Jim started to have his self image and pride grow and grow. With each victory, he only got worse. Bular no longer enjoyed being around him. Jim would only ever taunt him now. Mock his weakness, how slow and sad he is now. The once great dark prince, now reduced to a limping, tired, useless cripple. He wouldn’t be able to inherit the throne any longer. It would go to Jim. Sure, he could fight for it. But he wouldn’t last a minute with Jim, even when Jim didn’t call upon his blood to fuel him. He was too strong, Bular was too weak. Bular entered his room finally, having the guard help him inside before closing the door as he made his leave. The once powerful dark prince limped over to his bed and sat down. Out of habit, he reached for a sword to tend to it. Sharpen it, polish it, clean it. Now he could hardly hold one let alone do all that.

Bular snorted in disgust for his weak body. He picked up a pelt and laid it down onto his bed. Feeling how soft it was. The warm memory of Jim using it as a blanket when he was stressed and needed comfort came to mind. It hurt more than any part of his body did. He missed his brother, something he’d never get back….

 

Gunmar watched a guard help keep Bular’s walking stable as the two left the throne room. He closed his eye again, trying to recall a memory of Jim smiling playfully, not out of a smug better than you smile. How soft his son was, warm and nice to hold close. The tender bond, is long gone. Gunmar couldn’t even remember when the last time he hugged his son, or made physical contact in general. His son never wanted to bond over anything. The only thing Jim would ask to do, is fight. Fighting was just tiresome now. It wasn’t enjoyable. It wasn’t the merry clashing of swords and smiling, teaching Jim how to do certain moves. Now it was just trying to have Jim keep the smug look off his face whenever he struck a blow. It wasn’t a father son experience. It was just another challenger looking for dominance. Jim wasn’t anything close to his son anymore. His son died long ago, along with Toby and the rest of his friends when Jim decided he didn’t need them anymore. Gunmar should have stopped it. He didn’t. He let Jim do what he wanted. He thought letting Jim choose what he wanted to do would be for the best. It wasn’t. He should have stepped in. It is far too late for any kind of regret now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gunmar leaned back against his throne. Feeling dull, bored, tired……...Lonely….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim gasped heavily and shot up in a cold sweat. Toby snorted and sat up, speaking in a heavily tired tone  
“whsas, whsasss wonrg Jam?” he pulled up his blindfold and looked with eyes half asleep, gaze distant and dull  
“i...had the weirdest dream….”  
“wah wut?”  
“i…….i don’t know. I….can’t….remember anymore….i just had it…..it had to do with me? I think? It was just this big blur and dizzy sickness and…..red?”  
“wsh..n...nnh...” Toby reached over and pulled Jim closer. He gave a deep yawn and pet Jim’s head  
“tak,,morn...sleep..jam...no..moe...think..” Toby laid back down pulling Jim’s head onto his chest, petting him for a few more moments before falling back to sleep. Jim closed his eyes, hearing Toby’s heartbeat and drifting off to sleep himself…..

 

……………………………………………………………………………..

 

The morning was great! Woke up no problem. In a happy mood, along with Toby. They made jokes and laughed, smiled and enjoyed each other. Only problem was the gnawing thoughts of what he learned last night. Walt had Gunmar’s eye…

 

Jim wasn’t sure what to make of it. What was he going to do? What would happen when Jim confronted Walt about this? He was scared in a way. Scared something bad might happen. Something that would cause his friendship with Walt to end. Sure, he could just threaten or kill him even. Take the eye and be done with it, but he wasn’t like that. He loved Walt. The top changeling had helped him throughout his life so much. He was a great friend and mentor even. Jim didn’t want anything to change their relationship, nothing. So what was going to happen when the time came to confront him about it? Jim tried to put those thoughts aside for the time being. For now, he wanted to keep the happiness in, and the negativity out.

 

The usual check in, the usual smiling happy morning talk. Jim needed to do a few things that day. Mundane things and average seeming chores almost, however these held a secretive purpose to them. Before Jim and Toby left, Bular asked if he could spend some time with them, if not, that would be alright. Jim bit his lip and told him  
“you aren’t going to like it. It really will be difficult for you”  
“i gladly accept any challenge, the more difficult, the better” Bular smiled at this. Jim smiled back.  
“well, get ready to have the most difficult test yet. A true challenge of your greatest flaw. A task that will strain yourself far past your possible limit. Truly make you or break you. Training so difficult for you, you’ve never experienced this kind”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim did say it was a challenge. Bular had wished WISHED it would have been something social. Some kind of brotherly interaction, like the kind he was practicing with Toby.

 

No.

 

It was something far more straining than that.

 

It was a challenge for him mentally. 

 

 

 

He had to be……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

patient.

 

 

Currently, Toby, Bular, Jim and even Gunmar now did the current activity.

When Gunmar heard about it, he decided to join in, asking of course. Shocking both brothers. Gunmar NEVER asked for ANYTHING. He was just given it when said. This? This was…..so so so strange. He asked for permission. Normally, Gunmar never would have….BUT….this was involving Jim and growing a healthy relationship. So, permission to request to join his son on his activities was a want, not a demand. Jim said he really did appreciate nothing forced onto him, he agreed that Gunmar could join them! He wasn’t going to have fun though. At least he was far more patient than Bular was.

 

What activity did the four of them currently do?

 

Searching Blinky’s library for a book of course!

 

 

The four of them looked high and low for one very specific, unique, special book. It wasn’t anything usually out of the ordinary, BUT what MADE the book so special and unique, was that it was the ONLY copy left remaining in tact. A decent amount of the books were published, however over time, they were destroyed, damaged, or lost to time. The writer having died long ago, so no new copies were published or recreated. No other troll cared enough to put effort into creating additional copies. So, for the past few centuries, only the one single volume’s location was known. And it was here, within Blinky’s library.

 

Bular groaned loudly once more as he tossed aside another tome. Gunmar looked with his eye carefully inspecting each tome. Toby was sitting on the floor cross-legged looking through his small stack of books. Jim took his time, reading and searching at his own casual pace.  
“i did tell you this would be difficult my big black bull brother”  
“yes. You did. Why isn’t Blinkous here to do this for you?”  
“he’s gone, right dad?”  
“yes. Hes having a day with Arrrg”  
“and you allowed it father?”  
“yes. he’s more than earned some much needed time alone with Arrrg”  
“you should call him back. Have him do this”  
“no. I told him he could have time for himself and Arrrg. I gave him today. I won’t go back on my word”  
“dad’s right Bular. Let him have the day off, he needs it! Besides, this isn’t THAT difficult!”  
“none of this makes sense!”  
“it’s called words Bular. See, how it works is, it’s little-”  
“i know how reading works!” Jim laughed as he put aside another book.  
“why is the searching so difficult? All these books look the same!”  
“yes. But I know what the titles say. it’s difficult because it’s the one last copy. And out of alll these hundreds of books. Only one exists”  
“why isn’t the sorting system he made working?!”  
“he had re organized everything not that long ago. He switches the style up every now and again. This time, it’s the date on when books were created, followed by author, followed by alphabet, followed by copies, followed by any other book related to the subject, and so on and so forth.”  
“UGH TOO DIFFICULT! HOW HAS HE NOT BEEN DRIVEN MAD!?”  
“he’s all brains”  
“why don’t you just know where the location is then?!”  
“because I’m not sure what he sorted it by. It’s not that old of a book compared to most of these, but it’s the last copy so the number is low, but the author is dead, but the subject is simple. So knowing Blinky, he’s had a lot of fun just being creative on sorting them, you know how much he loves putting things together perfectly. That is as joyful to him as to you eating someone who tries to squirm and fight back”

 

Bular snorted as he tossed aside book after book, hardly giving the surfaces more than a single glance  
“Bular, that’s not going to help. How are things looking over on your end Tobes?”  
“uh...good? I guess?…. can’t read troll, so I’ve just been kinda looking at the pictures”  
“well, that’s still helpful!”  
“i think I found it. Maybe. It’s a picture of an angry troll face right? Well gee, that narrows it down to every gumm-gumm book doesn’t it?”  
“you got that right Tobes! As well as pretty much everything else. Lemme see” Jim walked over setting a few books down on a nearby table. Toby stood up and showed Jim, Gunmar and Bular walked over as well  
“ohh good job Tobes! You actually found it! See Bular? He can’t read either but he found it”  
“that was sheer luck!” Jim laughed as he flipped through it. Toby moved a bit, only to accidentally knock over a stack of books.  
“oops!” he said picking them up. He put one opened book down on the table, then did a double take when looking at it  
“oh hey, this looks like Arrrg. Hey, this troll kinda looks like you Bular. Having similar horns...wait is that racist?”  
“no it’s not. That is Arrrg in fact. Also that would make sense since she’s my mother” Toby went a bit slack jawed  
“whooaa this is your mom?! Neat, oh yeah….okay yeah I see it. You got kinda a combo of the horn types from both parents. Wait do all trolls get matching sets of horns like their parents?”  
“more or less”  
“wait how come Jim didn’t get some super long bull horns then”  
“half trolls inherit things slightly different, sometimes they are only born simply like a single parent”  
“yep in my case I just got moms!”  
“wonder what you’d look like with big long bull horns like your dad. Is this like some history book? what’s her name?”

Gunmar simply closed the book  
“nothing.”  
“huh, I just realized, you two aren’t actually brothers, well full ones at least” Gunmar felt a twitch of anger. Questioning his son’s birth? NO ONE gets away with that.  
“what is that supposed to mean?” Toby noticed the small growl of anger in Gunmars throat as he spoke out.  
“nonono! I only meant that, well, okay so with humans at least. When two people share the same parents, they’re full siblings. But since Bular and Jim have two different mothers, but the same father, aka you, that only makes them half related, hence half brothers” Gunmar’s twitch of annoyance grew. He wanted to say something, only for Jim to intervene  
“he didn’t mean ANYTHING disrespectful dad! he’s just making an observation! Plus it technically is true, nothing but a simple noticeable fact. Nothing bad or good against it. it’s like saying we share our different mothers looks, we don’t look the same….well besides us being different species too” Gunmar started to calm down. He started to mentally get angry at himself now for having a growing anger in him over something the small human said. Well, it was true. He meant no offense either.

“ah….yes that is...true. That does not matter though. They are absolute brothers. No less. Now then son, is that the correct book you needed?” Toby noticed Bular give a small look of sadness for only a brief moment after the book closing. Toby began to wonder what exactly the relationship problem there was with that subject.  
“yep!”  
“what is it about?”  
“a helpful history to stone cutting! As well as finding gemstones, also different kinds of rocks, alsooo different layers of the earth”  
“Ah” as Jim flipped through the book and Gunmar looked from behind, Toby stole small glances at Bular. His curiosity started to rise. He really wanted to ask about the whole mother drama, but knew better not to. SOMETHING had to have happened. No one was allowed to talk about her, same with Jim’s mother so clearly Gunmar banned any speaking of it so he wouldn’t have to remember. That made sense in it’s own way. Unlike with Jim’s mom, whenever Bular’s mother was brought up, Gunmar seemed more angry and bitter rather than sad and regretful like with Jim’s. Toby tried to ask Bular about it in private, but Bular said it was banned and respectfully requested Toby to no longer pursue the topic. Which actually meant Bular trying to be nice and not lashing out that someone was questioning his fathers decree. Toby took the hint and shut up. When Toby asked Jim, Jim said he really didn’t know anything about it. He knew as much as Toby did. Jim never cared about it, so he never really asked.

 

“yep this is the book! Thanks guys for the help” Gunmar looked at his son’s smiling face, warmed up by it but curious as to why his son wanted anything to do with this. So he couldn’t help himself from questioning it  
“why do you need this? Seems fairly mundane. Gem cutting isn’t exactly something to look deeper into usually”  
“curiosity, plus it might be nice to learn. A new potential hobby!” Gunmar remembered what Toby said to him. Even if HE doesn’t care or have an opinion about something, that doesn’t mean Jim didn’t have his own. He might not like something, but Jim might. If Jim likes something, let him like it, as long as it doesn’t hurt him in any way.  
“ah. Well I hope you enjoy it then” Jim smiled bigger at hearing his fathers approval. Today really was starting off with a great start!

 

……………………………………………………………………………..

 

After the book finding, Jim told Toby it would be a GREAT idea to finally show off some magic tricks! Toby of course nervously wondered whyyyy NOW!? Jim said he was going to do wonderfully! Toby doubted it. So, the two said goodbye and went up top to go get his materials! Along with checking up on nana…..and Jim needing to confront Walt…

 

So the two left and parted ways for a time!

 

Jim was nervous the entire time he headed to the highschool. It was about noon and the students were coming and going for lunch, Jim knew the school easily, so he slipped in and out fairly unnoticed. He took some deep breaths and was about to head inside. He paused and calmed himself down. Then knocked a couple times before hearing the call to come in. Walt looked up from some paperwork and set aside a sandwich. He smiled and wiped his mouth off before speaking  
“my what a pleasant surprise”  
“heyyy Walt….sorry for the sudden drop in”  
“not a problem at all”  
“i probably should have contacted you first huh?”  
“perhaps, well you’re here now with me so I don’t see a need”  
“haha...yep” Jim took a seat and looked around. Everything was the same as it’s always been. The slight smell of lemon hung in the room, a clear indication it was cleaned. Walt always preferred to clean things himself, janitor didn’t do a good enough job  
“so what brings you by?”  
“wanted to talk to you about something face to face”  
“oh? What might that be? You seem awfully nervous, is everything alright?” a knock on the door followed by a quick open. A student's eyes went wide as she stared at Jim in absolute surprise, completely caught off guard to Jim’s presence when she entered the room. The half troll just did a little wave hello, she waved back silently. Walt called her over and asked what she needed. She side stepped slowly over to Walt, afraid Jim might jump at her if she moved too quickly  
“i don’t bite, unless I feel like it” Jim made a chomp motion, which caused her even more internal alarm, clearly showing it on her face. She quickly gave an envelope to Walt and stuttered out something involving paperwork for grades. Jim’s mind wandered and remembered all the fun and cringy things he did in highschool. Truly didn’t feel like that long ago when he was following Toby and Claire around asking questions and licking things. Then making terrible jokes thinking he was using them correctly.  
“haha, that sure is a chilling temperature what the fellow student did on his enjoyment board outside on the metal railing!” Toby had to correct him, saying it was cool that the kid skateboarded an awesome grind on a rail. Jim smiled and gave a thumps up then was patted on the head, praised by Toby  
“you’re doing a lot better!”

 

Back in the present, Jim came out of his head when the sound of the door closing behind him happened  
“so Jim, back our conversation, what did you wish to talk about? Is this about the program tonight?”  
“the wha-oh uh yeah! I heard about it, I think, so fill me in on everything” Jim smiled wide, thinking this was the perfect excuse to use in order to shrug off the awkwardness he felt  
“i didn’t think you’d be interested. Well tonight at our clubhouse, we’re going to be shooting a little program live for our little world of friends. Just a mass of more important matters that is easiest to explain with everyone listening and watching all at once”  
“oh yep! Sounds fun! I want in!”  
“very boring work mind you”  
“still, I’m sure everyone is gonna just love me when they see me haha!”  
“hm. Actually, that might be a splendid idea. Having a son of Gunmar talk would help everyone’s morale, along with knowing about you more. I know for a fact that some still whisper around rumors of thinking you’re just a false idol, some sort of action to keep everyone together, along with other things that have a far more….crude nature. You showing yourself on air will help solidify their belief and trust in you. I of course do everything in my power to explain to them that you represent us and is the one who shall be in charge of us once the world is ours. I know for a fact that when you’re told you won’t be disposed of after your usefulness has expired, it gives you a nice sense of comfort and relief. Especially in this line of work” Walt gave a warm smile as he fiddled with his pen

 

“yeah, sounds perfect to me! You know I love my changelings! Oh, just for the record, from now on, tell me when major stuff like this goes down, it’s kinda fun having everyone get comfortable around me, also getting to love me is just as equally appreciated”  
“wonderful, tonight then, drop by at 7”  
“you got it!”  
“thank you for stopping by to discuss it, suppose it is easier than doing it over the phone”  
“Alright, I gotta get going, nice talk, see you tonight!” Jim waved and said his goodbye as he left. The second he closed his door he let out a deep sigh, letting the tension in himself out. Well, this WILL be fun! Plus….maybe he will be able to work up the courage tonight….

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

Jim met back up with a very...odd looking Toby, who had a backpack filled with his magic sets. As the two walked deeper into some woods to not be seen Jim asked  
“what’s wrong Tobes?”  
“i don’t know if nana should be by herself anymore” Jim’s heart started to beat faster, his pace slowed down, easily noticed by Toby who immediately soothed his nerves in a calm voice  
“it’s okay Jim! it’s okay! Relaaaxxx. Nothing to worry about, I’m not leaving you. I didn’t mean it like that, I only meant that she’s been….partying” Jim started to laugh heavily at hearing that  
“WHAT!?”  
“yes! she’s always been….a party girl. Shes had others over, gotten in trouble with the police, apparently has been hiring a lot of far far far younger beefy guys to help her around the house while she watches them work up a sweat. I don’t know if she should be left alone anymore”  
“THAT IS THE FUNNIEST FUCKING SHIT”  
“I’M WORRIED”  
“IT’S FUNNY HOLY FUCK TOBY THAT’S AMAZING” Jim joked more with Toby as the two headed back to the darklands…

 

………………………………………………………………….

“Jim I gotta pee” Toby complained as the two crossed a bridge in the darklands  
“why didn’t you go when we were in my room?”  
“i didn’t have to go then!”  
“sound like a little kid. Alright, go”  
“what?”  
“just whip it out and piss off the side of the bridge”  
“WHAT NO!”  
“why not? I’ve done it, Bular’s done it, the guards do it alllll the time”  
“ew!”  
“just always remember, be careful while walking under bridges. Also always remember, it doesn’t naturally rain in the darklands”  
“oh...god…..well…..thanks for informing me…….is there a bathroom anywhere near here?”  
“hop on, let me run to one, might take a minute”

 

So they were off! Toby clung onto Jim as he bolted down various halls and around corners. Eventually coming to a bathroom! Well….more like a carved out cave with a sewage system.  
“alright head on in...oh uh...just...a warning….they’re pretty nasty, no one cleans them”  
“thanks, I’ve been in some pretty terrible public toilets before, I’m ready”  
“trust me. Those aren’t as bad”  
“trust me! I know what they’re like too. Nothing compared to this”  
“fine whatever. I just need to take a leak real fast, only take a second”  
“i know, you’re a guy, we never take long” Toby walked inside only to then yell out  
“THIS IS HORRIBLE!”  
“told you”  
“IT’S LIKE DEATH!”  
“yep”  
“DOOMS TOILET!”  
“i wonder if my dad calls his toilet that”  
“GOD HAVE MERCY ON ME!”  
“there is no god in the darklands. Only death!”  
“I am more thankful than most things right now that I only have to pee”  
“oh yeah, I’ve been there”

 

 

After the little potty trip they went off once more! Jim came to a slow stop at a fork in their road. He picked it up and looked it over  
“hey Tobes”  
“yes?”  
“we’re near a small training camp, I want to check in on our boys real fast. Plluusss I need to return a fork!”  
“sure, guess two bird-wait where did you get that fork?”  
“found it on the ground”  
“is it really that important enough to return it?”  
“morale! Plus silverware isn’t easy to come by. So yes, off to see our soldier boys!” Toby opened his mouth only to be given a nasty glare by Jim as well as a threatening fork jab  
“NO SINGING”  
“fine. Spoil sport.”

 

After walking a bit they came across another fork in the road, then took the proper path after picking up a spoon in the road. It wasn’t much longer, and three utensils later, they came upon a small training camp. Jim smiled and said hello, giving back the lost utensils as well as checking in on everyone, keeping hopes up and making sure everyone feels appreciated. As he did that Toby looked around a bit, then found a small rock on the ground seemingly out of place. He picked it up and looked it over. Thinking it was nothing he just tossed it behind himself, only to stop and turn around when he heard it make noises. He picked it back up as it started to glow and hum  
“whoa, trippy” Toby turned his head to a nearby guard who dropped what he was holding and shouted as he waved his arms in a ‘no’ gesture  
“what’s up?” the guard starts to yell something in troll which Toby didn’t understood, only understanding the context clues of somehow he just fucked up. Jim ran out of a small tent and gasped  
“TOBY DITCH IT!”  
“uh why!?”  
“IT’S GONNA EXPLODE! NO JOKE!”  
“AH!” Toby tossed it into a guards hand who then tossed it to a different guard, who tossed it back into Toby’s, causing a very deadly game of hot potato. The rock hummed louder and picked up speed with it’s glowing, thankfully mid toss Jim intercepted it and hurled it down the chasm only for a second later it make a massive explode, causing a small shriek from below them  
“SORRY WILHELM!”  
“JIMBO WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?  
“basically a rock grenade”  
“A WHAT!? THOSE EXIS-you know what I’m not even going to be shocked, I’m prepared for most unbelievable things to be real at this point” Jim just laughed and agreed with him. Life truly could make the most unbelievable things become real.

 

……………………………………………………………………………

“You’re going to do great Tobes!” Jim whispered into Toby’s ear as he set up the plans on what he was going to preform and in which order. The two now stood in the throne room, setting up Toby’s magic act. It was time for the main performance! Toby was of course, nervous. Starting to sweat and needing to be told to relax, ease up, breathe  
“dad knows you’re not the best, you said so yourself. Just do what you know, and have fun with it, like when you do it for me”  
“yeah but I don’t freak out when I’m preforming for the head honcho!”  
“just the head honchos son”  
“oh yeah...huh...never even thought of it. Man sometimes the whole you being a prince thing really doesn’t register. Kinda like you being a half troll. Yeah I know it, and it’s obvious, but sometimes I don’t even think about it anymore”  
“Aww thanks Tobes. Okay, break a leg”  
“i won’t actually have one broken if I’m not good enough right?...cause….your dad kills terrible performers...”  
“that’s only when someone is too weak to fight an opponent in the ring. Weakness is a sin, sin must be purged. This is for fun! This is enjoyable! This is laid back and silly! He knows that, so does Bular. They both want to know the both of us better and so they won’t lash out or anything if you do badly or mess up. Worse thing they do is not understand it. Like a joke going over there heads, you just won’t get much of a reaction out of it”  
“you’re right. you’re right. Okay, okay, I got this”  
“yes you do. I believe in you. Relax and have fun with it, that’s when it’s the most enjoyable! Laughing and being entertained! that’s what I like the most. Even if you do preform terrible or mess up or both, it’s still fun to just be apart of. Pretty soon they’ll feel the same way”  
“gotcha”  
“hey, be thankful Blinky isn’t here to watch this. He would just question every detail and want to pick everything apart every second, not out of judgment, but curiosity. he’s terrible to watch movies with”

 

Toby laughed at that as he shuffled his deck of cards  
“okay, yeah that sounds like him. Okay, okay I’m ready!”  
“what’s the most important rule of this?”  
“the deck? Oh well it’s making sure you keep track of the cards-”  
“no, not the deck. This, this whole magic show”  
“uh….not...fail?”  
“nooo. Having fun. When they see how much fun you’re having, smiling and being excited, enjoying it, even if you do mess up, they’ll like that. It helps let them understand what you enjoy and who you are. They want to see you and how you react to things. Get to learn who you are and blah blah I don’t have to keep repeating myself”  
“time to start the show!”

 

…………………………………………………………

the four of them occupied a smaller room, easier to pay attention and also closer to actually see things. The three gumm-gumms sat at a large table while Toby stood on the other side  
“Prepare yourselves for the one and only amazing Toby!” Toby threw glitter while Jim clapped. Bular’s arm got in the way of the glitter storm, causing it to dazzle like a disco ball. He tried to wipe it off, then shake it off, then pat it off but nothing worked. He growled in annoyance and looked at Toby who nervously looked back  
“oops sorry uh….glitter is hard to get….off….anyways uh yeah to continue on-wards! My first trick is the magic deck of cards! As I hold in my hand you can plainly see that it’s just a regular deck of cards. Now then, Bular, I want you to pick any card out of my hand. I won’t look and I want you to show the others BUT no one can say what the card is” Bular chose at random, a red ace. He showed it to Jim, who was smiling and eager for Gunmar and Bular to enjoy, while Gunmar looked plainly and expressionless. So far not impressed.  
“alright, now Bular I want you to put it back, anywhere is fine” he did was was instructed. Toby shuffled the deck skillfully and then took out a random card  
“is THIS your card?”  
“no”  
“huh I thought it would be, well how about….now?” Toby wiped the cards surface and as he did, it turned into the red ace. Bular’s eyes opened wider in surprise  
“yes, that’s my card. How did you do that?”  
“magic!….well it’s not real magic, just fake entertainment stuff humans made up to….well...entertain...okay now for my neck trick, the floating ball!” Toby brought out a magic hat and showed the interior to the three of them  
“as you can see, nothings inside. Now as I reach in, I can pull out a ball. Ta-DA!”  
“how did you manifest that?”  
“it’s a myysstteeerryyyy! Well, if I said how the trick worked, it would ruin the fun...uh...okay, imagine you’re fighting an opponent. If you have no idea how they fight, it’s more unpredictable and fun. If you know exactly how they fight, then it’s not enjoyable, you just figure out what they’re going to do next...does that make sense?”  
“yes”

 

“Now then, watch as I make the ball float in mid air! Rise! Rise!” the ball started to float all on it’s own, startling Bular. Gunmar still watched plainly, no expression being formed. Jim was happy Bular was giving a reaction, but Gunmar wasn’t, which worried Jim.  
“now, watch as I command it to jump up and down! Now as I make it spin around! Now I make it JUMP OUT AT YOU!” Bular shot up as a natural reaction and pulled out a sword  
“WHOA IT’S OKAY! it’s okay! Just a piece of rubber. it’s harmless”  
“ah. Forgive me. I hadn’t expect it to attempt an assault”  
“not really an assau-never mind it’s okay, uh anyways, now watch as I make it vanish!” Toby cupped it and squeezed and rubbed his hands flat, showing his little audience that they now were empty without a trace of the ball. Bular was getting a little startled by all this. Jim giggled at his absolute fear of magic, even if it was fake and harmless. Then again, people can be afraid of things the same way. Like a large spider that couldn’t harm or even come into contact with someone who has a phobia of it, they still get scared

 

(I have a huuuugeee arachnophobia. Also fear of falling. As well as bodily stuff like getting some internal damage or some incurable illness, just something that you can’t do anything about and stays with you really)

 

“now for my next trick, the uncutable rope! See, a regular rope. Now watch as I cut it apart, now I will have it magically undo the damage I caused!” Jim clapped and laughed  
“for my next trick, I will detach my thumb and rejoin it!” Bular made a small gasp  
“blood magic...”  
“Nope! Simple as could be! Now watch as I do something similar, I will stuck my arm in one hat and it will come out the other” Jim laughed more and looked over to his family. Bular of course was becoming more fearful, while Gunmar still held the exact same expressionless face as he had from the beginning.  
“now the. Bular, I want you to put a sword on the table. Perfect! Now, watch as I turn it into nothing but water!” Toby threw over a blanket and covered the sword, he slowly pulled it back and showed nothing but a pool of water  
“MY SWORD!”  
“WAS your sword”  
“BRING IT BACK NOW!”  
“okay! Okay easy easy!” Toby reversed his trick and Bular grabbed his sword as fast as he could and checked it over  
“how did you do that?!”  
“magic! Now for my next trick. Jim please stand beside me” Jim got up and stood next to Toby  
“now, I will make Jim vanish!”  
“you ready Jimbo?”  
“yep!” Toby threw the blanket over Jim and patted it, then pulled it away to reveal nothing  
“Jim is no more”  
“NO BROTHER! BRING HIM BACK NOW!” Bular slammed his fist on the table and roared  
“easy easy! I told you, everything’s fake and harmless” Toby threw the blanket over the empty space and tapped it, then pulled it back to show Jim once more  
“see?”  
“BROTHER WHERE DID YOU GO!?”  
“it’s a seeecccrreeett!”  
“thank you Jim, now, will you please put your amulet on the table. Thank you, now have a seat. Alright, now watch as I burst it into flames without a single trace of ash!” Toby lit a match and threw it, causing a bright small fire to happen, just as quickly it was snuffed out and the amulet was gone  
“as you can see, nothing exists anymore! Now then, from fire all is destroyed, from fire all is remade!” Toby lit another matched and a small fire was created, then once more it was snuffed out and the amulet was there as if it had never left. Completely fine in every way. Bular was watching it dumbfounded in every way.

 

“Now, I will make two Jim’s out of nothing! Jim, are you ready to meet your double?”  
“always” Toby waved a blanket and then let it fall, showing a second Jim sitting at the other side of the table. Just as quickly, Toby waved his blanket over the second Jim and made him vanish. Bular cautiously reached out and touched the real Jim  
“how did that happen?!”  
“no revealing secrets!”  
“now then for my next trick I will pull a physical object out of a picture” Toby showed a decently sized poster of an apple tree. He reached for an apple and plucked it off of the tree and showed it  
“MANIFESTED FOOD?!”  
“yes Bular I did! Now, watch as I put it back on the tree!”  
“how did you do that!?”  
“nooo telling!”  
“i demand you do!”  
“nope!”  
“brother make him tell me!”  
“no way! Just go with it Bular”  
“now for my final trick, I will age this tiny seed into a full plant!” Toby showed off the small seed and put it into a small pot. He put a small cloth over the top and polished it, he pulled it off to show a small plant fully formed  
“you’ve aged it!”  
“now watch as I unage it” Toby repeated the process and pulled out nothing but a seed.  
“alright that’s all I can do” Jim clapped and smiled  
“awesome job Tobes!”  
“thanks! So did you both enjoy it?” Bular looked a bit annoyed  
“yes. I wish for you to tell me these tricks though.”  
“nope! I’m taking it to my grave!” Bular growled and crossed his arms. Jim and Toby looked to the bored looking Gunmar. Both of them worried  
“uh...so dad...what did you think? Did you not like it?”  
“no, I enjoyed myself in fact. I am just as curious as your brother is though. I’ve been trying to figure it out on my own”  
“so just to be clear, you DID like the tricks?”  
“yes, I quite enjoyed them. I wish for you to master more in the future and show them to me” Toby and Jim smiled, happy that Gunmar loves it!

 

……………………………………………………………………

It was 7pm now. Jim said he wanted to go out on his own and have some personal time up top. The three accepted it without worry as Jim promised it wasn’t anything bad. Jim told them he’d be back not long after, before midnight at the latest. So the three went about doing their own things….

 

Jim took deep breathes as he rode the elevator down into the Janus order, still not mentally prepared on what was to come. The elevator opened up and he walked down the halls, all busy as usual as the changelings scurried about with their various assignments and orders. After asking for some help, Jim was lead to the recording and production room. All the cameras and monitors buzzed and beeped, all the small flashing lights and signals lit up the room with soft lighting.  
“Ah good you’ve arrived just on time” Jim turned his head to see Walt clicking his pen and smiling  
“yep! wouldn’t miss this!”  
“glad you have such enthusiasm. Come, let’s walk and talk. So, what’s going to happen is first I start talking about various things, nothing to go into depth about. Then you’ll be called and read what’s on the monitors, as well as a list in hand. Don’t worry, everything is simple and as easy as can be. You read and announced everything, and at the end of it, you’ll give a nice goodbye and walk off stage. As simple as can be”  
“so will I be saying some kind of spy stuff, all secretive and codded?” Walt chuckled  
“no no nothing of the sort”  
“dam. Oh well, one day I’ll get to be some badass super spy”  
“i highly doubt that”  
“Aww have more faith in me!”  
“what you see in media is nothing on how it actually is”  
“yeah I figured, well always good to have a tiny bit of hope at least”  
“alright, you go freshen up and get groomed while I start everything up”  
“you got it boss!”

 

 

Jim loved this part. The grooming and tending to. He noticed a small line form, as if easily known what Jim wanted. Which he was happy to know that everyone knows exactly what he likes. He loves his little changelings. Nice long slow brushes along with some petting. Lint remover over his shirt, picking the tiniest things out of his fur and off of him. Adjusting his cloths and straightening him out, to which Jim joked about how that wasn’t possible. Then had to explain the joke. He was gay, as simple as that. Now it was time to be called.  
“Alright, now hat business is finished up, it’s time to get to the exciting parts! Yes I know, I’m as eager as all of you. Well, we DO have a very special treat for you all! I’m not the one who is going to be announcing. It will in fact, be Jim himself! Wanting to volunteer all on his own accord. He really does care about all of us! We all will owe our lives to him once our lord Gunmar takes the surface world for himself. Like I’ve stated previously, he is going to have us all in his own personal kingdom, making sure we aren’t disposed of the moment we are no longer needed. Think of it as a well earned vacation. Now then, Jim, please come on out and say hello to the world. Jim walked on stage, flashing a smile, and then looking into the bright light by mistake. You’d think he’d learn his lesson from last time  
“ouch. Okay! Time for me to take over! Thanks Walt” Walt nodded and exited. 

 

“hello my changelings! it’s me! Ya boi Jim! Comin at ‘cha ya live from the Janus order! Hows everyone feeling tonight? I hope it’s good! Now I’m going to read off of some stuff, say some stuff, and….uh….well that’s kinda it. Alright let’s get started! Today-oh we’re gonna say that? Cool! Alright I’m reading off a list-shit it’s long….wow…..i...never realized just how many-alright anyways. First off, birthdays! Happy birthday Dave, happy birthday Shannon! happy birthday Carl! Happy birthday Joseph! Happy birthday Yuuto! Happy birthday Karasu! Happy birthday Amaia! Happy birthday Aero! Happy birthday Ascuas! Happy birthday Fuego! Happy birthday Sol! Happy birthday Venar! Happy birthday Soba! Happy birthday Toa! Happy birthday Neva! Happy birthday Nalt! Happy birthday NJ! Happy birthday Austin! Happy birthday Justin! Happy birthday Pablo! Happy birthday Sammy! Happy birthday Curtis! Happy birthday Esmeralda! Happy birthday Rosie! Happy birthday Josh! Happy birthday Steve! Happy birthday Thomas! Happy birthday Kayla! Happy birthday Dorian! Happy birthday Albert! Happy birthday Able! Happy birthday Amelia! Happy birthday Axel! Cool ass name-uh Happy birthday Conrad! Happy birthday Derek! Happy birthday Ana! Happy birthday Belen! Happy birthday Cesar! Happy birthday Deigo! Happy birthday Cortez! Happy birthday Fernando! Happy birthday Dario! Happy birthday Abban! Happy birthday Merulo! Happy birthday Miles! Happy birthday Amber! Happy birthday Marlon! Happy birthday Manson! Happy birthday Mael! Happy birthday Coia! Happy birthday Jilli! Happy birthday Koleyn! Happy birthday Astrid! Happy birthday heather! Happy birthday Dalman! Happy birthday Chun! Happy birthday Feng! Happy birthday Dwight! Happy birthday Claudette! Happy birthday Gan! Happy birthday Ji! Happy birthday Zan! Happy birthday Yi! Happy birthday Xi-Wang! Happy birthday Xioa-Niao! Happy birthday Xiao-Xing! Happy birthday Tung! Happy birthday Tai! Happy birthday Lauro! Happy birthday Bienvenido! Geez I hope I said that right, if not, sorry! Happy birthday Pacifico! Happy birthday Doris! Happy birthday Dorrit! Happy birthday Dotty! Happy birthday Pallas! Happy birthday Panos! Happy birthday Bon-hwa! Happy birthday Chung-ho! Happy birthday Hyo! Happy birthday Duck-young! Happy birthday Finn! Happy birthday Faste! Happy birthday Kare! Happy birthday Jim! Haha cause that’s mine nam-anyways time to continue! Wow….this…..is a really lon-THERE’S TWO OTHER PAGES!?

 

(I actually looked up allll of them. All real names, if you didn’t believe some of them at least now you know those are real names! Also a few of them are not actual ‘people’ names. If you know what I’m talking about, wink wink ;D you’ll know what I’m talking about)

 

Um...okay I’m so so sorry but...i kinda have a time limit….so I can’t read all of these, again sorry! I would if I could! Honestly! Well happy birthday to all of you! I mean if it is your birthday….anyways onto the next thing! Its-wait...wait is….Bladder control? Uh….okay….so I guess just ma-oh wait I’m being told it’s ballder control! Uh….i have no idea what that-okay it says here to make sure that if you’re ever caught, use one to erase someone’s memory, but don’t use it too often on the same person or else they might-HAVE A STROKE!? WAIT SERIOUSLY?! Okay uh…..next item to talk about is pet ownership! Oh cool I can get down with this! Okay so make sure...to…..WHAT?! Make sure to feed your leeches plenty of rabbit blood-okay is this really real? Like not a prank? No? It is real? Well shit….didn’t think anyone owned-okay I guess anything can technically be a pet…...anyways uh….next item is coloration exchange….what?….okay uh….always make sure that when SWAPPING SKINS WITH SOMEONE?! Like, cloths right? Like in a videogame?….ACTUAL FUCKING SKIN?! Okay…..it puts the lotion on it’s skin or else it gets the hose again-OKAY WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!? Alright moving on-no. Okay this CAN’T be real. It IS!?….okay so….when raising a bee hive within a chest cavity, make sure to-okay like, this isn’t just out of some slasher fic? No? it’s real? Wow I need to get out more and check up on people…..okay uh just make sure the bees have enough human skin to eat. Moving on….ah okay, an easy fun thing! When parking a car, make sure to always check your mirrors so you...don’t…..run someone over and then have to cover up the murder by paying others off to look the other way and contact your nearest fellow changelings for help……..okay I mean, makes sense as anything else….

 

Moving on...oh please let this be mundane…...okay when picking up dry cleaning, always tip well...phew it’s norma-OR ELSE DECAPITATE THEM AND REPLACE THEM!? Okay you know what. Bullet point time. Just gonna speed read this shit. Any camera crews, make sure to remove any and all hair, teeth, finger, ear, eyes, and feet when burying someone. When painting a building you burned down to hide evidence make sure you dig up the scorched bodies and finish the job. When putting poison in someone’s drink make sure no finger prints are left on the glass. When covering up tracks, use dead bear paws and make sure they’re natural in the area as to not raise suspicion. When fishing make sure any and all hook are properly removed from the corpses you left deep under the river bedding. When transporting children on any type of vehicle don’t bring them to your local changeling headquarters to be replaced unless told specifically to do so. When replacing light bulbs always plant the one that will explode within 2 weeks to start a fire. When replacing mail make sure the envelope looks like it wasn’t resealed with poisonous glue. When planting spiders in someones home make sure you don’t leave behind the container. When setting tripwires make sure they aren’t noticeable until the very last second. When taking photos make sure you edit them to hide anyone in it. When listening to classical music make sure it isn’t too loud as to disturb your neighbor thus having them potentially calling the police for a noise complaint thus having to dispose of them. When serving fish and chips to someone make sure the toxins aren’t able to be smelled. When giving scuba lessons don’t let it look like your gear was malfunctioning due to disrepair and instead make it look like the person who hired you used it in an unsafe and inappropriate fashion thus it making it seem like it was them at fault and not you. When replacing someone’s ear make sure the skin tone is exactly the same not even a single pigment off color. When gardening someone’s yard and slowly getting them to befriend and trust you so you can slowly be let into their personal lives and then learning all about them so you can have someone replace them and make it not seem out of the ordinary to use the same color roses in their yard as you did on day one unless requested to not continue tending to the roses. When setting someone’s clock make sure to set it a few minutes forward so any potential murders are far more difficult to track as well as prove you were any form of suspect. When eating at an IKEA make sure not to draw too much attention to yourself so you aren’t forced into a position to stage a hostage crisis.

 

Wow. Okay I’m done. Just…..wow….all that….well….my sweet sweet changelings sure do colorful lives. Okay that’s the end of that. Next is…..what?….make sure to always properly clean your mask and keep your outfits in pristien condition at all times. You must always look presentable, you also never know if anyone of a high rank comes by such as Jim. Aww you guys even wrote a little rule? And included me in it? Aww how sweet! Alright next is….hmm….already covered that…..read that….wow okay I am NOT reading that, Walt can…..hmm….uh….wow that’s a long list, yeah Walt’s gonna read that,…...shit Walt was right. This really is all boring mundane crap. Well I knew what I was signing up for…..oh shit I’m on the air I totally forgot! Oops! Okay uh so you know what, sorry but I’m out of time for the night! Love you all and I gtg! Oh and one last thing. Always remember. You’re impures. Unfit for anyone else. You were made to serve and nothing more. Just like I’m an abomination. A freak of nature that shouldn’t exist in the world. No one wants us around and hate us for what we are. So, always remember, from one abomination to another, I love you. I will always be you queen bee! I promise, I will protect you and keep you safe. I really am being genuine and not sarcastic or patronizing. I love all my changelings! So when we take over, all of you will live in my kingdom like everyone else! No hating for what you are, only your character! So that about does it, love you all, gonna keep you safe, uh….good luck with your assignment! I believe in you! Happy birthday! uh...what else…..and uh, yeah! Make the dream come real! Believe in yourself and remember, even the smallest help is still help! And it’s appreciated! The big cogs can NEVER turn without the aid of the small cogs! Big cogs can’t do much if they don’t have the help of all the little cogs! Alright enough metaphors….that was a metaphor right? Alright, I’m leaving, queen bee out!”

 

Jim gave a kiss blow, clicked his tongue, pointed a finger, and winked as he left. Walt looked at him and smiled as the two left the backstage area together  
“you did rather good”  
“thanks, wow your job is boring as hell”  
“you come to love it, plus the benefits are exclusive and far worth all the work”  
“like being able to work with my ugly mug?”  
“yes I would call that a great part of my benefits”  
“alright, listen, we gotta talk...in private”  
“oh? Well let me finish up here and we can. Head on over to my office and we’ll have our little talk”

 

…………………………………………………………………

 

Jim waited. Anxiously. He tried to keep calm. He was going to make sure nothing ruined everything. Just strictly business. Get it over and done with. It was roughly a half hour before Walt walked into his office holding a clip board and crossing things out  
“sorry for the wait, took a bit longer than expected”  
“nah it’s fine” Walt walked over and sat behind his desk. He placed the clip board down and started to fiddle with his pen. He smiled and looked at Jim  
“so, what did you wish to talk about?” Jim focused himself and concentrated. Just get it over with.  
“Walt. We need to have a serious talk”  
“oh? What about? I’m not in trouble am I?”  
“maybe.” Jim got up and walked over to Walt’s desk. He put his hands on it and looked Walt in the eye  
“i want his eye”  
“pardon?”  
“Gunmar’s eye. The third stone that creates the weapon to kill him. You have it. I know you do. Look, I don’t want to throw my weight around, I don’t want this to get awkward or weird. I really like our friendship, I don’t want anything to ever ruin it. This is serious and dangerous I know. so. let’s just get it over with. Hand it over. I command you. I want it. I know you have it. You’re in a corner. No point in trying to talk your way out of it in any way. I don’t care where you got it from. Why you have it. How you managed to get it. I don’t care about any of that. I just want it for personal reasons. No I will never say you had it in your possession at any given moment. It will be like this moment never even happened. Knowing you, you made sure to keep it close and somewhere safe, as a just in case last resort backdoor for whatever you might have gotten into trouble for. This convo never existed, none of this existed. A secret just between us. No, no one else knows but me. Yes in fact I did learn about it on my own. No one else knows I went looking for it. No one even knows I’m here right now, although that doesn’t have to be a secret. No one knows I learned of it or that I made it my mission to find out about it. This won’t even be a secret between us because this whole conversation and moment never existed in the first place. Cough it up. I won’t report it or whatever, now I’m just repeating myself. You get what I mean”

 

Walt’s entire being came to a sudden halt. He clicked his pen once and tried not to look panicked, something he was having a very difficult time doing. He just cleared his throat and blinked a couple of times before plainly saying  
“Alright” Jim made a sigh of relief through his nose  
“let’s just get this over with, the second you give it to me, the second I can leave, as well as us leaving this behind. A secret to take to the grave”  
“yes. I’m very…..happy to know you think all this”  
“like I said, I don’t care. I don’t want to know. I don’t want anything ruining our relationship. I really want to keep it like this forever”  
“i couldn’t agree more. Alright, let me fetch it for you”  
“just...out of curiosity, where did you hide it?”  
“my home, in a small box in a nightstand”  
“haha good one….wait….are you….serious?”  
“the best place to hide something is in plain sight after all”  
“well, I want to come with you. No, not because I don’t believe you. I just don’t want to wait any longer than I need to”  
“understandable, come then”

 

The two left the Janus order, hooped into Walt’s car and drove to his home. An average nice home that looks like any other home in his neighborhood. Everything simple an ordinary. The two entered the home and locked the door behind them. Walt turned on a few lights and headed upstairs calling down  
“help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you’d like. If you eat anything other than food, inform me so I can replace it”  
“no problem!” Jim looked around a bit, nothing really eye catching out of furniture or wallpaper. The only thing to note was how tidy and organized everything was. Along with various exotic and worldly objects, similar to the ones in his office at the highschool. Jim got curious and headed up the small staircase. Nothing but a few rooms and a bathroom. One room door was opened and inside was Walt moving some things around  
“well, so this is where the head changeling sleeps. Cozy. House is nice, got a housekeeper?”  
“only myself. So nothing difficult to clean or look after. Was thinking of getting a cat, but didn’t want it’s scent on me, along with any unwanted hair”  
“makes sense. Hey, maybe Bular might start liking you better if you smelled like a cat”  
“oh I doubt that about as much as the sky suddenly turning into chocolate pudding. So, growing impatient? It will only take a second longer”  
“nah, just was curious about the upstairs, pretty ordinary, really a man with simple tastes”  
“i like the occasional unique flavor every now and again. Ah, here we are. Your fathers long lost eye”

 

There it was. Walt pulled out a small box, opening it to reveal a small velvet casing and the eye itself set gently in the center. Jim reached in, almost afraid the eye might jump out at him suddenly like one of Toby’s magic floating balls. He took the eye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AND!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing happened. Just like holding some shiny crystal, ordinary and colorful. Jim held it closer to his face, inspecting every tiny part of it  
“huh. doesn’t look too much like on of his actual eyes”  
“suppose things change when magic is involved”  
“so…..do you know what happened to it? Like, did it undergo some type of magical mutation when it was no longer in, well ya know, my dads head”  
“to be honest I’m not really sure. The only things I truly know about it is that well it was once your fathers eye, it does have some type of magical property, it has a nice smooth surface to it along with a nice glow, and that is one of the three components to craft the object to kill your father”  
“huh...hmm….well. Thanks for this, I’m going to head out now. Again, this didn’t happen and let’s put this behind us”  
“I’m glad you think that way, as do I. Although, if you’d allow me an answer to my question I’m appreciate it. When you proclaimed that you wished to become a deity. Did you mean a physical immortal all powerful being?”  
“perhaps. Maybe something along those lines”  
“would your fathers eye be involved in this process?”  
“perhaps. Only time will tell” Jim smiled and looked once more at his fathers eye  
“guess technically now I have a glass eye. Hey, maybe it could be a replacement if I ever lost one of my eyes”  
“suppose it does have more of a flourish than any regular glass eye” Jim put the eye in his pocket and brought out his amulet  
“alright, I’m leaving now, goodnight Walt”  
“goodnight Jim” and with that, Jim ended up back in his room. Toby was knocked out cold asleep in the nest. Jim chuckled a bit and started to take his own bath. He put the eye near his favorite pillow. In the one hiding spot he was always able to keep without anyone ever knowing about it. Like Walt said, plain sight. After his quick bath, he cuddled up in his nest, looking the eye over one last time before putting it away, and closing his own. Hoping to have sweet pleasant dreams. Wondering what the future might hold….


	45. an abnormal future? riddled with sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lives come and go, life changes as easy as the wind. nothing is certain. no future is fully correct. life is pain, life will change you. life will scar you until you never look the same. how much is too much when you must sacrifice yourself
> 
>  
> 
> Also Jim is great at babysitting a party addicted changeling
> 
> JUST LET JIM HAVE DICK!
> 
>  
> 
> Also he can whisper into tiny ears! be granted insight by the small voices of the many. what? i wanted to be all spooky sounding IS THAT SO WRONG?! 
> 
>  
> 
> also Toby is tired AF

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got my friend into persona 5. she loved it and talked about a trollhunter version. pretty much the same but going around doing things. like gunmar is some big mob boss or whatever and having to steal his heart, same with walt and bular and etc  
> super dumb joke. so me and a friend were talking about jean stuff. anyways so what about a jamulet? jean amulet  
> "for the glory of denim, jorts are mine to command!" each trollhunter is buried in a joffin, jean coffin  
> "we have to send morgana back to the shadow realm!" Toby pulling out his yugioh deck  
> "I'm on it"  
> more notes!  
> there ARE other half trolls working for gunmar. and they WILL be involved in this story hehehe  
> jims always wanted to wear shoes. hes super curious about them. jim LOVES halloween. its the one night a year he can feel normal-ish. everyone just tells him he has an amazing costume and he looks great, some people even want to hug him. he tells them thanks (and sometimes doesnt want to mention hes a half troll. just so they aren't weirded out. yes some people love him because of it and want to be his friend, but only because hes a half troll, not out of his personality. jim hates that. love him for him or gtfo)  
> jim has yet to be afraid of a single horror movie. he finds them funny and he does wish one day to be afraid of one  
> jim scales the sides of cliffs in the darklands for fun  
> no one cares what jims says, so jim picked up swearing alot because no ones ever cared to tell him not to. so now its pretty much how he  
> always talks. the only one who ever tells him to correct himself is blinky, but not in the way you'd imagine.  
> "aw i can't do this fucking homework. i dont know how. blinky help me with this" "master jim, language!" "oh sorry, aw i can't do this fucking homework. i dont know how. blinky will you PLEASE help me with this?" "of course master jim!"  
> blinky and arrrg are CONSTANTLY having sex when they both aren't busy. arrrg is a massive horn dog. he gets turned on a lot after he goes out and fights and kills. he comes back home and releases all that energy and aggression out on blinky  
> blinky and arrrg love jim and secretly consider him their surrogate child  
> toby is a tiny bit jealous jim has a brother and a father, and in a very secret way, lives vicariously through jim in having a family. also he secretly feels good hes helping them all become together, as if hes apart of their family  
> blinky is one of the few, if only one, gumm-gumms who DONT like when the human is alive. he finds their struggling and screaming annoying he wants to have a nice meal and enjoy himself, he can't do that when he has to deal with a living human. so a fresh kill is always the best  
> draal does occasionally lay in jims nest to rest in. snuggling the blankets and pillows close and imagine hes holding jim as they sleep. also nice that jims scent is on them, also mixed with his 'human perfumes' it smells good to draal  
> one of draals favorite things is fighting jim in combat. then imagining hes claiming his prize~  
> toby does have nightmares of failing to help gunmar and bular, jim feeling disappointed in him and no longer wanting to be his friend. he doesnt talk about his nightmares though. he wants to be as strong as possible and not stress jim out as much as he can  
> toby has fears jim might 'out grow him' like someone does for something they like. for example. you love a specific ice cream and eat it all the time. eventually you just get tired of it and move on  
> kanjigar really does want jim and draal to marry and have a child together. he wants a family he can come home to and always remember why he fights  
> draal is always thinking romantic thoughts whenever jim comes to mind. sometimes draal will see/hear/do something and thinks that he and jim should try it together  
> draal pleasures himself very often to the thoughts of jim, almost always the thoughts of breeding him  
> draal has actually started to learn more human things so he can impress jim  
> draal has started to wander around the surface during the day. so he can watch and learn humans things, as well as secretly hope to run into jim  
> kanjigar loves when jims around, his fun happy energetic mood always brightens his day and reminds him that no matter how hard and dark life becomes, its always worth it to protect lives like jims. it reminds them that there are always good people in the world no matter whats going on  
> jim mostly sleeps with the elite guards since they're the closest around him. he doesnt really want to wander around the training grounds just to maybe find one soldier hes 'hungry' for. some guards really do hope jim wil sleep with them, even if it means risking life  
> kanjigars memories about humans hurts him more than helps him. hes suffered a lot with just loosing them constantly, so he doesnt want to befriend them anymore, usually

Blurry visions of swords and fire. Blood and ash. Smoke burned lungs as they strained to breathe. Bodies damaged in every way imaginable. Pain so harsh it was almost numbing. Splotches of blood soaked through cloths and even armor. Heavy scent of gore all over, almost snuffing out all other scents. Jim’s body shook and ached. He had never experienced this amount of pain. This amount of raw energy coursing through his veins. His heart beating so hard it was as if on the verge of exploding. Roars and bloodcurdling cries echoed throughout the area almost loud enough to deafen anyone close enough to listen. Jim gagged down as much as he could. He had heaved the contents of his stomach long ago. He forced himself to stand, his body crying to rest for even the smallest of moments. His body buzzed so much from such intense pressure, it almost seemed to have his very atoms vibrate apart from one another. Jim tried to wipe away all the sweat, grime, tears, and blood that drenched his face. He pointed his blade forward and tried to hold himself together, not letting himself break down in nearly every way. He didn’t have a choice. He had to do what needed to be done. No one else was able to do it now. No one, but him.

 

“Son.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim gasped heavily and shot up. He looked around and tried to settle himself down. He touched everything around him, making sure it was real. He was alive and in the present. Draal woke up next to him and asked what was wrong  
“it’s…..i….I saw it again” Jim broke down crying. He hugged his knees and wept intensely. Draal pulled him close in their nest and rubbed his side and spoke in a calm and loving manner  
“shh, you’re here with me right now. That’s gone. It’s been done. It’s not here anymore. You’re here. I’m here. In our home. In our nest. In trollmarket. None of that is near. It never will be again. It happened a long time ago” Jim wept heavily into Draal, he didn’t want to close his eyes. He didn’t want to be there. He didn’t want to sleep….

 

 

Vendel looked Jim over as the half troll sat in a chair drinking water. The both of them in the heartstone  
“having the images again?”  
“y-yeah. I….i don’t”  
“it is alright. No need to speak. Here” Vendel walked over and handed Jim a fist size of heartstone  
“to soothe your nerves. I carved it out of the very core” Jim hardly was able to reach out and grab it, shaking so hard. He held it tightly in his hand and closed his eyes. The color and life giving energies faded away, going into Jim’s hand and traveling through his veins and into his own heart. Jim’s shaking subsided, his body feeling calmer and more focused, his mind not a hellscape any longer  
“thanks Vendel. I don’t know what I’d do without you” Jim gave a tired smile as he looked up into the old trolls eyes  
“you’ve been having it happen again more frequently, although I obviously don’t need to tell you that”  
“yeah. Ugh. And I was having such a nice long run.”  
“at least it fluctuates. It will pass, as it always does” Jim rubbed a horn and relaxed himself in the chair.  
“ugh. Knowing my head, it’s going to start happening again more. Before it finally goes away…..for a little bit at least. I was having such a nice year too”  
“would you like to take some heartstone with you? Steady yourself easier when need be. Better to have some and not need it, and you understand the rest”  
“yeah….guess it wouldn’t be too bad if I take a few chunks home with me” Vendel nodded and started to gather up a small sack full of heartstone chunks. Jim yawned and stretched, rubbing his face and especially his eyes.  
“you should go rest”  
“i really really don’t even want to blink right now, let alone sleep…..i…..i don’t….want to see him...”  
“perhaps you could visit Kanjigar, he knows how to steady you mind and heart”  
“yeah...guess I can stand some more pain to see him at least” Jim got up and took the sack from Vendel’s hand  
“Thanks for everything Vendel”  
“any time, for my favorite half troll”  
“aww, you always know what words to say. You’re my favorite old man troll”  
“oh? Well perhaps I should take not only my compliment, but the sack as well for that little insult” the two gave a small laugh before Vendel patted Jim’s shoulder  
“goodbye Jim. Stop by anytime”

 

………...…………………………………………………………………………..

A half troll sat down on a stone bench looking out at the heartstone. He sighed and rubbed his hand  
“hey, Kanjigar!” a troll called from down the street. The half troll smiled back and waved  
“pretty late to be up for you Kanjigar”  
“eh. couldn’t sleep”  
“is it because of your mom?” the half troll rubbed his arm and looked towards the heartstone  
“yeah….i heard him waking up crying again. I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to take a walk”  
“I’m sorry for that”  
“nah, nothing to be sorry for. Not like any of us were there”  
“mind if I sit with you?” the half troll nodded and patted the stone bench. The troll took the seat offering and looked to the heartstone as well  
“really is pretty”  
“yeah it is”  
“think he’s in there right now?”  
“probably”  
“think he’s doing...the whole….thing”  
“yeah….it’s the only thing that keeps him calm whenever...it...happens” a few moments of silence pass before the troll grabbed the half trolls long curly horns and tugged on them  
“hey!”  
“stop giving that look, it’s not your fault. Oh don’t even try to act like you weren’t thinking it is. I know that look. Pay attention to me instead”  
“okay okay! Fine!” the troll patted his head and then tapped a few of his back spikes  
“kinda sucks you can’t curl up into a ball like your dad”  
“yeah, that would be cool”  
“but you have your mom’s bloo-”  
“shh. I….don’t like to talk about it….”  
“it’s his now, not….you know who’s...”  
“yeah….some grandfather….”  
“well, I guess you are technically half gum-uh….on the bright side…you don’t have to eat like your mom...uh….and....we’re here and alive, and there’s a food stand right down the street. Want me to get us something to eat?”  
“sure, might help” the troll smiled and stood up, walking away to fetch their food. Kanjigar turned his sight back to the heartstone. He sighed then looked around, making sure no one was watching. He looked at his palm and felt the power run through his veins. He glowed the same color as the heartstone. He said quietly in a somber tone  
“mom…..I’m sorry for me...you’d never have to be in so much pain if I wasn’t born….i wish I could help….”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many years Earlier…………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim sighed wishing he could do something ANYTHING. Instead. All he could do is sit on the rock slab he was chained down to. A metal collar around his neck with part of the chain being bolted into the hard stone. His hands cuffed together and covered in heavy metal. A metal muzzle was covering his mouth tightly. Well, at least he could breathe and look at the arguing in front of him….

 

“we’ve been harboring that….THING!” Vendel slammed his staff against the rock ground. Kanjigar was rubbing his face as he stood across from the table he and Vendel used. Draal stood quietly in a corner near Jim, was stealing glances every now and again. Ashamed of himself, of Jim, of his choices. More importantly he was conflicted like no other. He loved Jim so much. He was the only one close to his heart in a romantic sense.  
“Vendel-”  
“no Kanjigar. No speaking for-”  
“I’m not speaking for him this time. I’m speaking against him” THAT reply shocked Vendel, not even thinking he would have said something like that before. Draal and Jim grew looks of concerns  
“Oh? Well that certainly was unexpected”  
“he belongs to me. Even if he is what he is. This is still my choice. For his crimes. He must answer to them. I will see to it myself.”  
“you know he should be put to death for everything he’s done. The lies he’s told. The terrible actions he’s committed. Not to even account for all the countless lives he’s taken. On top of all that, none of it pales in comparison to WHO he actually is the son of!”  
“you don’t think I know that Vendel?! You don’t think It’s not running through my mind?!…..I’m….sorry for yelling old friend...” Kanjigar rubbed his face harder and tried his best not to turn around and look at Jim.  
“we….we can’t give him the death sentence.”  
“and why not? What if he only causes more trouble?”  
“son. Why don’t you tell him why.”  
“Draal, please, enlighten me” the two turned to Draal who tried his best not to suddenly turn away in shame.  
“he’s…...with…...my…..our…...child…..we only found out recently”  
“AND he’s-to think this couldn’t get even more difficult”  
“Vendel the child is innocen-”  
“I’m not planning on harming an unborn child Draal. It’s the one carrying said child I’m concerned about” Jim muttered something through his tightly muzzled mouth. Kanjigar snapped his fingers and pointed with scorn at Jim  
“you. Not a single sound. Not now.”  
“father….maybe...he should be the one to answer for his crim-”  
“son. Stop talking.” Draal clamped his mouth shut. He wanted to do something ANYTHING to help Jim. He was having their child. He felt like an awful mate just standing around not protecting his love, his significant other, the mother to his child.  
“So trollhunter. What do you think we should do with him?”  
“i don’t know Vendel. I’m thinking.”  
“Father….maybe-”  
“son. Don’t say one more word or else you’re going to leave. Understand? This is your last and only warning.”  
“i...no. No father I won’t be silent. If I’m going to be a proper mate, a good alpha then I will stand up for him. He is Jim, our Jim. Yes he’s lied and committed horrible atrocities. He hasn’t lied about so many things though. He clearly has show he can and WANTS to put that life behind him! Only the three of us know of what he truly is. No one else has to know. We can keep it a secret. Let Jim live here, under constant surveillance at all times, making sure he can’t do a single thing that we don’t see or at least know about”  
“oh? And I suppose you’ll volunteer for said task?”  
“yes”  
“Son. I don’t trust you. I love you so much. I hate that I have to speak like this to you. But love twists things. What if you let him do a single thing for the briefest of moments and he takes you away again, hm? What if something ends up happening that we can no longer prevent?”  
“we can make sure of it”  
“oh and how?”  
“he loves us father. He always has. At least not in the beginning but like he said, he loves us. Which is why it was killing him to lie to us for a moment longer. He WANTS to be with us! He wants to leave that toxic life behind! We have taught him better, loved him better, taken care of him better, than all his life in that wretched place he called home. He can and IS being reformed. He wants to try so hard. He’s literally killing himself just to fight his nature. We can’t have him die. Yes, I feel an absolute need to prevent his death and assure his well being because he is carrying my child, but if that were not the case I would still stand for him. Please both of you. He can and want’s to change! Everything he’s spoken to us over the years were real. The tears hes shed, the breakdowns hes had, the needs for attention he craved, those were as real as you or I”

 

Draal walked over and embraced Jim, holding him close and tucking him into his chest  
“he wants to be loved. He wants to move on and change. We just have to help him.” Jim gave pleading eyes. Then closed them and gave a heavy sigh. He couldn’t look anyone in the eye right now, it was almost as fearful as having a loaded gun against his forehead.  
“he bears your mark father. He has heartstone in his blood. He has my child, my love, my everything. He is apart of trollmarket. He is apart of us. We just need to clean him of this sin. Of his crimes. We can deal with it. We cannot forgive all of it, but he can redeem himself. He’s done so already by leaving that life behind. If we throw him out then he won’t have anywhere to go. Not only that, but he won’t be alone, because I won’t leave him or my unborn child’s side. I will leave with him if need be” Draal pulled Jim closer and closed his own eyes. He began to gently rub Jim’s side  
“i love him. He loves me. He loves all of us. we’re his new family. The one he’s always wanted. I don’t want him to be cruel, to be betrayed and turn into that foul beast that is his father. He doesn’t want to walk that path any longer. he’s scared. He just wants to be loved. He just wants to be safe. He just wants a real family. We can and will give it to him. He can become a hero instead of a villain” a few moments of intense silence pass by before Kanjigar growled in his throat and slammed his arm on the table  
“I don’t want him to become a wretched beast like his brother and father. He is changing and willing to fully commit to this life. He is truthful about his heart, his dreams and his affections. He will pay for his crimes. Heavily. He will live. He will have the child before harsher punishment is inflicted upon him…………….my son is correct of what he speaks. This should be his one and only chance to keep on the road of redemption. If he slips up even one moment, then it will prove he doesn’t and isn’t willing to fully commit. I want him on watch 24/7. I will think of something that will-” the three turned to Jim and he moved around drastically and mumbled loudly, his eyes started to tear up and he gave a begging expression to be let free.  
“Jim. You are NOT going to be set free-” Jim started to hunch over and make gagging noises  
“Father he’s becoming ill again”  
“unlock and take off his muzzle, he can’t choke to death on his own bile” Draal quickly unlocked and took off his muzzle, hardly a second later Jim vomited into a bucket by his side and cried in pain.  
“pregnancy illness...it’s flaring up again” Draal said gently rubbing Jim’s back  
“hm. Son fetch him some water, as well as something easy to eat. We need him as healthy as he can be” Jim groaned and whimpered in pain. He hated this part of it all more than anything else. Everything was made all the more intense because of his biology. His body having a hard time holding on, as well as the intensity of being a half troll. He felt like his organs were melting into lava and coming out of him.

 

“father he needs heartstone”  
“then he will get a tiny amount”  
“last time wasn’t enough”  
“then he will get slightly more. Enough to ease his illness” Draal sighed and groaned, he never wanted to leave Jim’s side when he was ill like this. Jim coughed out a small whisper in between his vomit  
“ugh….i….feel….like I’m….dying”  
“you aren’t my love, we’re going to make sure of it”  
“this is….the worse thing...I’ve ever felt…..I’ve had Bular and Dad break my….bones before….in train-” Jim couldn’t finish his train of words as he vomited more. He really hated this. He really wasn’t looking forward to even more of this. Well, at least he only has to bear through it for only a year roughly…...in a way...he wanted to….just….so he would know that his body is functioning normally...something he wished more than anything would happen to him. All the pain in the world would be worth it for his child….

 

 

……………………………………………………………………………….

Jim sighed and walked along with Draal and Kanjigar. Kanjigar was now holding his chain leash in hand, tugging Jim along whenever Jim even slowed the slightest. He was beyond emotional. Everything felt like it was twisted, distorted, turned foul and then crashed all on top of him all at once. His entire life, he’s never had this kind of emotional turmoil. Even his rocky relationship with his own son had been heavens easier than what he felt now. If Jim had lived ANY other kind of life, Kanjigar wouldn’t be nearly as distraught. The fact that Jim was a gumm-gumm. That every event was his fault or at least he took part of it. Every lie, every deceit, every painful back stab and bond of trust broken. That’s what made it the worst part. He truly was betrayer. Every detail. Fit far too perfectly into place. Every question now had the real answer. As painful as the truth is, it was better than a kind lie…….at least that’s what Kanjigar frantically repeated to himself…..hoping that he could convince himself of that…..he just….wanted Jim. He wanted his little family. He wanted to roar out at Jim. How could he betray them like this? Do this to them? They loved and trusted him, welcomed him into home with open arms. Now every little detail from the very first moment he met Jim made sense. A part of him really did want to just lock Jim in a cell somewhere far far deep deep down in some abyss, and just forget about him altogether. Try to pretend he never existed, move on to something else.

 

Jim had meant so much to him. This stung so badly he truly didn’t even know what to do with Jim. He was to die. He was a terrible cruel vile disgusting creature…….but he was Jim…….the happy loving sweet innocent half troll. The one who smiled and laughed, brightened up the room all the time. This was who he really was. Kanjigar wished that Jim truly was just the innocent creature he remembered. Now, his image is just tainted by the truth. It hurt so much to know that the Jim he loved…..never existed…..Draal said he DID exist! Jim did lie about a great many things….but…..there was more than enough truth in his life to understand him. The pain, the tears, the emotions, the needs, the cries for help, the wanting to simply be held and told everything would be alright. That all was real. If broken down to basic form, Jim really was a lonely scared abandoned child, raised to become something horrible, something no creature should become. He became that thing, or partially at least. Before the wretched taint consumed him fully, he was saved in a way. Saved by Kanjigar and Draal’s love. Kanjigar wished that the real Jim could be pulled out. Cleaned from the sin and disgust. The atrocities he committed. Be redeemed and reborn. He could stay forever. Be a part of the family. Walk the path of redemption. Stay by their sides and truly become something good. He did want to. He did have the potential. Now…….it was simply a matter of keeping him on the path. Keeping his head above the water, so he wouldn’t sink back down to the dark inky depths of his true nature…

 

Kanjigar felt the chain tug and Jim try to mumble something out. Kanjigar ignored him. He couldn’t even stand to look at Jim without having his heart be rebroken.  
“stop talking. No noise.” Jim thrashed harder and tried to mumble louder. Kanjigar let out a deep pained sigh and stopped. Without turning around he asked Draal what Jim wanted  
“he has to go to the bathroom”  
“fine. Make it quick. Go with him. Either you do it or I do.”  
“i will” they walked to the nearest restroom. Thankfully they walked on a forgotten old path, no one else around. Something Kanjigar had hopped. He didn’t want anyone else to witness this display. To see what Jim really was. It was almost like he was naked, and Kanjigar wanted to rush him somewhere private to get him dressed. Kanjigar gave the chain to Draal along with the key  
“make it fast.”  
“yes father”

 

Now Kanjigar leaned his back against a wall and waited. He tried to take his mind off of it, all of this, with ANYTHING else he could distract him with. Meditating. Eating something nice. Taking a nice hot bath. A nice nightly walk under the stars, the nice breeze, the little sounds and lights from the sleepy people in their homes across Arcadia. The noises and voices of trollmarket going about their business. No matter what though, the matter was just too large, too painful to even ignore for but a moment. Pushing it away hurt more than confronting it directly. Kanjigar heard the chains rattling. Another cold reminder of what was going on. Well, at least Jim stopped attempting to commit suicide….

 

When they first found out. Jim had a breakdown like he’s never had before. Jim was on his knees weeping. Everything finally laid bare, to be seen by all out in the world of truth. Kanjigar felt like he had to make a choice….one he couldn’t handle...he had to do what needed to be done….but….he couldn’t...so...he simply picked Jim up gently and carried Jim home, all the while, Jim curled and wept into Kanjigar. It wasn’t long after that, Jim made a dash for a blade and put it up to his neck. Kanjigar and Draal tried to talk him out of it. Nice and calmly. Jim managed to cut himself before being restrained and kept in his nest. Thankfully the cut wasn’t too large or damaging. Jim would be caught eyeing whatever sharp thing he could take to his neck. Draal and Kanjigar told him not to even considering anything. They had put every possible weapon, as well as makeshift ones, far away and someplace where Jim couldn’t get them. Then Jim stopped talking and eating. No longer looking anyone in the eye either. He went far too long without eating, at that point they had to force him to eat, just to avoid starvation. When Jim found out about his pregnancy, he confronted Draal about it. The first words spoken since it all began. Then Kanjigar was told. All this made things far more complicated. Well…..at least that now kept Jim from attempting suicide. He also made sure to eat enough.

 

They had to tell Vendel. He couldn’t have the truth withheld. Here they were now. After a few hours of talking, they had left the heartstone. The terrible choice though, had to be made. Feeding humans to Jim, or feeding Jim heartstone. One needed to be used to keep him alive. Vendel didn’t want this disgusting taint to even come into contact with their heartstone. So…..the only other option…..Kanjigar made sure to keep an eye on Jim...just….let him get it done and over with. Kanjigar wished he didn’t have to even learn of what Jim did. Hearing the sickening noises of consumption, just made everything far more unbearable. Jim had to do this, or else he would die. Kanjigar just wanted Jim to hurry up and finish. Get his energy back up and clean up. Everything just seemed to somehow get worse with each passing moment. In a small way….Kanjigar almost wished the sweet loving soft lie was still kept in place. The truth is far more painful than anything else could possibly be. It stung more than all the sunlight in the world.

 

Kanjigar couldn’t bear to hear Jim’s voice. It hurt too much to even hear a whisper. Especially his name being called out. So, the restraints and muzzle were needed for all purposes. Now, Jim just rested in his nest. Being kept out of all other places. Away from everyone and everything. Like some quarantine on patient zero. Not wanting to risk getting everyone else infected. Today, Kanjigar needed to bear far more pain that he COULD bear. He needed to though. It was a need. It was only a matter of time, so might as well get it over with….

 

…………………………………………………………………….

“Jim. I’m going to take the muzzle off. I don’t want to hear a single word from you. Not until I say so. Nod if you understand. Good. Not. A. Single. Word. Understand? Good.” Jim and Kanjigar now stood in the heroes forge. Kanjigar unshackling Jim and letting the chains fall to the ground with a heavy thud.  
“we’re going to the void so you can expla-”  
“b-”  
“NOT. A. WORD. We are going to the void. You will speak of your life to the rest of my kind. You will be judged by them. You will speak your heart out. Your truth. I don’t have to explain how awful this is going to be, for the both of us. My judgment and choices called into question, and as for you….well I have no need to explain. You will not be physically harmed. I can assure you. I do not want you to say anything sarcastic. No being a smartass. No jokes. No tricks. You hang your head in shame and speak when asked to. Understand? Good.” Kanjigar grabbed Jim’s arm, a little too roughly, and brought the two of them into the void. Jim yelled in pain. The now commonly known intense pain he felt, seemed to somehow feel….less painful than usual. Not from getting used to it, but simply by having far greater pains currently being dealt with. The physical pain seemed like almost nothing. Almost. The two entered the void and now awaited for the spirits to notice their presence. It didn’t take but a few moments though….

 

Spirits had already started to swarm around. The usual angry agitated aggressive bee hive style. One spirit hardly holding back their rage spoke out with nothing but pure spite  
“you have. Some nerve. Coming here.” Jim just grit his teeth and mumbled out  
“not like I wanted to come...” Kanjigar gripped Jim’s arm tighter, causing the poor half troll to wince  
“what did I just say?”  
“it’s true. I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”  
“you will do as you’re told.”  
“fine. Fine you want me to?! Then I will. Hey everyone, yeah, I’m Gunmar’s second son. Bular’s brother. Yeah I lied, yeah I said all that shit and everything in between all this time. Now I’m here because I have to apologize for what they did to all of you. So here. I’m sorry for them ruining your lives. There, happy? I want to leave.”  
“no. you will NOT. You think that is some sort of proper apology?!”

 

“what am I supposed to say?! ‘oh gee sorry my brother ran a sword through you’ or or or ‘hey, my dad killed you, oops my bad’ is THAT what I’m supposed to be saying?! I don’t know what to say! I DIDN’T DO ANY OF THAT! YOU THINK I HAD A CHOICE?! YOU THINK I SOMEHOW HAD ANY OPTION TO DO ANYTHING INVOLVING THEM AND THEIR CHOICES?! I WASN’T EVEN BORN YET! I WASN’T EVEN THOUGHT OF! Oh and of course when I WAS born, not exactly like I was STILL THOUGHT OF! My dad ruined my life as much as he did all of yours YEAH I SAID IT! No one asks for anything like this. You think I WANTED to be his son?! You think I WANTED to be born in the darklands?! You think I WANTED to be a gumm-gumm?! I didn’t ask for ANY OF THAT. I WAS NEVER ASKED IF I EVER WANTED TO EVEN BE BORN! You think I don’t feel endless pain daily?! You know all the shit I’ve had to deal with throughout my ENTIRE LIFE. YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE BORN INTO A FAMILY THAT DIDN’T CARE ABOUT ME?! YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE BORN A HALF TROLL?! YOU THINK I WANTED TO BE BORN AT ALL!? I WANT TO DIE. I WANT TO DIE ALRIGHT, I DON’T WANT TO LIVE ANY MORE THAN I HAVE TO.

 

THE ONLY REASON I HAVEN’T OFFED MYSELF IS BECAUSE 1 you took everything sharp and pointy away from me and 2 BECAUSE OF WHAT’S INSIDE OF ME. OKAY? I’M NOT GOING TO HAVE MY KID BE IN SOME MOTHERLESS PAINFUL LIFE GROWING UP ALONE WITHOUT BEING CARED AND LOVED FOR! Oh and I know for a fucking fact that my kid will be treated horribly. By everyone. Maybe because they’re my kid, maybe because they’re going to be half gumm-gumm. Maybe because they’re going to be a half troll. Maybe because they’ll be motherless. No matter what, my kid is going to already get the shit end of life from the second they’re born. I don’t want my kid to have to live my life. My mother didn’t want me to and that totally fucking turned out how it was suppose to. She had a shit luck childhood, so did I, and knowing my family luck, my kids going to have a rotten one too. Hell, maybe I’ll end up dying like my own mother. Then when my kid is born, they’re going to have to feel that pain. That dark deep pain that never goes away. Every day a little voice inside of them, constantly wishing they had a mother to love them, hold them, keep them close and tell them they actually matter to someone. That they aren't being ignored on purpose.

 

You already know I was raised in a cold, dark, horrible, lifeless landscape. You already know I was ignored. Left alone. Kept away. You already know I had no one but my mentors and even they were just doing their job. They didn’t even care about me. Just wanted to keep me alive so they wouldn’t risk their own necks. I was only raised to be like my brother and father. I was the second son. The second prince of evil. You don’t know what it’s like to be next to them. To constantly be in their cold shadows. What exactly do you think everyone treated me like? Huh? Kindly like royalty? With respect? With affection? no. none of that. The only reason why anyone tolerated me was because I was Gunmar’s child. I can’t even count how many times everyone just called me the second son. The mistake. The little abomination that was somehow born. The fucked up mistake. How many times do you think everyone took one look at me and felt disgust? I’m Gunmars son. I should be like Bular, everyone always doubted me. Said how pathetic and weak I was. Hell, it was true. Not even my father and brother wanted anything to do with me. What do you think it felt like to be alone in a dark cold room where your only friends, the only ones who actually want to spend time with you, be with you just because they wanted to, not because they had to, where the people I made up in my head. I pretended to have a mother, I pretended to have friends and visitors and people who loved me and actually wanted to hold me.

 

Gunmar was by far not a loving dad, and not even because he’s a gumm-gumm, simply because he’s a shit father. All I ever wanted to do was have others see me with respect, not because of being his son, but for being Jim. Everyone saw Bular and knew who he was first, without even needing to remember who he was the son of. It was always opposite of me. They only saw me with that title, not even knowing what my name was. I only ever wanted to make my dad proud, that he might actually look at me for more than 10 seconds. The only one’s I ever saw on a daily bases were my mentors, and my guards. Oh and do you honestly know how sweet, talkative, wonderful, caring a gumm-gumm guard is? Cause I sure the fuck do. Maybe when I was older I didn’t constantly fuck every guard I saw because I wanted to have some sort of affection and attention from another male in my life. Somehow fill the endless loveless void in me. I just wanted to be touched, to show how useful I actually am. Is it so wrong to want someone to make you feel good? Give you attention? Give you some sort of affection? Help you feel good about yourself? I’ve had nothing but a shitty life from day one of my birth. The only happiness I feel is the occasional up and down here and there. You were the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And like with everything. I fucked up. Now It’s just another thing I ruined. I’m just some unloving monster who doesn’t deserved to be loved. Well. I know what I’m doing with my life. I’m going to give my child every second of my life that I can. I won’t die until I see my child be happy. I won’t abandon my kid. I won’t go to the gates of hell until I know my kid is happy and that I can do everything in my power to make sure they’re happy. All I care about is their happiness. All I want to do is to give them the love and attention I NEVER GOT AS A KID. I refuse to let them be raised in an unhappy childhood. I don’t care what cost I have to pay, just to make sure they can feel good about themselves.

 

There. Is that what you wanted to hear? Because I feel like throwing up again and I really. Really. Hate this fucking sickness. But I’m going to take it. I’m going to bear every single tiny sting of pain that I have to just for my child. I don’t care how painful this entire pregnancy is. I won’t let my child go. I won’t let my body fail to hold on. This is my one and only child and I’m going to love them so much. So I really need to either have a bucket, or walk over to the edge and hurl my guts up over it. Either way I’m about to barf and my throat really hurts.” Jim walked over to the edge, fell to his knees and proceeded to feel the illness plague him once more. After a few minutes of intense pain, groaning, headache, more vomit, and soreness, Jim came back over to Kanjigars side, the ghosts seeming to be waiting patiently for their conversation to continue which was…..odd…..now that Jim thinks about it….no one even said a word when he left...or moved even.

“okay. I’m back from puking my guts out. Ugh. God. No health class ever taught me it was going to be this painful. Then again….they were humans not trolls...or...half trolls for that matter. Highly doubt anyone knows what having a kid with a troll is like. So that makes sense I guess. Man I have a nasty headache. Okay, I’m good to talk for the next minute or at least until my stomach tells me not to. I’ve no doubt anyone here has questions. After all, out of every single individual here, I’m the only one that knows the actual inside gumm-gumm agenda. Even if I’m usually not told anything directly, that still doesn’t mean anyone is allowed to withhold information from me. One of the perks of being Gunmar’s son I guess. So who want’s to know what? Bular’s favorite color? Gunmar’s favorite past time? That Bular sleeps on his stomach like a cat? That he’s also illiterate? Although he does like looking at pictures in books. I have this one book he ‘borrowed’ from me years ago that he has yet to return. Honestly, his room is an absolute mess. I mean, I always say I’m more than willing to clean his mess of a room up but he just says he likes where everything is. He knows where everything is at, at all times. Yet somehow he always looses what he needs when he needs it. At least he keeps his weapon and pelt collection in order...somewhat…………….why is everyone so quiet? Is this part of my punishment? The silent treatment? Well whatever. Fine. Not like I can’t go any longer in silence anyways. You start to loose your mind when it’s too quiet”

 

Jim let out a heavy breath and closed his eyes and….waited…..for…….something…..anything. He just kept his eyes closed and waited…...it was a weirdly….long time of silence. Jim just hung his head down and waited….more….and more…..finally the only thing he heard was the slight sound of footprints coming over to him. Jim was gently pulled into a hug by Kanjigar. Jim just didn’t care about holding onto his emotions anymore. He gave up a long time ago. Now his tears just ran down his face in silence. Everything hurt so much that at this point nothing mattered. He didn’t even have the energy to fully cry out anymore.  
“Jim. This is exactly what you were supposed to do. You spoke of yourself exactly as how you are. I don’t want you to become another monster. I’m happy I caught you when I did. I can help you overcome this. You will be redeemed. But you need to no longer hold anything back. No secrets. If we’re to trust you. Keep you with us. You need to be absolutely honest. No secrets. No hidden agendas. No sneaking behind anyone’s backs.”  
“i….promise…..i already gave what else I had up. I don’t have anything else to do now. If you want me…..i want to stay…..”  
“i want you to stay. I just need to make sure you won’t ever betray me again. Betray anyone. I believe you. I know your pain, I’ve helped you. I still want to help you. You are so much better than….they...are. I want you in my life. I want you to stay. It hurts so horribly that you’ve truly been keeping this secret the entire time. I’m just….afraid you’re going to lie again. That this is just some...facade to hide something else. I believe your pain, who you are. But...you must understand.”  
“i do. I totally get it. I promise that I’m going to be nothing but honest. I just…..i just want someplace where I belong”  
“and you have it here. As long as there is only truth.”  
“i promise”  
“promise on your love for Draal. For me. For trollmarket”  
“for Draal. that’s easy. For you, that’s easy. For trollmarket….they don’t exactly enjoy me around. At least in the darklands no one spits at me or calls me names. Worse thing anyone there does is beg me not to kill them, or worse, throw them to my dads mercy. You have no idea how much they fear me. Kinda sucks. But funny sometimes. Like, sometimes I’ll sneak up on a patrol of guards or something and then jump out and yell BOO! They jump so hard, mostly because they get startled and try to attack me, then stop just as suddenly and beg me for forgiveness. For daring to make an attempt to assault me”

 

Kanjigar smiled. That was the real Jim. The Jim he loves and knows.  
“Jim. From now on. If you want to be trusted. To be loved. To be apart of this family. You need to do exactly as I say. You need to speak only truth. Understand?”  
“yes…...my trollhunter…..is that okay to saw again?”  
“perhaps.” Kanjigar let go of Jim and looked him in the eye, hands on shoulder  
“i want you to answer my questions. To the best of your abilities. This will show if you truly, truly wish to be in our lives. What are your fathers plans? What do you know?”  
“well...it’s what you already know of. he’s trying to get out”  
“how close is he?”  
“in all honestly, no one knows. we’re always looking for every scrap of info on breaking him free. No one knows anything. So, he could be freed anytime between tomorrow, or whoever knows how long”  
“alright. Is there any possible way to foretell?”  
“like I said. no. no one knows when they will discover some way to release him”  
“are there any changelings?”  
“yes”  
“how many?”  
“i honestly don’t know the number. Only that it’s no where near as many as there used to be…..but….listen…..i really really need you to listen. I don’t know about every changeling…..but I’ve met plenty who were good good people. They just have to do a job. Some of them don’t like it, but they don’t hate it either. they’re forced to do so, if they fail or just don’t, then they’re hunted down and killed. Removed from society altogether. There are a lot of good ones, just regular ones who just want to live happily and get by in life. They want to live a normal happy life like anyone else. Please. don’t kill them. At least not the good ones. If they didn’t have to do their job, then they would just live quietly among everyone, just….wanting to live….is that so wrong?”  
“i….this….gives me something to think about”  
“they didn’t ask to be made, it was forced onto them.”  
“i will note that. How many polymorphs are there?”  
“honestly, I don’t know, I only know one who was stationed in Arcadia, but he moved. I didn’t have control over it. There is almost nothing I have control over. I can do some things, say orders, but everyone else works for my dad, even Bular can’t order certain individuals around. I don’t know the individuals. it’s just a fact I know”  
“is Arrrg still working with Gunmar?”  
“yes. he’s the top hound. he’s also my mentor. Well, one of them. He’s mates with Blinky, my dad’s adviser….he….he loves me, they both do. They raised me more than anyone else. At first Blinky just saw me as a job, it wasn’t until I was older that he actually started to love me. Same with Arrrg”  
“how many changelings are in Arcadia?”  
“i honestly don’t know the number. There are a couple I know...but….it’s like asking you if you know how many krubera live in trollmarket. How many garden and river trolls. How many quagawamps”  
“understood. Where do you get your powers from? Why do you glow?”  
“my blood. I’ve got the blood of Gunmar. Bular doesn’t, but I do. My blood is as mysterious as it comes. I don’t know how it works, why I have it, why it acts the way it does. I don’t fully have grasp over my own powers. I don’t think dad even fully understands, or if he does, he hasn’t told me yet. Maybe one of those ‘you aren’t ready to learn’ kind of things”  
“how does it work?”  
“well...i...kinda just do it. it’s like flexing a muscle. I turn it on and off like a light switch. When it’s on, I just…..glow….i feel stronger, faster, better reflexes, that sort of thing. Then after, I feel really tired and sometimes emotional. It really really drains me. For some weird reason, I can sorta….override things. Magic affects half trolls differently, plus my blood is pretty strange and unique too, so those two combined make very….strange results. Like, that’s how I can enter here….i think….it’s my blood, it’s just a weird...makeshift key I guess? But it’s sending me to a place where only trollhunters go. I guess the void is like trying to keep anything living out that isn’t the current trollhunter, but it isn’t sure how to treat me, so it tries to purge me for a split moment but always fails….at least that’s what I think of it”  
“would make sense I suppose. Evidence is there. How do you know things before they happen?”  
“the book of Ga-Huel. Yeah I’ve seen that shocked expression plenty of times”  
“where did you find it?”  
“under a rock”  
“Jim.”  
“no I mean it. I LITERALLY found it under a rock. Weird right? The changelings helped me track it down in like….i honestly don’t know. Somewhere in America. I took a gyre to find it. Oh god I HATE those things”

 

“I’m not fond of them either. So the book, continues to read the future?”  
“yes and no. it doesn’t show pictures anymore, well, not really. But I can force it to work. My blood. I sorta force it forward and get answers from it. it’s a sentient book. It talks to me, gives me answers”  
“i want you to show this to me later”  
“Alright. it’s always vague though, since the future isn’t always set in stone”  
“understood. What are Bular’s plans?”  
“oh yeah fucking right like he ever plans anything HAHAH! Oh uh...i mean….believe it or not, but he’s a big dumb brute. He eats and fights. He doesn’t plan ahead really. He let’s others do it for him. He just goes out into the world, kills fights and eats whenever he wants. Then comes home”  
“how does he travel? There are no doorways anywhere near here”  
“i….uh….”  
“Jim. Be truthful.”  
“well, fuck it why not. Already betrayed my family technically. Well we have your amulet”  
“pardon?”  
“okay...so...” Jim reached into his pocket and pulled out his amulet  
“see? So this is your amulet...ish….kinda the gumm-gumm version. See, the gumm-gumm’s have studied the amulet for years. Trying to find out how it works, why it works, when it works, that sort of thing. So they do a lot of tests, or did, I’m not sure if they’re still working on various tests. So, the only thing close they got to it was this. They crafted their own. Created from the darkest, most powerful parts of the darklands. They have unlimited energy in them. We just turn it until the gumm-gumm face glows, and poof. We return home. I mean that literally. It’s instantly. So we go back and forth whenever we feel like it. don’t worry, only two were ever created. Mine and Bular’s. They are specifically crafted to ONLY work for US. So I can’t use Bular’s, and vice versa”  
“does your father have any plans to make a move, any army, any patrol, anything?”  
“like….recently?”  
“yes”  
“not that I know of. I never am told anything like that”  
“hm. Alright”  
“oh, want to see my blade up close?” Jim summoned his blade into his hand, his arm glowing and materializing the blade just like his father  
“it’s bound to me and only me. It can never harm me at all, no matter where it is or in what state, I can always just summon it at will. Holy hell did it HURT. So I did this ritual thingy and wooooooow it hurt SO BADLY. Anyways in short, I have a sword! My own mini version of dad’s sword”

 

“Jim. I don’t blame you if you can’t answer this right now. But….are you willing to betray your brother and father?”  
“kinda already did”  
“i meant….are you willing to let them die?”  
“oh…..oh…..uh….”  
“like I said. I don’t blame you if you can’t answer that”  
“okay thanks I….really don’t know how to answer it”  
“are you willing to aid me in finding the way to slay your father?”  
“oh uh…..no”  
“i understand”  
“no I mean….you can’t”  
“why not?”  
“because you can’t, you don’t have the capability to do so”  
“i know what the stones are. I simply need to locate them. Do you know how to kill your father?”  
“yes I do and you can’t locate them because I already did”  
“….what?”  
“way back when….i…well...uh….i just....wanted dad to be proud of me...so….i went out and found the stones on my own...i wanted to be the only one to kill him...so….he would be proud that I sought it out to protect him”  
“that...makes sense”  
“see this? This is my dad’s eye. it’s not just some random crystal eye. it’s his eye”  
“well...i will not tear it from your skull”  
“also I already ate the birthstone and carved the kill stone”  
“You….ate the birthstone?!”  
“yeah. It is heartstone. So I ate it”  
“hm…..ate it….so….”  
“i now am the only weapon to kill him. I am all three stones now”  
“then no one else has the ability to slay your father….”

 

“what’s it like to consume heartstone?” Jim and Kanjigar turned to look at a spirit orb as it asked that. Another scoffed  
“do not interrupt! And who cares?!”  
“I’m curious! it’s not like anyone else can! Only he and Gunmar can! I want to know what it’s like!” Jim giggled a bit at that  
“well it’s….amazing...like woooow….so I just kinda focus on it...then I find this mental tug and pull on it...then I keep pulling and it just starts to drain into me and WOW WHAT A RUSH! I mean like HOLY SHIT IT FEELS AMMAAAZZZIIINNNGGG! You feel so invincible, so incredible. You get this massive high from it and honestly, it feels better than eating humans. You just have this massive burst of energy rolling through you. Like some ultra power up. Then I get like..better at everything, but like x10. Buuuut it doesn’t last long, well unless I eat a lot in one sitting. No matter what though, it always ends. With dad he can keep the energy, me, it just comes and goes. It makes my blood stronger each time, but most of the energy fades away. And wow. It HURTS. I get this huuuuge sore backlash. Then my emotions are way off the charts. I breakdown and have an existential crisis. You know, the whole ‘why are we here what purpose do we have do we even matter since we’re all just drifting dust in the cosmos. Who can say who lives and dies. Who’s right and wrong? Does anything truly matter? Do we just project what we know out onto the world because it makes us feel more secure that we know things or think we do, or do we truly have some minor grasp on something we will never fully understand’ you know, that sort of thing. Then everything gets better and I get normal again. Although, weirdly I always glowed blue. Then I ate a shiiiiittttt ton of heartstone in one sitting, also consuming some of my dads own, yeah there is some of his own in the darklands, and then I just….changed.

 

Oh and his birthstone was the weirdest fucking thing. It was just…..alive….like….i could physically feel the hate, the carnage, the blood lust, the very corruption of the war against humans in it. Like this giant storm, so tightly tucked into something so small, well small as in the entire heartstone itself. It seemed to notice me, notice my blood...maybe it thought I was my dad….well either way, it started to...force itself into me….i wasn’t consuming it, it was...consuming me? Like, returning to me? I don’t know how to explain it really. But yeah, I suddenly felt the entire war in me. The emotions, the actions, the thoughts of it all. Literally the creation and corruption of the heartstone itself. It was…..like….something I could never even explain….it was like I was living in four different worlds at the same time. This one. The side of Gunmar’s birth. Then each side of the war, troll and human. All of the emotions and ideas and well...everything that made the war...well...the war. A physical manifestation of a concept….it’s…...Gunmar is a literal manifestation of it. He isn’t a troll. He is a walking physical war. You can’t kill something that was never technically alive, hence why he’s never been killed, or harmed really. I felt it….the connection. Well now I’m just repeating myself but...i started to actually THINK like it. I started having these overwhelming urges to just….go out and kill every human in sight. Kill and eat them all. I didn’t even see Toby anymore. I just….saw some human I once thought I knew. When someone else suffered….it made me...happy. It just felt like such a strange mindset. Everything completely shifted into something else. Like I wasn’t Jim anymore, I was just some minor manifestation, just like the birthstone was a simple shard to the heartstone. You know the whole ‘you won’t know someone until you walk a mile in their shoes?’ well I literally did for my dad. I was him. I’m sorry, I really don’t know how else to describe it. it’s the best as I can. I really help that hopes”

 

“eh”

 

“well, that’s...an answer at least” Jim turned back to Kanjigar as he asked  
“Jim, you said you’ve practiced magic before”  
“yeah, or I’ve tried. Still kinda isn’t working, at least, it’s on the fritz, like I said, cause half troll. I don’t know if magic itself would work on me if it wasn’t for my blood”  
“what kind of magic have you practiced?”  
“oh uh….”  
“be honest”  
“dark magic. I’ve literally been trying to learn how to become a necromancer….raise the dead I mean. Try to make an ultimate gumm-gumm army. Able to march endlessly without fear. Even if they die, they’d just come back to fight again”  
“I’m….feeling a bit...relieved that isn’t happening….no one else is attempting this feat...right?”  
“not that I know of”  
“that puts my mind at ease….if ever slightly. Then again, you typically are the only one creative enough to think about those kinds of things”  
“thanks”  
“i don’t want you participating in dark magic anymore. I fear something horrible might happen. Dark magic isn’t simple or safe. You risk everything. It always takes a toll, has it’s price.”  
“i know that don’t worry I do. But my blood, overrides the cost….in a way. So I can sorta cut corners, have some slight wiggle room, bend the rules a little bit to fit my needs”  
“that doesn’t put me at ease. I want you to stop anyways”  
“Aww put I want my own undead army”  
“Jim”  
“okay I promise. No dark magic for me…..unless something REALLY neat comes up-”  
“jim”  
“I’m kidding! I’m kidding”

 

The spirit of Deya formed and walked towards the two, an expression of mixed confusion on her face. Jim suddenly felt very shy, he looked away and even tried to stand behind Kanjigar a bit  
“Jim”  
“hi...Deya...”  
“i truly do have great affection towards you. You remind me so much of my Angus. But you’ve heard me speak that plenty of times.”  
“yeah….bet….Angus wasn’t a dark prince of the most evil thing to exist huh?...ha….ha”  
“no. he wasn’t.”  
“i suppose it is….understandable as to why your reasons where to hide these things. That doesn’t make them good, or even entirely forgivable”  
“yeah….i don’t even think anyone’s going to fully forgive me, and that’s at most”  
“i highly doubt they will. Jim, you’ve-well. Kanjigar has already explained. Do you have anything else to say? Anymore cruel secrets to share? Made bare for all to know”  
“no….that’s everything. If you have questions….i can answer them….I’m…..sorry Bular killed you...and...whoever took Angus away from you….if I could stop it...i would have...he didn’t deserve to die….you didn’t either”  
“your brother and father have taken the lives of almost everyone here. Although I’m sure you know that well enough”  
“yeah….Bular would always boast about it when we ate together...uh...no offense….”  
“i don’t know what to make of that”  
“he would paint a lot, usually of his kills”  
“paint?”  
“oh yeah! he’s actually an amazing painter! You should see his stu-never mind….uh….yeah he paints and is really good at it...he...only ever paints in blood….but still….he even made me presents...”  
“hm”

 

Jim took a deep and shaky breath  
“I don’t know what you want me to say. I just...said everything...i don’t know what else I can do. That’s my entire life. I never did lie about anything when I explained it either….”  
“no matter what, you should never have been ignored and treated like that. Even if you are what you are. Are you truly willing to change? To be a good person?”  
“yeah. I really do. I just…..i just want to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. I just want to be somewhere where I can belong. Where I’m treated kindly. I just….want to live without pain...for at least a day...just….nothing to think about. Nothing to be conflicted over….”  
“asking for a happy and painless life truly isn’t something to scoff at”  
“i don’t care about being famous or ruling over everyone. I just want to keep people happy, safe, protected. I want everyone to get along. When dad does-did take over. My kingdom was going to be a safehaven for everyone. Trolls, humans, half trolls, changelings, everyone. I wanted to keep everyone together, everyone say and loved and happy. Finally help all lives…..at least as many as I can….I’m the only one who wants that...Bular and dad just wants to kill, eat, and enslave everyone. I don’t want slaves. I just….well like I said. I’m the only one who wanted to keep everyone together. After dad took over, the changelings were going to be put to death. They served their purpose. Why keep them around? But I wanted to. Like I said earlier, there are plenty of good ones. Ones that just want to get by and live life. Those are the ones I was going to save. Same with humans, trolls, and half trolls. I especially want to save the half trolls. Finally have a place where we can live together, belong together. No longer be freaks, just….have one another. The first time in all of history where we’d finally be gathered. Have our own lives, not just be some type of tag along”

 

“that truly does sound noble. Is that all you’ve wanted? You don’t want to lord over others, put them to death, slaughter and have your endless gumm-gumm blood thirst sated?”  
“no, I’m not Bular or my dad. Yes I do really really like killing, but only things that can actually fight back. The only time I take pleasure in killing people is when I’m killing bad people. People that hurt and hate others simply because they’re different. Greedy terrible people that take advantage of others simply for their own gain”  
“all of us here have known more than enough of those kinds of humans”  
“exactly! And I want them to die!….well….you know what I mean….so, killing a strong opponent like some giant monster or troll or something, that’s the only time I feel like that. I don’t like to hurt innocent things, things that can’t defend themselves. I don’t torment humans and others like all the others….i guess that’s my human side. I just never cared for it. I’m thankful for it….i don’t want to be like my brother….the only thing that I’ve wanted to be like him ,was just...being strong. Being someone who others respected, feared, admired. To make my dad proud of me. Not being some weak link in the chain. Not some weak small disappointment to everyone”  
“hm. Then, I suppose, when it all comes down to it. All you are is a half troll wanting to make others happy, keep others safe, cleanse the world of the wretched, and make your family proud. That in itself doesn’t seem bad. However it’s how you go about doing it, and what you are, that make this so…..terrible. I for one, vote for your redemption. I know you have It in you. I trust Kanjigars choices. I will withhold my own judgment for you. I wish to truly witness if you will become the just and kind person you wish to be. You promise to be”

 

Jim smiled  
“thanks Deya….I’m...surprised no one else is all against it and stuff”  
“We’ve heard you. We debate. That as well as this” Deya pointed to Jim’s stomach  
“you cannot be given a proper punishment while carrying a child. You truly wish to be a good mother, truly wish to care for it. We do not wish to harm the child as long as you are carrying it, and then after. It is not the child’s fault for it’s mothers….choices. Just like your choices and what you are, never was your fault….in the sense that fate forced this upon you. Perhaps if you had been born different, elsewhere, you would never have committed such atrocities. I will watch, just like the rest of us” Jim nodded to that silently. He turned his head to Kanjigat and said in a pleading manner  
“I’m….feeling kinda queasy and tired….can...i go sleep? Please?”   
“yes. If you feel ill I will not stop you from resting. I will return here once more at a later date. Come. Let us return to the living world once more”

…………………………………………………………………………….

 

“do you want another pillow? A blanket? I could fetch the heating pad” Draal smiled kindly as he gently rubbed Jim’s back  
“I’m fine big guy, really” Jim put his hand on Draal’s lovingly  
“do you want me to fetch you water? Something to soothe your stomach? I could bring you more ginger”  
“thanks but I don’t like the actual root to chew on”  
“i thought it was healthy for humans”  
“yeah but not eating it directly” Jim laughed sweetly for the kindness of his mate. The two sat in the nest in their home.  
“I’m...sorry our kid is going to be half gumm-gumm”  
“I do not care what our child will be. I will love them none the less. Although….i would prefer a son….and a full troll...do you think you could make it?” Jim laughed loudly at that  
“Draal I don’t have any control over my body! But I guess I’ll work on it, maybe if I think about it really hard my body might understand what I want” Draal held Jim into his chest and tucked his head under his chin. Then started to gently rub Jim’s chest and stomach  
“our whelp, truly won’t take long to get here”  
“unless it’s a full troll, then it would take a lot longer”  
“i truly enjoy the images of our family together, enjoying life. Our child’s first steps. Our child’s first battle cry” Jim laughed loudly at that  
“guess those two go hand in hand huh? Guess for me, I can’t wait for our kid to say their first word. Think it’s gonna be mama or dada?”  
“hmm, I like to imagine its more of ‘i crave the blood of my enemies’”  
“well, now that seems like an easy first word”  
“my thoughts exactly. To think, our child’s inside you right now, growing, becoming something”  
“still weird to think that something else is inside of me. Geez I hate that we can’t be rough and tumble with sex now”  
“i feel the same. Well, we shall simply be more careful….and you still have your throat…..”  
“mmmhhhmmm”  
“I’m grateful you enjoy it that much”  
“what can I say, it’s just fun to have a big mouthful and you’re truly satisfying”  
“i suppose if I wasn’t we wouldn’t be having a child right now”  
“ooohhh yeah, I would have left you a loooong time ago if you weren’t a total stud like you are~”  
“mhm, glad I know how to work your body well…..” Draal made a sad little sigh  
“hey I was joking about leaving you”  
“no I assumed that I’m just a bit...saddened”  
“about what?”  
“we aren’t to have any more after this….i mean, I am very grateful to have a child! I just always imagined myself with a large amount of spawn”  
“I’m sorry big guy, if I could, I would let you knock me up as many times as you want”  
“mhh~ imagining myself breeding you repetitively is very….alluring”  
“Well, we can at least imagine it. So, want to put a few more kids in me~?”  
“i would love nothing more….I’ll try to be gentle with my knot”  
“So sad you have to be” the two chuckled a bit and kissed, then became frisky~

………………………………………………………………………………..

The next morning Jim was brought to a strange pond. Far away from the usual trollmarket baths and civilization.  
“So...why am I here?”  
“to purify yourself. This is the first step towards redemption.”  
“wait. Wasn’t my first step me admitting to everything and then telling you information and then promising to aid you in every way?”  
“alright. Then I suppose this is your second step”  
“how many steps is there anyways?”  
“hundreds. It will take the rest of your life to travel on this road”  
“huh….well….one step at a time, baby steps, and all that”  
“yes. Now, undress yourself until you are bare to the world, back to your natural state”  
“get naked, got it” with that, Jim undressed until he was totally naked.  
“alright, now what?”  
“enter the pond. It is a sacred one, used to purify those who require it. Wash your sin and actions away, clean your slate and start your new life”  
“so….it’s just a pond?”  
“more than that. It has healing properties as well. The sacred glow shows itself once entered. Observe” Kanjigar tossed in a rock, suddenly the pool glowed blue  
“uh….hey….big guy...sorry to ruin your whole magic thing but….that’s just bio luminescence algae. It’s kinda common on the surface world”  
“……….ah. Still, the pond is sacred. Now bathe yourself in it”  
“i don’t have soap or anything”  
“just soak yourself in it”  
“wel-”  
“JUST. GET. INTO. IT. NOW SIT IN THE POND AND SOAK YOURSELF”  
“OKAY! Okay...sorry….” Jim did as he was...’requested’ to do. The pond was….clear….and….oddly clean...far cleaner than anything else Jim’s ever encountered in trollmarket. The edges of the pond were covered in soft moist moss clumps. Little reeds and pond flowers littered the pond here and there. The water smelled so….fresh. He cupped some of it into his hands, looking at the soft blue glow of it, then let it all drain out from between his opened up fingers. He splashed himself over with the ‘sacred pool’ making sure every inch of him had a nice soak to it.  
“alright, nice and clean!”  
“good. Now again”  
“okay….i mean...you can only get so wet”  
“Jim just do it” so, another round of water rubbing and splashing. Then a third was commanded. And a fourth. On the fifth, Kanjigar came over and dropped a decent sized chunk of heartstone into it, summoning his sword and mixing the water, stirring up the glow. The warm orange mixed with the bright blue glow seemed to create this….unique color...unlike anything else. It was like a sparkling gold that shimmered into purples and hues or reds even. It almost seemed like a liquid version of aurora borealis.  
“now. Drink from you hands”  
“okay” Jim cupped a big handful and held it up to his face, somewhat mesmerized by the colors. He drank the crisp clean water and it felt….strange. It almost felt like some sort of strong cleaning agent, melting off all the gunk, grime, filth, and mold from Jim’s form. His body seemed to breathe easier, feel lighter, think more focused. He felt like his body had been covered and weighed down by some kind of mold, and this was finally cleaning it off. He could finally live as he was supposed to.

 

“now bathe yourself once more” Jim nodded and did so, feeling like this intense weight was being let go of. An immense pressure finally letting up. He sighed peacefully and calmly. He felt healthy, like he finally recovered from an illness  
“how do you feel?”  
“i feel...amazing...so…...clean...soft...alive….healthy”  
“Good. This is your first step for your body and mind to change. We cannot change your gumm-gumm nature. But we can help you change it”  
“uh….that….didn’t make sense”  
“the negitive side to your nature, we can alter it to lessen and perhaps even be gone. We cannot change that you are a gumm-gumm, but we can help eliminate all the horrible needs your nature craves. No more pain and reliants on violence and consumption of others”  
“then I need to eat heartstone”  
“this will aid you. You will feed on only heartstone from here on out. When you feel ill, come here, bathe yourself once more, and you will feel healed once more. When you do this, each time, your body will accept it, recover more, cleanse itself entirely. Eventually your need to consume will greatly lessen, with all the proper health benefits as well”  
“like….a healthy diet?”  
“in a way”  
“how do you know all this?”  
“in the very beginning of the troll wars, when everyone took sides, some trolls had invented ways to aid themselves to forgo their need to consume when unable to be near heartstone for long periods of times. This is one of them”  
“well...it….works wonderfully”  
“Good. Very good to hear this”  
“i can get used to this nooo problem. If this helps me stop eating people, then I’m more than willing to do so”  
“good. Wonderful to hear. Bathe more, a nice good soak, drink deeply, and you will feel far more refreshed, a body cleanse in the most intense ways” Jim nodded and continued to do as he was doing. This truly was one of the many life changing moments he will live through….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the present time….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Jim stretched and woke up, ‘accidentally’ hitting Toby in the face  
“oops!”  
“HEY!”  
“what? Was an accident!”  
“accident my ass half troll!” the two laughed before Toby threw a pillow at Jim’s head  
“dumb half troll”  
“hey! don’t talk to your boyfriend like that!”  
“oh, suddenly we’re dating? I have yet to see even a SINGLE rose from you! And here I thought you cared about romancing me”  
“aww, don’t be like that stud muffin! Alright, how about we get breakfast burritos. Get up, get ready for the day, head on up top and scarf down hell itself in food form”  
“that sounds wonderful. FINALLY you’re treating me more than just a piece of meat”

The two got up and prepared to take on the day! It went rather well too! Nothing out of the ordinary, just regular everyday boring things. Went to college, did classes, did stuff with friends, and various other mundane things that somehow felt like a vacation from the chaos of their lives. As the sun was setting the two went back home and relaxed a bit. Bular had privately asked Toby if they could spend time together, privately. Bular felt a little….embarrassed….he was asking for help, which was something he didn’t enjoy doing but was willing to do so since it involved his brother, AND it was something he didn’t fully feel comfortable asking around Jim. In a way, he wanted to be a surprise improvement he made. Toby said sure! It would only be a couple hours before bedtime anyways. Before the two left to go have some private one on one time, Toby asked Jim to head back up top. Toby had forgotten to give Claire something, so Jim happily returned it. Plus, spending a little time with Claire was something Jim hadn’t done in a while, he looked forward to it.

 

 

Jim was welcomed warmly into the home and hugged by Claire. The two of them spent time in the living room, watching TV and laughing about things. Jim was scarfing down some good old guac and chips. He moaned through a mouthful  
“mmmhhh sooo gooooood”  
“thanks”  
“even more than last time too! This thing is like a fishbowl!”  
“well you aren’t exactly a small eater”  
“oops...uh...sorry I eat so much”  
“nah it’s fine, besides, I love that our food doesn’t go to waste. Our own friendly garbage disposal” Jim really did eat a lot of leftovers they had. Before they threw anything out, they always asked Jim if he’d want to eat it, which he always did! Not a single piece of food wasted. Claire’s parents walked around the house getting ready to leave somewhere. Jim noticed some reelection things here and there and decided to comment on it  
“so, running again huh?”  
“yes, although I don’t think it will be as….similar as before”  
“yeah not many people happy on all the stuff going on, and blaming you...uh no offense”  
“none taken. Yes that is factual. But I don’t let that deter me from doing what’s right”  
“that’s the spirit!”  
“so do I happen to have your vote?”  
“oh uh...no”  
“oh is that so? I’d think you’d want to help your best friend’s mother out”  
“mom. Stop.”  
“no it’s alright Claire. it’s nothing to do with politics, I mean I CAN’T vote for you. Not a human, not legally allowed”  
“ah, that’s right. Shame, well having your support, even morally, is always appreciated”  
“thanks, I appreciate your appreciation! i promise, if i could i would for you, you're doing a great job. I’m not sucking up or anything, but i honestly don't blame you for all the...recent troubles. and well, yeah. you're just one person, you can only do so much, you're literally doing everything you can. people shouldn’t just expect you to go out on your own and catch whatever is out there, my bet is it’s like a mountain lion or something, or a bear. Wait are those even around here? well anyways, it is scary, I’m not saying its not, but you're doing so amazing. Honestly you're such a strong woman, from all the critics and shouting and bad mouthing, none i do of course, i would have a total break down. But my emotions are....well we all know how extreme they can get. well anyways, it doesn’t matter but i just wanted to say thanks for all the work"  
“your kind words really do lift my spirits. Don’t get many kind comments nowadays”  
“OH I JUST REALIZED SOMETHING! Wow. Tonight is literally the night I came over and ate dinner”  
“well you are eating our food”  
“noo I meant the FIRST TIME I ever did! Wow, like 7 years ago. Wow how thing’s have changed. Ugh so cringy to think about that night. Man I was a wreak, sorry about that”  
“it’s fine, no harm done. Has it really been that long? How time flies” Claire’s father entered the room holding the sweet baby boy in his arms, looking innocent as can be. Jim gave him a smile  
“aww, he gets cuter every time”  
“i hope you’re talking about me. Alright Claire, we’re leaving now”  
“oh wait, before you go. I have a confession I have to make. I want all of you to listen. It’s pretty important” Jim took a deep breath and closed his eyes

 

“I’ve been hiding something that….is kinda life changing. It has to do with me and what I’ve been doing that affects your lives. I can’t take it anymore, hiding this from all of you. you’re all too kind for me to keep lying to you. I….never thought I’d ever admit this...but…..I’m madly in love with Claire” The three broke out laughing, Jim couldn’t help but smile along  
“What!? I do! I’m straight and I’ve just been pretending to be into guys to get your trust!” Claire threw a pillow at him  
“wow, maybe in some alternate timeline”  
“what! We should be together! Come on! Me and you! Imagine the kids we can have!” Claire’s phone buzzed after the little laughing fit. Her joy soon turned to shock and worry  
“what’s wrong Claire?”  
“nonnonoon. Tonight’s the concert!”  
“ohh fun!” Claire’s mother was putting a jacket on and turned to her  
“well, you’re supposed to be babysitting your brother tonight, you promised remember?”  
“i didn’t realize TONIGHT was the concert!”  
“Well, you’ll just have to go next time”  
“this is the last one they’re doing until next year! If not longer! Please mom!”  
“no Claire. We already made an arrangement and we can’t just back out now”  
“why not just take him with you?”  
“it’s not child appropriate. Trying to talk to others and keep my image from falling apart, at least worsen, isn’t going to happen if I have to have a crying child in my arms the entire time, along with your fathers”  
“the tickets aren’t refundable! They cost a LOT too!”  
“well I’m sorry Claire, you can’t go”

 

Jim smiled and spoke up  
“i can babysit” the family gave Jim a questioning glance all at once.  
“Jim, watching a baby isn’t easy...do...you know how to watch a child? A human one?”  
“sure! It’s easy, just-never mind I was about to make a joke but I’m going to stop while I’m ahead. I'm not the best with kids, but they’re only like, more complicated cats right? again, a joke. well little guy, would you want me to take care of you? me and you for the night? Just the two of us relaxing together catching up” Noten started to giggle and goo, reaching out to Jim  
“see? He likes me, aww do you like the big scary monster?” Jim started to baby talk as he was handed Noten who giggled more. Jim held him close and purred lovingly, nuzzling him. Claire’s father commented on the little scene  
“well...he is an omega so it’s only natural for him to be motherly”  
“Dad. That might be offensive”  
“What I can’t state the obvious?”  
“it’s okay really, I can watch him, I’ve seen Claire take care of him plenty of times, just leave whatever I need out and I can promise you, He’ll be perfectly taken care of. Aww don’t you want that? Want to be with me? Aww you’re so cute” Jim nuzzled Noten and purred more, Noten giving louder happier laughs in return  
“he really does have affection for you. Alright, fine. That solves our problems at least”  
“he is such a little party animal, aren’t you? Going to blow the roof off this house? Have some big rave? Get the cops called on you?” Jim giggled along with the baby

 

So the three family members left the house, giving Jim plenty of things to tend to the sweet innocent baby boy. Jim waved his hand and watched them leave their separate ways. Jim nuzzled the baby more and kissed him all over  
“my sweet little baby changeling” Noten changed and pushed Jim’s affectionate face away  
“Easy! you’re gettin your heat all over me!”  
“i just love my sweet little changeling! don’t you love your big scary monster mama?”  
“geez you need a dick in you pronto”  
“that’s what I’m always saying!” Jim nuzzled and purred into him one last time before tossing him onto the couch like some pillow  
“AYE ME SCRUFF! Gee. Thanks mama for throwing me”  
“oh whatever, well finally a little one on one”  
“fuck yea! it’s been borin as shit here! Now I get to hangout with the head honchos son! Finally something to do!”  
“I’m not changing any diapers”  
“i would never do something so cruel to my queen bee”  
“so, you watched it too?”  
“ha! Hardly! Tried me best to actually listen to it, let alone watch. Barely able to get any info from it”  
“well, just boring business stuff anyways. Doesn’t affect you”  
“fuck yea! Got the sweet life here, borin as all hell, but easy peasy”  
“so, let’s kick back and relax my party grub”  
“ohh hell to the fuck yea queen bee! Mind if I get a few bottles? Been killin me not to have a real bottle! Hate being this sober for this long. Life is so dull”  
“yes I DO MIND actually. I can’t have them come home and you stinking like beer”  
“HA like I’d drink bornin ass plain beer. I ain’t no weak ass bitch. Also It’s called a bath, something I’m supposed to have anyways”  
“too bad. No sippy cup for you”  
“waaahhhhh I hate mama!”  
“suddenly I feel like I might tell dad that”  
“oh come on, don’t do me dirty like that! Thought we was besties!”

 

“HA yeah right, you just work for me” The two shared a laugh as Jim plopped down onto the couch next to Noten who flipped on the TV. Jim turned and smiled to him  
"wana watch porn together?"  
"if you're being genuine, I’m so fucking down for it"  
"nah, joke. speaking of, what some gossip on Walt? swear not to say anything?"  
"fuck. Yes. I. Do!"  
"also got some gossip about Lucas down in accounting. he and Shelby have been sneaking around again"  
"no fuckin way! Seriously?!"  
“Yee!”  
“maaan that lousy prick better not let his wife find out” The two laughed and shared gossip and stories. Jim getting some nice juicy details about Claire, info for what the entire family knows about the missing people, aka Jim and Bular’s meals, and various other things. They surfed the channels and talked about their fav shows and how terrible others are, then watched said terrible shows and laughed at them. They passed around a tub of ice cream, they ate junk food and other random crap. Then Noten turned to Jim and started up a different topic, one Jim hates….

 

“So, how ya feelin?”  
“great! We need to chill more often, I forgot how fun you are”  
“Aww thanks boss. Alright but seriously, how ya feeling? Like, emotional wise. I know you hate talking about it but hell, even I have my own concerns for ya”  
"oh no not you too! you're the LAST person I'd think who wants to get emotional! Walt of course makes sense, he's been the one dude my entire life who i can talk to, then Nomura-"  
"wait wait wait wait wait. Nomura? miss bitchy boring? SHE had...an EMOTIONAL?!"  
"yep! well she does have them"  
"none I've seen"  
"Still"  
"well anyways, i just want to get it out there, you seemed bummed recently. we're besties, open up real fast. let's rip this fucking adhesive strip off real fast and get it over with"  
"adhesive strip?"  
"that's what they're actually called. band aids are a brand, not the actual item itself. and i ain't payin royalty fees! anyways, whats up?" Jim sighs and decided to just get it over with, the entire time Noten paying attention and nodding to various things. Hey, he wants to be supportive too! After saying some stuff, Jim groans and sighs  
"i super need a dick in me right now"  
"well, shame, same here. at least you can get laid whenever!"  
"true. must be horrible being this pent up power verse pansexual sitting around being a baby"  
"says the power bottom himself. yes, shit if i knew this job would be like THIS i don't think I'd sign up then again, wouldn't be able to see your ugly mug from time to time"  
"an ugly mug not even a dead mother could love"  
"sorry bout that...stuff must be hard"  
"well...i..guess it is...."  
"alright. nuff. time to party, no more playing therapist. so hows dear old daddy and big ol bro?" The two talked for a while, then started to get sleepy. Jim pulled Noten into a cuddle like a teddy bear. Noten tried to push off the nuzzling and purring Jim, then decided to just let it happen and give in  
“Well...guess havin a cuddlin session with the bosses son ain’t half bad...” The two fell asleep shortly after, Noten making sure to change before he drifted off for good...

 

…………………………………………………………………..

When Claire’s mother and father came home, they quietly spoke to one another as they entered the house. They stopped as they noticed Jim curled up on the couch, Noten tucked into him, both sleeping soundly. They quietly whispered to one another  
“aww, how adorable”  
“should we wake him up?”  
“no, it would just wake up the baby”  
“guess someone’s having a sleepover then”

 

……………………………………………………………………………….

 

Jim yawned and stretched a bit, rubbing his face and opening his eyes. He noticed he was still in Claire’s home, cuddling Noten. He closed his eyes and cuddled him deeper, only to gasp and suddenly fully wake up to notice...HE WASN’T HOME! HE SLEPT OVER THE ENTIRE NIGHT!  
Jim heard Claire’s mother talk quietly  
“well someones awake”  
“AH I-”  
“Shh!”  
“oops sorry, ahhh I didn’t mean to spend the night! I’m so sorry!”  
“it’s fine. Wow he really does love you, he hasn’t slept that soundly...ever” Jim slowly got up, walked over, and handed her the baby  
“yeah he really does love me a lot”  
“did he give you any trouble?”  
“not at all, kept asking about my life’s pains though”  
“ha, did he now?”  
“we might have partied last night too”  
“i noticed someone got into a lot of snacks”  
“oops...sorry”  
“I’ll consider that payment for such an excellent job”  
“speaking of, I really gotta leave, I bet my family is really freaked out I didn’t come home last night, say morning to Claire for me blah blah gotta go!”

 

………………………………………………………………………..

“Relaaaxxx boss, he’s probably just spending the night over at Claire’s” Toby was talking to Gunmar in a chill relaxed manner, trying to keep him from freaking out.  
“and you’re quite sure?”  
“yep! I bet my life on it!”  
“do you now?”  
“NO I ONLY MEANT THAT AS A FIGURE OF SPEECH!”  
“hm” Gunmar tapped his throne with increasing agitation from the waiting. He started to become a bit paranoid. Did his son betray them? Did he get hurt? Did he run away? Did he get captured? All these questions flooded his mind. He started to notice he no longer looked at it like some being he was supposed to look after, or even a subject, but an actual son. Proper father worry. Gunmar felt...proud of himself that he was thinking in a different style. Toby really was helping him, along with the books he occasionally brought back. Toby’s advice was the only thing keeping him from sending out a search party, as well as Bular, to track Jim down and bring him back home safely. The throne room doors opened up and Jim ran inside while quickly yelling  
“SO SORRY! I LEFT LAST NIGHT AND I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST DROP BY AND SAY HELLO AND SPEND AN HOUR OR TWO BUT THEN I WAS BABYSITTING AND THEN I FELL ASLEEP!”  
“what? Slow down”  
“sorry dad. Long story short, I helped a friend and fell asleep at her house by accident”  
“ah. Thank you for explaining it to me...i am...erm…..hmm….calmed to know you’re safe and back home. I was worried about you being harmed or lost”  
“nope! I’m good! Did Toby say I was going to be alright?”  
“yes he did in fact”  
“oh good. Thanks Tobes”  
“no problem Jimbo” Gunmar felt himself relax into his throne. Toby was correct after all. Gunmar felt like he needed to start placing more faith into him, hear him more and believe without a shadow of a doubt.  
“so. Now that you’ve returned home...how was...your erm...night”  
“it was good, thanks for asking”  
“what activities did you partake in?”  
“oh I was helping my friend Claire out, to keep it short, they needed help watching their baby sibling, I helped, fell asleep by mistake while doing so, woke up and here I am”  
“ah. I’m glad you were safe”  
“yep!….so...I’m here and alive!….alright well I’m going to go take a quick bath, so...see you guys later!”

 

…………………………………………………………………

“Jim. Focus. Jim..Jim...Jim...JIM-”  
“AH! SORRY I was looking at that vendor cart, I could have sworn-never mind, alright I’m all ears!” Jim smiled widely at Kanjigar who just shook his head and sighed.  
“follow closely. Please NO WANDERING OFF. I don’t want to start having to hold you on a leash.”  
“ohhh~ I’d like that~”  
“Jim this isn’t for you to become sexually aroused”  
“aww boring”  
“fine. Then I guess I would simply have to wrap a chain around your waist.”  
“hm...okay….i could figure out SOME WAY to make it sexy for me” Kanjigar chuckled. Sweet Jim. Please, never change.  
“now follow along. Both mind and body. Now then, next on your training is to be by my side, see how I handle others. Watch and learn the various interactions so that in future events, you will know what to do if I ever need to send you someplace in my stead when I cannot be there myself”  
“gottcha master!”  
“you don’t have to refer to me by that name if you’d like”  
“alright, sounds good with me” Kanjigar and Jim started to walk through trollmarket, saying hello here and there, Jim being occasionally bumped into or sneered at, Jim just flashed a smile right back, and then may or may not have tripped them. Hey, they can’t prove anything! Kanjigar was called here and there from time to time. Almost nothing but mundane things that the one who called could easily handle themselves but decided to push it onto someone who could never say no. lazy trolls.

 

Earlier that day after Jim’s bath, he couldn’t decide what to do for the day. Toby said he was going to teach Gunmar stuff today, so them hanging out was out of the question. Bular was off doing something in private. So that just left dear old Jim! He thought about contacting friends!….but they were all busy, at work, out of town, or sick. Claire caught something nasty at the concert so no going back to that house for a while. Jim didn’t want to be alone, so off to the next best thing, having sex with Draal! Yay! Dick! So he quickly went to trollmarket! Sadly he too was gone off somewhere. Jim fell to his knees and cried out to the heavens HE JUST WANTED SOME DICK! WAS THAT SO WRONG?! Kanjigar patted him on the shoulder and told him to stop being so dramatic. Jim ‘wept’ into Kanjigar saying his life was over. He was halfway to the grave now. He said he wanted to be cremated and his ashes scattered to someplace where nature and very studly dudes came together. Like a beach or resort of some kind. Kanjigar rubbed his back and said Jim was going to live a lot longer than that. He didn’t want to turn Jim away to a day of boredom and loneliness, so, this was the perfect time to spend time with one another, and train his half troll. Jim agreed, it could be fun hanging out with the trollhunter, doing trollhunting business! Maybe he might fight some giant monster! Kanjigar laughed and said he highly doubted they’d do more than basic mundane tasks. Worse it would come to, was preventing rowdy trolls from fighting.

 

So there they were, patrolling good old trollmarket now. Occasionally helping someone move something. Sometimes helping to pick something out for someone who can’t decide. Clearing out some lazy trolls who were loitering and bothering others by throwing things at them. Helping to find escaped cats so they can be cooked and eaten, although Jim stayed away from helping to do that. Kanjigar understood. A little bit of preventing theft followed by potentially chasing down said thieves. Helping someone taste test things, Jim ignored that one too. Far too nasty for him. They helped track down lost items, some of the time the troll who lost said item didn’t want it back since Jim ‘soiled it’ by touching it. Kanjigar and Jim had lunch at the heroes forge, Jim bringing him some human food to try. Kanjigar always was surprised at the various foods and styles humans cooked. Out of his long life, he still was discovering new tastes humans created. Some he enjoyed, some he didn’t. Jim looked around and named the various trollhunter statues, saying their history or at least from what he’s known from when Bular and his father killed them (although he obviously left that part out) Kanjigar was surprised and happy that he knew so much, Jim just replied that he picked up a thing or two, after all, when you’re the trollhunters pet you need to somewhat understand your jobs history. Kanjigar agreed to that, saying he was proud Jim truly was putting in effort, causing Jim to suddenly feel that odd spike of emotions. The mixture of joy, sadness, surprise, and uncertainty. During their conversation a troll ran into the heroes forge crying out for help  
“trollhunter! Trollhunter!”  
“what is it Bagdewlla?”  
“GNOMES!”  
“what about them?”  
“they’ve run rampant in my shop! Fix it! Please!” Kanjigar sighed. Anything involving gnomes was always his least favorite. Simply out of how annoying they are.  
“very well. Lead on. Come Jim, time for yet another call”  
“yes my trollhunter!”

 

……………………………………………………………….

“catch it! Oh right there! No right there! Now behind you!” Bagdwella called out to Kanjigar who was moving as fast as he could to catch the various vermin scattering around the shop. Jim was nearby crouched down giggling as he watched the ridiculous scene. Bagdwella huffed and put her hands to her hips as she saw Jim doing nothing  
“Well? aren’t you going to help? Trollhunter make your pet do something! Anything!”  
“you sure you want me touching your stuff? Lot of trolls hate it when I do”  
“i don’t care if you’re troll, human, half troll, goblin, just fix it!”  
“you got it! Well my trollhunter? Want me to get in the way?”  
“please, Jim. Aiding me would be. Appreciated.” Kanjigar grunted out as he stomped around and tried to chase and catch the gnomes. Far too many to focus on, constantly changing his attention from one to another as they all crossed paths and ducked and dodged over and under everything. Kanjigar made a small roar as the amulet was snatched away from him by the giggling gnomes, passed around like a football as they moved faster about the shop. Jim cleared his throat and sat down. He started to chirp and humm. Chatter and make little clicks. The gnomes seemed to slow down and hide, peaking their little heads out to look at and listen to Jim. Bagdwella and Kanjigar both watched in astonishment as they all started to make their way over to Jim, muttering to themselves as they surrounded him. He let them climb on him and talk to him, they put the amulet into his hand as well. Jim giggled along with a few others, then chattered and clicked some more before they all finally ran off elsewhere, leaving the three of them alone in the shop. Jim calmly got up and handed Kanjigar back the amulet  
“there. Allll finished, they won’t be back….for now….maybe in a day or two, they might forget not to”  
“Jim...what….did you just do?”  
“oh, I just talked to them, pretty much saying how they can’t play here anymore or else they’ll be killed. So they should run off elsewhere and be safe….well safer. I asked them to give me back the amulet, it was making you feel bad. They said sorry and they had their fun for the time being. So they gave it back and left”  
“you can talk to them!?”

 

“yeah! My little gnome friend I had as a kid taught me how to speak it. I’m not the greatest, but I know how to speak pretty well. Plus context clues always help” Kanjigar looked back and forth at the amulet and Jim  
“ah, well I am more thankful now than I ever was having you by my side. From now on I want you to accompany me on any call related to and involving gnomes. Your expertise will be of great value”  
“Aww thanks, anytime! Oh! And if you ever want information, just ask. Gnomes see and hear EVERYTHING! So they are the RICHEST source of information. They are everywhere in every place, so they overhear and see everything that happens, and then spread the information like fire to dry grass”  
“i will...remember that for the future. Thank you for your help Jim, I couldn’t have done it without you” Jim felt happy from hearing that, then was suddenly patted on the head by Bagdwella   
“such a good half troll. Here, have a treat for having them leave my shop alone” she suddenly shoved some kind of food into Jim’s mouth. Jim gagged a bit but didn’t want to be rude, so he just gave an awkward smile as he left with Kanjigar…

 

The two decided to call it a day after a few more hours of patrol. They relaxed inside their home and talked about Jim’s life, as well as some more of the positive things of Kanjigars past. Oh did Jim loooovvveee to listen to all the stories about Draal. From being a cute little baby, to the present day. Draal seemed to really, really masturbate. A lot. Then said troll had come into the home announcing his presence that he has returned. Jim threw himself into Draal’s arms and kissed and nuzzled him  
“Well, I didn’t expect you to be here, what a welcomed surprise”  
“I WANT SEX NOW!”  
“well, yet another welcomed surprise. Let me speak with my father for a few moments, why don’t you go get prepared~”  
“mmhh~” so, Jim and Draal spent another few hours enjoying one another~

 

The night was wonderful and Jim really, really didn’t want to leave. He had to though. He said his goodbyes and left. He came home and cleaned up, getting all warm and snuggly in the sheets and pillows when a very tired Toby came into the room. He mumbled and groaned something as he just started to take off his cloths and get into the bath, had a quick one and collapsed on his own pile of bedding.  
“so….how was you day?” Toby just mumbled into a pillow that it was good. He and Gunmar walked a LOT throughout the darklands. Gunmar and him doing a lot of practice for various things. Then the day was over and he was ready to pass out. So the two said goodnight and fell asleep. Jim opening one eye and looking over to make sure Toby was asleep. He was dead asleep. Jim took this as a happy sign to pull out and look at Gunmar’s eye once more. Turning it over and around, closely inspecting every detail. He didn’t know what to do with it. He felt…..strange holding it. Not how he did with the birthstone, but simply because he was literally holding his own fathers eye. Not something commonly done. He put it back into it’s hiding place and then fell asleep. His last fleeting thoughts were about the eye….


	46. Oh sweet moon, oh sinful half troll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh sweet pale moon
> 
> are you forgiving? or a warning of the terrible night to come
> 
> VORE AUDIO AND HORNY HALF TROLL BOI!
> 
> Toby....everyone gets angry but....is that really the answer?
> 
> ah, cold relaxing bath, so tender and refreshing
> 
> NOT THE BURRITO! NOOOOOO!
> 
> STOP MAKING JIM CRY! LET THE BOY BE HAPPY!
> 
> hahah never!
> 
>  
> 
> Jim, stop saying nonesense YOU'RE CONFUSING THE TROLLHUNTERS!
> 
> oh my, what are you going to do with that book Kanjigar? sometimes learning things isn't always for the best....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jim, entering the bathtub, changing his life forever. memories of his life flashed before his eyes. he shut them and let the water take him.  
> he sank low, deeper into the darkest reaches of that void. he opened his eyes slowly and looked upon a familiar face.  
> "hey you, you're finally awake. you were trying to cross the border right? walked right into that imperial ambush-"  
> friend made me laugh so stupid. she made this dumb joke of jim and toby being like the first dollar episode. so they break/destroy one of bulars favorite swords, they're freaking out and doing everything they can. toby says "stop Jim! we're not cavemen! we have technology" then toby starts beating the shit out of the sword with a 3d printer  
> watched people of earth and loved it! then i was like 'its been a while i wonder when season 3 is gonna come out' AND ITS CANCELED! so im all sad D= i really liked that show!  
> Hideaway - Karen O and the Kids  
> i like this song although it always makes me sad cause its so beautiful, the lyrics too.  
> its one of those things that make you feel nostalgia and then the sad memories hit right after leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. its also something victoria would sing, hehe you'll see! maybe~  
> joke  
> Blinky: Destiny is a gift master jim  
> Jim: well i want the receipt
> 
> holy fucking shit, my friend showed me that there is a vore trading card game called gurgle that....is the greatest thing ever XD oh internet, you have a fantastic side to you as always i do NOT mock kinks or people who have them, hey im a kinky bastard too, so why judge them? i just love vore jokes and shit like that, so learning about this? its fucking fantastic
> 
> alternate world son lux listen to that song while reading the beginning of this fic. you'll see~
> 
> MORE NOTES  
> nana is checked on often, usually whenever jim and toby finish their classes. barbara also checks up on her a lot  
> almost no changeling wants to even be in the same room as gunmar, out of sheer fear. walt is literally the only one who doesnt piss himself  
> when even talking to gunmar  
> claires parents and jim do get along good, they still have some doubts about jim, only in the sense of fear he'll break something again something he hasn't done in years. still, when you know he can rip off your front door as easy as someone can tear tin foil, you'd be a bit paranoid about your stuff being broken by accident. thankfully jim had very good control of his strength on things.  
> nana loves jim and is always happy to see him. she loves to pet and feed him, almost treating him like one of her cats. jim doesnt mind, he likes the kindness and physical attention  
> the night curfew is STILL in effect  
> jims fav fish is salmon, he loves the flavor of it  
> bulars thought about eating jims cloths from time to time. mostly when its covered in cat hair and hes been around humans alot. he usually  
> just ignores it though. he doesnt want to hear constant complaints after hes done with the tiny snack. just isnt worth it.  
> jim and arrrg played all the time as he grew up. he also rode on arrrgs back alot of the time  
> in all of jims life, gunmar, him and bular have NEVER spent more of than day together at the same time. no family bonding whatsoever gunmar has very rarely, stolen glances at jim so he can remember what victoria looked like in a 'fresh' type of way. he almost always feels the pain of missing her and all his regrets right after it, so he tries not to think about it  
> gunmar has very few regrets. almost all of them have to do with jim and his mother  
> bular often has regrets replay in his head, especially when he feels like he isnt being the strongest with whatever hes doing. the past fills  
> his head a good amount of the time  
> Bular secretly hope jim keeps asking him for things now. so he can prove himself a better brother. like 'hey can i borrow one of your pelts?'  
> 'of course! here take 3! see? im going to be the greatest brother!'  
> blinky lives a somewhat similar lifestyle to how dic lived, except he learned from dic's mistakes and knows not to make the same choices, or  
> else it looks like he might start behaving like how dic did. and hes trying to avoid that as much as he can  
> walt secretly pushes his boundries all the time with others, but in a smart enough way where he WONT get into trouble. like back talking bular from time to time. he ONLY does this because he makes sure he is in disposable and totally unable to be replaced. his 'ace in the hole' is jim.  
> knowing the half troll will always have his back when it comes down to it  
> Walt always loved being able to teach and mentor jim. he has fondness of how jim is and who he's grown up to be. that and being someone  
> who mentored a child of gunmar is a massive honor

The Moon

 

Jim was bored and decided to take a nice stroll through trollmarket! He walked out of the heartstone and off onto the wonderful market he’s come to know and love and rule. He walked across a bridge, each guard bowing and he made his way past them. The market was hustling and bustling with activity. The various statues dotting trollmarket gleamed with crystals, energy flowing through them. Life was running as smooth and efficient as ever! Everyone was happy and smiling….even if maybe it might be a little bit...of a forced rule...well, at least that’s how everyone viewed it. Trollmarket was clean and tidy, everything polished and ordered, not a scrap of filth or garbage anywhere. Art and décor dotted the landscape, a pretty thing to view to lighten peoples spirits! Jim really wanted trollmarket to seem like a creative, happy, positive place to live and work at! Once you got over the fear of all the guards constantly watching you, a deadly spear in hand ready and willing to impale you at any given second. Fresh flowers and plants that require minimal light grew and sprouted in various planted areas, something to give a bit more fresh air and a cleaner atmosphere. Almost everyone never understood Jim and his ‘creative’ ideas. They didn’t mind it, it was just….strange to them. Then again, trolls have never lived similar to humans.

 

As Jim walked one of the many streets, each guard bowing and some fearful civilians dropping to their knees, Jim came to a ‘criminal moment’. A guard was yelling at a changeling woman on the ground, spear jabbing at her throat. Jim rolled his eyes and sighed, he always was trying to tell his guards to lighten up!  
“what’s going on here?” both the changeling and the guard turned to Jim quickly and looked with absolute shock. The changeling woman begged out  
"oh! my dear lord! please! understand! this is all a misunderstanding!" the guard took a second to regain his composure and explained the scene  
"she has stolen from A guard post and must be punished"  
"okay. alright, whats YOUR side of the story? i like to be a good enough judge, so, tell me, with open honesty. If you lie, its going to be far far worse than if you told the truth."

"i didn’t steal! I swear my lord! i was there delivering the goods as i usually do! you can even talk to my supervisor! one thing broke out of a crate and i went to fetch it! it was rolling away so that’s why it looked like i was taking it!"  
"alright. That’s the truth?"  
"yes! i swear!"  
"Alright. your punishment for this crime is now figured out. As judge jury and occasional executioner if I feel like it, YOU ARE HEREBY DEEMED GUILTY...of telling the truth. alright, no harm done. Wheres the thingy?"  
"in the guards hand"  
"okay, is there ANY other problem?" guard simply shook his head no  
"alright, let her go. be on your way. as for YOU. i want you to take this, and tell your supervisor of what just happened. i want it to be understood that i listened to both sides of the story."  
"yes! yes! thank you! oh thank you!"  
"hey its no problem! nothing bad happened. shit happens and it sometimes seems like its other things. no harm done. alright, i want you to go talk to your supervisor, and then take a little breather break. Okay? not very calming when a spear is shoved in your face”  
"thank you. thank you!"  
"thanks for thanking me, alright, I’m leaving now"  
"goodbye! thank you again!"  
"no problem!" Jim walked away from the little scene, thinking he did a good job making sure no one acted too hastily! He tried to explain time and time to the guards, accidents happen, they aren’t in the darklands anymore, they can relax a bit! Not be so tense and aggressive! Well, time will let them learn eventually. Jim was getting bored and decided to head back home.

 

Entering the heartstone he felt the familiar tingle throughout his body. He didn’t feel like eating so he ignored it for the most part. He came into his carved out throne room, highly detailed and stylized. Intricate details and unique art covered every inch of the large room. Jim turned to a nearby cleaning guard and asked if he’s seen Toby anywhere, the guard shrugged and suggested he’s off with the other friends. Jim sighed in disappointment. He was getting bored and wanted his court jester, a joke Toby and him made constantly. Jim walked over and sat on his throne, massive and impressive, carved from the heartstone wall itself, spiked but smoothed out in areas. Intricate details of history carved into the sides of it. It was almost similar to Gunmar’s own throne in the darklands, except more polished, smoothed out and clean. Jim rested his head against his fist and sighed. Being a king really wasn’t as fun and he had originally thought. He always knew he would be responsible for literally everything, but he hardly had time to leave trollmarket, go have fun and party! Now he almost always just stayed near his throne, issuing orders and decrees, organizing things and keeping everyone from going into anarchy. Followers really need a safe place to be happy, hard to do when hardened gumm-gumm guards are always glaring at you and ‘stab first think later’ mentality guided them. Jim tapped his fingers on his arm rest and did a raspberry while sliding lazily down. Now he had to wait for the new batch of information documents to come in, whenever that would be….

 

A nearby door opened up and Jim’s face became excited, someone to visit him other than boring kingly duties! Draal walked through the doorway, being followed closely by two large gumm-gumm warriors.  
“DRAAL!”  
“hello my king” Draal spoke in a somewhat mundane voice. He walked to the throne and bowed. Gold veins glowed throughout his body, matched by golden glowing eyes  
“hey! Hows it going?!”  
“it is going how you wish it to be”  
“i know..i mean...” Jim sighed and his expression started to fade, slowly being replaced by unhappiness  
“tell me how YOU’RE feeling”  
“how do you want me to feel?” Jim now had a full frown on his face, his voice’s tone now saturated with sorrow  
“Draal...are….you even in there anymore?”  
“i am, if you’d like me to be” It was hard to tell if Draal still truly was inside his own mind now. At first, it was easy to tell, albeit with some mental restraints, now? Now it wasn’t easy to understand if he had even a sliver of his own personality. Everything just seemed to slowly fade away. Jim got up off the throne and told Draal to follow, while letting all the guards know not to disturb them under any circumstances. The two walked down a few halls silently, fewer and fewer guards around them, until they came upon an almost forgotten storage room. Jim opened it and walked into the large room, dusty and old. He shut the door behind him when Draal entered the room. Jim slowly walked around, looking at all the old objects, forgotten by most. Jim didn’t have the heart to destroy the old trollhunters of the past, so now all their statues stood within the large room, untouched and bothered no longer. Jim walked over to a center table, on it, sat an old trollhunters horn. Jim laid his hand on it and rubbed it gently, his finger following along the battle worn indents  
“I’m sorry Kanjigar…...i couldn’t betray my family….they loved me too much….i love them too much…..Toby helped us bond, become an actual family….we were finally together for the first time…..i….i miss you…..i know you’re watching me from the void….I know no matter how many times I come here, no matter how much I preserve, hide from the rest of the world…..you and the others will never forgive me….i know that….i accept it….but…….” Jim trailed off and couldn’t talk anymore. After a long while of silence Jim spoke up quietly  
“Draal…..Garg won’t be home for a while….do you...want...to talk about the past?”  
“if you’d like me to”  
“do YOU want to….are...you in there anymore? Do you remember me? How we were?...who….you were”  
“if you’d like”  
“i….would like you to…..”  
“yes, I remember you my king”  
“tell me what you remember….”  
“you and I were in love, we never became official mates however. We trained and battled together. I fought for my will then finally accepted it. I want to protect you, as best as I can. I became your hound, like Arrrg is for your father. I belong to you. You influenced my mind. You begged my father to join us, keep him alive, he refused no matter what. Bular strongly requested he do the killing blow. You nodded solemly and left saying you didn’t want to see or hear anything, never be aware of what transpired. Bular agreed, saying he won’t do anything until you were too far away to be aware of it. I serve you, I love you as a servant should, a hound should, nothing more, nothing less. I am loyal to you and only you, besides your father of course” Jim went into another long period of silence before speaking up again  
“maybe...i...shouldn’t….have married Garg….but…..i loved him so much….he loved me...he was a gumm-gumm….my father and brother were proud of me for choosing him”  
“my king, do you regret your actions?”  
“well, no point in thinking about it. There’s no going back. I can’t reverse time like I was able to with Toby...that was a long time ago though….”  
“do you wish for me to fetch Toby? Have him comfort you in this time of emotional need?”  
“no….he’s hanging out with the others….i...don’t want to bother them….”  
“do you require anything of me?” Jim started to tear up. He turned around and solemnly walked to Draal  
“just…..hold me like you used to” Draal embraced Jim gently and held him close and comforting  
“i love Garg….i can’t love you anymore…....i truly loved you Draal…..i couldn’t betray my family though….i couldn’t betray Garg…..if it were anyone else...if I had any other family…..i would have….this was the right choice…..i help everyone…..life is better...it...it is right?…..i help everyone….i save everyone I can……..i chose right….i know I did……...i…..had to…..right?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………………….

 

A truly bittersweet smile, half thought of while you walked that long mile.

At the roads end, you truly did mend.

The time and date, had forgone your fate.

He, you did miss, because you had shared a kiss.

You chose that road, you carried a far too heavy load.

You found a new love, but it wasn’t as soft as a dove.

You had saved the world, but around your heart the pain curled.

Your heart had been filled, with all who you have killed.

A family did rise, born from all the different lies.

Your life did truly change, all of it really far too strange.

Now they are all gone, now this is truly a new dawn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A totally changed world, a life half way swirled

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One road was traveled. And this was the end. But remember the split had a very big bend.

It isn’t over, at least not now.

A different road could be chosen.

Would this be the path you take? Or another……

………………………………………………………………………………………

In the present path…  
At the current time..  
In the present time…  
At the current path...  
…………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim was checking his phone, leg crossed his knee as he laid in his nest. Toby mumbling next to him, becoming agitated while doing homework  
“what’s wrong stud?”  
“nothing.”  
“clearly somethings wrong”  
“it’s fine”  
“where did our passion go?”  
“what?”  
“our passion! We told each other everything, we used to go out on dates all the time, now look at us. Sitting around not talking or opening up anymore. I can’t even remember the last time you kissed me, looked me in the eye and called me beautiful”  
“UGH”  
“wow not even ironic flirting cheering you up, okay, seriously whats up”  
“people need to die.”  
“ohhhhhhhhhhh okay”  
“i just…..i can’t take it anymore!” Toby threw his book angrily and yelled into a pillow  
“that’s it stud, let it all out”  
“i…..so many people deserve to die Jim.”  
“ohhhhhhh okay, weird subject but I totally agree”  
“i…...i want…..you to kill someone for me….”  
“like, seriously?”  
“yeah….i…..want to put another hit out on someone”  
“a hit out huh? Suddenly your some mob boss?”  
“i just...ugh….so people just….don’t deserve to live. So many people are terrible. They all need to just….go away. All of them. So many people just ruin everyone’s lives. So many deserve to die.”  
“sooo what’s got my stud all riled up?”  
“this….guy…...he lives in Arcadia. He always goes around Arcadia making everyone feel terrible. He calls peoples names, steals, ruins things, all because he can. He’s NEVER been arrested! He always has some excuse or they never have the ‘proper’ evidence to just...bust him on his bullshit! Like the other day, he was LITERALLY stealing money from a children’s charity collection case! He just got away with it! He bruised up this old lady, he went to this new kids park and spray painted and wrote in sharpie allll over everything. Horrible. Stuff. He calls people names, not exactly like that can get him into trouble you know? Well he called me the usual haha fat ass names. I ignored it as usual. Buuut I wasn’t paying attention to him so he threw a rock at my head, it cut me!”

 

“i wondered why I smelled blood on you. I just assumed it’s cause of the fresh donation you made to me. That’s it. This guy needs to go. No one makes my Toby bleed but me!”  
“i really just….i don’t want to keep sicking you on people I don’t like but….please….kill him….i know you’re trying to overcome it and I really, really don’t want you to keep hating yourself..”  
“ohhhh hell no, THAT draws the line. I get a meal now, when it comes to eating people I don’t care if I’m hating myself, I can make an exception for you. Ohhh I won’t hate myself when I take out anyone who hurts my Tobes. You just tell me where he is and chow time.”  
“thanks Jim, you really are my best friend”  
“hey, if you can’t kill and eat people your friend doesn’t like, then what kind of a friend are you?”  
“i told him to stop. I told him bad things happen to bad people. You’re the bad thing.”  
“nice! can’t wait to chow down!”  
“this is kinda funny, you’re like my own personal deathnote”  
“aww thanks? I think? Well you just tell me every single person you want gone, and I’ll make sure they allll go away. Anyone, anytime, you just point and say go get them”  
“aw thanks Jim, I promise, I have a whooollee lot of people I want gone actually”  
“oh, yum! A whole menu!”  
“more than enough snacccs”  
“speaking of snaccs, has anyone been acting weird around you? Or looking at you funny?”  
“no why”  
“just making sure, you are SOAKED in my heat that’s why. Just wondering if anyone’s looked at you or sniffed at you or just gotten into your personal bubble really”  
“well as far as I’ve noticed, no one’s done anything like that”  
“good to know! If anyone does, you tell me okay? I’m not going to have anyone killed or reported, I’m just curious is all”  
“will do Jimbo”  
“speaking of snaccs, you’re really not fat Tobes, you’re just a bit husky”  
“thanks, I think, it’s nice to be able to actually see my dick”  
“haha, wonderful. Although now that I’m thinking about it, you’re not a snaccc”  
“hey! Yes I am!”  
“no, you’re a whole god dam meal”  
“aw thanks Jimbo”  
“no prob Tobes. Soo anyone else you want me to chomp down on?”  
“ohhh yeah. I….might have a list of people already pre planned….”  
“well well, someone’s starting to make use of one of his many best friend perks”  
“might as well clean up this world and take advantage of my perks”  
“alright, it’s late, let’s call it a night, unless you want to fool around~”  
“I’m still to pissed to really calm down”  
“aww poo. Well alright, we can just stay up and talk”  
“I’d like that” so, the two got ready for bed and laid down, listening to the ambiance around them and talking about life.  
“hey Jim”  
“yeah?”  
“you know what, we should make our own ambiance recordings”  
“what brought that up?”  
“well, listening to the nightmare realm around us, who WOULDN’T want to sleep listening to the screams and cries of the dammed!”  
“and marching and shouting orders to train to bring the end of times”  
“exactly! we’d make a fortune!”  
“well, I approve personally! Always helps me to fall asleep quickly! Then again, I do only listen to that my whole life”  
“so Jimbo, got any other ideas for stuff? OH ASMR!”  
“nightmare asmr! Perfect!”  
“ohh we can do one no one else has ever thought of!”  
“got any ideas?”  
“ohhh what about the dial up AOL tone!”  
“OH MY GOD TOBES YOU EVIL FUCK NO!”  
“whaaat it’s perfect! Wait, how the hell do YOU know about it? You were NEVER up top to hear it”  
“internet duh, Eli filled me in on everything internet, including it’s original history and shit. Man that noise is worse than torture”  
“yeah sounds like his nerdy Steve fucking ass”  
“also, sometimes Draal gets this look on his face when he’s asked a really hard question, I love to imagine that’s the only noise going through his head”  
“oh my god that’s great! I want to see this face”  
“it’s wonderful”  
“ANOTHER IDEA. VORE ASMR!”  
“OH MY GOD TOBES NO”  
"whaaat we'd make a SHIIITTT LOAD OF CASH!"  
"we totally would actually"  
"haha, weirdos"  
"hey! everyone has a kink you vanilla bastard! besides, i don’t like you mocking my kink"  
"HAHAHA"  
"i want Draal to vore me"  
"oh my god jim"  
"whats wrong Tobes? you've seen how big his mouth is"  
"OH MY GOD JIM"  
"fine! will YOU vore me then?"  
"oh yeah totally" The two laughed and came up with more ideas and jokes, until they finally slowed down and fell asleep….

 

………………………………………………………………………

 

It was early the next morning, a bit too early. Gunmar decided that he wouldn’t wait for his son and Toby to come to the throne room to say good morning, instead he thought HE should actually go to THEM! A good father welcomes others into life once more when they’ve awoken! Gunmar knocked on his door, then decided to just go in  
“son, I respect your privacy as a person, but as your father I’m asserting my authority by coming in anyway” Gunmar opened the doors and quietly walked in, closing the doors behind him. His eye fell upon the large nest, seeing only Toby. Gunmar walked over wondering where his son could have gone. He stood over Toby, sleeping soundly and quietly. He looked peaceful, so vulnerable, so soft. Gunmar tapped him gently to wake him up.  
“child. Arise from your sleep.” Toby snorted and yawned, not taking the blindfold off, he groaned and felt too tired to think  
“where is my son?”  
“no...jam...no...wake….come back...sleep” Toby yawned and patted Gunmar’s arm, pulling it closer and cuddled it on his chest, petting it, thinking it was Jim’s restless form. Gunmar thought little of it, understanding he truly wouldn’t get an answer this way. He decided to simply take his arm away gently and leave the room quietly, perhaps in a few hours he would get his answers he sought…...

 

...............…………………………………………………………………..

 

Jim was purring as he sat on a bench, watching Draal battle and train in the heroes forge. Working his body and showing off just how strong he was, grabbing Jim’s full attention the entire time.  
“Jim. Jim. Jim.” Kanjigar said trying to get his attention, to no avail. He walked over and patted Jim’s head  
“ohhh sorry big guy, just...got lost in my head”  
“as I can clearly see”  
“mh~ just….enjoying the view~” Jim sighed in content watching Draal headbutt something wooden with his mighty horns, shattering it into splinters.  
“mh~..so...strong~...”  
“Jim, it’s time we begin more of your training, you may observe my son later. Come. It is time to patrol trollmarket. First thing I’m going to be teaching is a key-” Jim tuned the trollhunter out, purring heavier as he watched Draal get cut and bleed onto various blades. Muscles, violence, blood~ what more could a half troll want?  
“Jim. Pay attention.” Kanjigar just sighed through his nose softly  
“perhaps throwing you into a cold bath will clear your mind and ease your overwhelming heat.” Jim gasped as he was suddenly picked up by his scruff and carried away  
“hey! My show! I wanted to keep watching! He was getting really good! Mh~ Draal~”  
“training first. Then you may visit my son. Your heat is strong today”  
“mhhmm~” Jim mindlessly purred, only having half awareness, the other half of his mind drifted from one sexual fantasy to the next  
“well, someone’s affectionate at least. Alright, time to give you a small cold bath”  
“bleh, baths!”  
“no bleh. You need to cool your head”  
“juuusssttt let me huuummppp hiiiimmm!”  
“you may hump after your training. My ownership of you comes first, remember?”  
“noooooppppeeee”  
“when we cool you off you will regain your head. Having clear reasoning capabilities is what’s needed right here and now”  
“but I wana huuummmpppp!”  
“so young, virile, easily distracted. Perhaps I truly should carry a spray bottle on my person. Then I can have you pay attention and learn what not to do”  
“awwwwwwww boring! Come ooonnn just a liiiitttlleee humping first?”  
“no. ignore your carnal cravings”  
“buuut I’m in hheeaaattt!”  
“yes. I suppose that is a good excuse. Still. This is an excellent example of growing your willpower. You will be by my side for the rest of your life as my half troll. When others are in need of aid, we must respond to their-stop squirming and pay attention, I’m not letting you go. Where was I...ah, when others call, we answer. You already know that if I am unavailable, you must go in my place. There will be more than enough times where you will be in heat when others call for aid. I cannot always allow you to scratch that itch of yours when you need it most. More important events may arise that calls for our aid, even during the middle of a very needy-Jim. Listen to me. You will learn on holding off and keeping your mind clear, free from natures call, no matter how loud it becomes”  
“awwwwwwww buuutt the hhhuuummmppping!”

 

“i have two sides I feel. The first, understanding that you are young, you are in heat, those two are not an easy mix when it comes to sexual desires. The other side is that you are to begin your training, and this is a good place to start”  
“hey! you’re an alpha! You can smell heats! Just because you know when not to get hot under the collar doesn’t mean-ohhh~ that’s niicee~” Jim purred louder as Kanjigar scratched behind his ear in the spot Deya did  
“focus little one. You will grow an iron will. You will be able to focus on the task at hand, putting aside everything you desire. This will help you in life, more so than you will be able to count. Now, I am not about to force you into-Jim pay attention-i will-Jim focus on my voice. Not on the bulls we pass, and no, I don’t care how big they are so don’t even argue it. Now I want-Jim….hm...Perhaps I will have a spray bottle on hand….what was I trying to say?...ah, I will be letting you have sex, however after a few hours of training. This will be a nice warm up on keeping your mind clear and focused. Baby steps, one day you will thank me. Now then, let’s give my pet a quick cold bath” Jim was switching back between purring in lust and groaning in annoyance. Stupid heat. He just wants some dick! He can’t help with what his body craves!

 

Now, Jim was sitting down in a small pond, being gently rubbed with a soft sponge by Kanjigar. Jim wasn’t sure what to think when his trollhunter asked to bathe him. He said it would be a good bonding experience, as a trollhunter and his pet. Past trollhunters did this frequently Kanjigar explained. Jim gave in without much fight and agreed, but Jim was going to wash his own bits! Kanjigar said he had no intention on doing anything bust basic cleaning. Kanjigar remembered Deya cleaning off Angus and followed along, making sure to be gentle with Jim. Jim honestly couldn’t complain, it was nice. The cold water really did snap him back to full sense, well, almost full sense. The sponge and movements were gentle and soft. A calming relaxed atmosphere too. Jim was enjoying himself immensely, he could get used to this.  
“feeling better Jim?”  
“mmmhhhmmm”  
“so, you never did explain to me as to why you came here so early in the morning, I didn’t even think you were awake before the sun rose”  
“well it’s already up right now, I hardly came here at 7, that’s like the average time for humans to wake up and go to work and school”  
“i suppose you’re right”  
“i came cause I was kinda restless at home, having weird dreams, just kinda wanted to come here, see Draal-and YOU of course!”  
“Jim, I will not take offense if your only intent is to come visit my son” Kanjigar chuckled, squeezing cold water onto Jim’s back  
“I’m surprised you aren’t shivering”  
“my home is pretty cold underground, so this stuff doesn't bother me, wait didn’t I tell you that before?”  
“i believe you’ve mentioned that only to my son”  
“I’m pretty sure I told you though”  
“well, perhaps I forgot. There, bath time is finished. That wasn’t so bad now was it?”  
“well, you’re right, I do feel a lot better, I can actually think without everything being hazy and warm...and….distracting…….so when can I see Draal?”  
“you may spend time with my son AFTER we train”  
“alright fine…..so….what’s on today’s list of chores?”

 

 

………………………………………………………………………

 

Toby yawned and thanked Bular for the ride up to the surface. He waved and said his goodbyes  
“see ya Bular, so what are you going to do today?”  
“unsure. Perhaps study humans closer”  
“ah, well just don’t scare anyone! Even if by accident. Remember, keep your temper under control”  
“i know.”  
“already getting agitated”  
“yes...you...are correct. I do not need you mothering me like some whelp”  
“sorry, just my nature to care for the ones I like! Alright, I have to go, later buddy”  
“buddy?”  
“it’s another term for friend”  
“Ah, goodbye, budey  
“almost said it right” Bular gave a smile, as creepy as it was. He had been practicing recently, seem less intimidating and creepy to others. His main goal was to impress Jim’s friends. So far even Toby didn’t like it. Well, practice makes perfect.

 

Earlier that morning Toby woke up and got ready, wondering where Jim ran off to. He didn’t think much of it, except the small fear that Jim might be hiding somewhere crying in pain. So Toby would keep and ear and eye out. He finished getting ready for the day, until realizing it was a school day! He rushed to grab his things and head to the throne room for a quick goodbye, hoping Jim was there. Sadly, he wasn’t. Toby felt embarrassed when Gunmar told him about the morning and his little arm cuddle. Toby said he was sorry, Gunmar just waved it off as nothing. He did wonder where his son was though. He wanted to roar and demand someone tell him, but kept his cool and was patient about it. Toby said he didn’t have a clue, then was suggesting Jim might be on top already. Which meant Toby needed a ride….

 

Bular was kind enough to offer, Toby appreciated it tremendously! Bular was happy to be getting some brownie points for it. So Toby was walking and enjoying himself, the bright nice sunshine with a somewhat cold breeze blowing around. Toby noticed he was getting used to the cold, so hardly anything bothered him anymore, was this how Jim always felt? After getting a breakfast burrito and taking a few chomps into it, his mood suddenly turned to the worst. He was suddenly pegged in the back of the head by a sharp rock. He bleed a little bit, worst of all, he dropped his burrito!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!

 

He turned around, only to see the asshole who pegged him, and not in the sexual meaning.

 

(pegging. Don’t know what it is? don’t look it up, unless you want to. Whatever, I was trying to make a joke. What?! it’s 3 30 am as I write this and I can’t sleep but I’m half awake and in this half sleepy purgatory that I can’t exit!!!! so might as well try and tired myself out instead of just lay in bed waiting as the clock ticks forward. So write I do!)

 

The man snickered and threw another rock, hitting Toby right in the neck, at least it didn’t bleed.  
“what the hell man!?”  
“fuck off fatass, you don’t need the food. I’m helping you since you can’t help yourself” Toby’s expression started to turn from anger to a type of dark humor  
“you know. Bad things happen to bad people.”  
“ohh what are you going to do about it? Eat me?”  
“no...i won’t eat you….” Toby couldn’t help but grow a small morbid grin  
“stop looking at me fucktard” Before Toby could respond, he was pelted with another rock. Toby covered his face and felt the sharp pain sting his forearm. When he lowered them and looked, the guy had already walked away, well onto the next activity of writing some suggestive hate words on a bus stop schedule map. Toby touched the back of his head, looking at the slight blood on his fingers. His morbid grin turned into a full smile, looking at the res liquids drip from finger to finger. He snapped out of it when his phone alarm went off. Shit he was late for class! He started to book it there, on his way, his mind felt a little uncertain as to why he felt...happy...thinking about what was going to transpire to the man….he….shouldn’t be so happy with the thoughts of someones painful death…..right?

 

………………………………………………………………

Jim and Kanjigar spent the next couple hours helping others in need! Even if that need is as simple as helping to move one thing from one place to another. And again because someone can’t decide if that thing looks better this place or that place. And again. And again. And then back once more. Jim hated the fact that he was like this too. Never able to make up his mind when decorating….

The day went by fairly easily, and enjoyable, only in the sense of bonding and laughing at various things. Kanjigar enjoyed Jim telling him about his ‘human school adventures’ when he was younger. Jim enjoyed him being such a good listener. Jim REALLY enjoyed hearing more stories about Draal when he was younger, and growing up. It felt nice, to learn about things you have common with your crush~

Jim’s mood turned sour, then sad in only a minute. While the two helped yet again, one very ungrateful troll started to talk shit about Jim. The usual abomination, freak, disgusting low life creature. Judgmental about how he looked and how he acted. It made Jim feel uncomfortable, Jim knew he shouldn’t care but….the way the troll talked about him, what was said, what was mentioned….it hurt….then again, who doesn’t feel bad when someone says things negitive constantly about you to your face. Jim tried his best not to show any reaction or emotion, but he couldn’t help back his tears anymore, so he quickly left when no one was looking. He sat around a corner where no one was nearby. He silently cried, feeling the hot tears run down his face. Kanjigar found Jim and comforted him, he held him close and spoke soothingly

“they might not love you, but you have others that do love you for you. Everyone who has nothing negative to say, they don't matter. It hurts and it almost never will feel better. But you can be stronger than that. Remind yourself they don’t matter. Words hurt, I know they do. There is only so much anyone can take until they break down themselves. I’ve had more than enough speak to my face or whisper around the corner about me. I don’t need to go into details, but it was hurtful. Even I feel down. I remind myself, their words matter to me as much as the sun does. It hurts to be near it, but I don’t have to be. Sometimes I can’t do anything about it. I don’t always have control over the situation, but I can endure. I have, I will, I can move forward. What helps me most, is thinking about people like you, like my son, like Vendel, like my friends and loved ones. Only they matter. Only their words matter to me. As long as I remind myself about that, I always manage to regain even the smallest fraction of strength back. No matter what, always remind yourself only their words matter, only you matter. No matter what you do, there will always be someone who doesn’t like you. Never try to push yourself just for them, it’s a waste of time and effort. They will never truly appreciate you no matter what you do. Don’t waste anything on them. In the end, know that the energy you spend on others who care about you, make everything far more worth it than trying to prove yourself to someone else. Only ever spend the largest portion of your energy on your self and your loved ones. THAT is what’s worth it all. Live for yourself, not them” Jim laid into him more, being held tighter comforted him. He sniffled and started to feel better  
“i...i know they don’t matter. But….i don’t understand why I still care…i don’t want to...”  
“like I said, we all have limits. Words will always hurt no matter what. We can get stronger, move past them though” Jim nodded and cleaned himself up, the two finished up for the time, clearly needing a break. They went home and the first thing Jim did as he saw Draal eating food was run over to him and immediately rub up on him, moaning for sex. Draal growled back in lust and finished up. He picked Jim up and rushed them over to their little love nest~ Kanjigar left their home for a good while, letting the two have their privacy…

 

…………………………………………………………………

The two had a fun lovely time together, cause obviously I won’t write smut so just imagine Jim takin that thick lovely knot~

 

Jim finished his afterglow and a nice cuddle nap, he got up and went to clean himself off, Draal tagging along and helping him out in the nice hot steamy shower. Jim said he wanted to go to Kanjigar, see if he needed any other help. Draal nodded, kissed him and said goodbye. Jim asked what his big bull was going to be doing, Draal said he was going walk around trollmarket, maybe go drinking for a bit. So off Jim went! To the forge, after asking around for a while and finally getting an answer, he saw Kanjigar training a bit.  
“massstteerrr I’m done humping!” Kanjigar looked back and smiled at Jim  
“you don’t have to call me master”  
“don’t always need to remind me either”  
“just want you to always know, I may own you, and yes you are technically lesser than me, only in a master pet style, but I want you to feel more than that. You are no different than I am”  
“you got it big guy, so I’m all finished up, Draal is off doing his thing, so what’s next on our to do list?”  
“i was about to venture into the void. So you may do what you’d like for the time”  
“actually….can I tag along?”  
“i don’t think it’s possible for you to do such a feat”  
“well, LAST TIME I was able to, so think of this as some scientific experiment”  
“you have endured quite a large sum of pain however”  
“yeahhhh I’m hoping I won’t have to again, if not, no biggie!”  
“brave and enduring, another thing I enjoy about you” Jim walked over to Kanjigar, holding his hand as he once more stuck his hand into the ancient totem

 

The two manifested into the void, just as suddenly Jim’s body lit up with bright light and pain engulfed him. Massive bodily pain surged throughout his entire being, his body lighting up in the same style as when his blood was used. He screamed in pain and held clutched his stomach in agony. Kanjigar fawned over him, asking if he was alright, only to be interupted by some ghosts  
“you brought IT HERE ONCE MORE!?”  
“ohh it glows! So shiny”  
“why are those patterns familiar?”  
“it shouldn’t be here!”  
“it taints these hallowed grounds!”  
“aww it’s cute he wants to be by his masters side at all times”  
“like a good little half troll”  
“this abomination soils our void!”

 

“ENOUGH! Leave him be you old fools” Deya manifested and shouted them away, she smiled lovingly and walked over to Jim  
“Deya! My favorite trollhunter-I MEAN KANJIGAR IS!” Kanjigar rubbed Jim’s head and chuckled  
“well, now don’t I feel betrayed” Deya smiled and hugged Jim  
“hello little one”  
“hi Deya!”  
“are you alright?”  
“yeah, I’m fine now! Still curious why I’m able to come here, maybe I always can now! Even if it hurts like hell”  
“well, I look forward to seeing your smile all the time” Kanjigar patted Jim’s shoulder when Deya let him go  
“alright Jim, go over there and rest, your body needs it”  
“i feel fine big guy”  
“still, I would feel remorse if you didn’t”  
“alright fiineee” Kanjigar patted Jim’s back one final time before requesting various other trollhunters of the past to mentor him on fighting and other such things. Jim was tapping on his phone, sitting on the ground enjoying his time. It was neat, technically being in an afterlife, who gets to boast that they went to a place where the dead go? Jim tuned in when he heard the mention of gnomes. Kanjigar was c complaining about how annoying they are to deal with. He actually mentioned that Jim was able to speak to them. Jim smiled and winked as a few others turned to him  
“yep! My little pet gnome when I was a kid taught me! I named him little hat, cause he had a little hat. Aww I remember his cute little chattering when we were playing with my toys. I remember we would be playing things like chief. I would cook food for him and give it to him, all pretend of course. I would warn him how hot things were and to let it cool off first. I remember us exchanging gifts and pretending it was a birthday party. Man I had a lot of fun times with him. My very first friend, I felt amazing having one. I would lay on my stomach and sometimes have little dance parties with my toys, little hat pretending to sing the music for us” A vision slowly formed nearby, the memories coming into view, Jim wasn’t even paying attention, too busy reminiscing about the past. He continued on with his conversation, meanwhile the vision became solid and others turned to it and viewed it. Jim turned to see what they were all looking at and became shocked at what he saw  
“how the hell did THAT happen!? I never asked for it to be shown!” Kanjigar smiled, seeing how cute Jim was as a tiny child, he spoke with a fond tone  
“sometimes when one concentrates enough, it will manifest whatever it is that your emotions are leading to. You look adorable. I would have loved to hold you” Jim smiled and felt a warmth spread in his heart by hearing that. Fatherly love...then a sad bitterness spiked in his heart. A thorn. A small cut that slowly started to leak the happiness. His father never held him….Jim shook his head and got up. He walked over to Kanjigars side and watched himself as a small child play with his little gnome friend.

 

“wow, that’s what I looked like? Huh. I do look cute”  
“what happened to your little gnome? You mentioned something happened”  
“yeah...he was killed….in front of me” Jim grew a deep sadness. The hole in his heart grew larger. The vision changed to him crying in his nest, hugging his knees. Jim was speaking to someone in between his sobbing  
"he was my friend"  
"he was vermin. he could have gotten you sick"  
"he was my only friend"  
"nonsense, I’m your friend. Well now you know not to make bad choices or bad things will happen to you. if you didn’t make this choice, you wouldn't be feeling this pain"  
"he made me happy"  
"nothing as low and worthless like that will ever make you happy, you are above it and everyone else. no one else will ever make you happy like that."  
"b-but..."  
"you wouldn't be feeling this pain if you just made a better choice. Now you can remember not to make such bad choices so you dont suffer in the future. this pain you're feeling is because of the choice you made, the pain is all your own fault. now then, why dont we do something to take your mind off of this choice of yours" Blinky came into the vision and hugged Jim, he took his hand and the two walked out of his room. Jim looking back one last time before the door closed behind him. Kanjigar and Deya turned to see the real Jim, slowly turning sadder. Kanjigar placed his hand on Jim’s shoulder  
“whoever that was, he shouldn’t have spoken to you in that manner  
"its....alright. i got used to it. i pretty much only had myself ever"  
“no one should say that to a child. Everyone makes bad choices, he shouldn’t have said it to you like that though. He shouldn’t have said how much it was all because of you that you felt overwhelmed with that pain”  
“like I said, it’s alright. He was right though. It was my fault for making him my friend. I should have known better”  
“Jim, you were but a child. You were happy, that’s all that should have mattered. Yes, the gnome could have gotten you sick, but he made you happy. Then to be killed in front of you….”  
“it’s alright! I got over it. No need to go to the past and shit. I learned my lesson. I never made another gnome friend again after that. That was bli-my dad’s adviser. He pretty much raised me. He...loved me. He might not have seemed like it in the vision but...he took good care of me”  
“he looked familiar...” Jim’s eyes went wide, suddenly remembering ‘oh fuck, he’s a gumm-gumm, quick change the vision’  
“look I don’t want to keep dwelling on the subject, let’s change it”

kanjigar turned to Jim and gently cuped his head and looked at him in the eyes.  
“you shouldn’t have been treated that way. You are such a loving person. You just wanted love and attention, you deserved it. Even if it were a gnome, you deserved a friend” Jim smiles and felt awkward  
"you do remember I'm in heat right? all this physical contact and looking into my eyes saying nice things to me.....kinda messing with my emotions that are already going through the roof. Now adding all the heart to heart emotional stuff, its really getting to me" Kanjigar smiled a bittersweet smile  
“i learned humans joke about things to distract themselves from pain and deep trauma, they also make jokes about it in order to form a sort of copying mechanism. Sometimes it isn’t healthy though. I’m always here to talk, I want to be a healthy outlet for you. You laugh and joke a lot about you pain, I want you to express it in a healthy manner, not bottle it up or make light of it. I want to help you with it, through it so you no longer feel pain. Always remember that alright?” Jim took in a shaky breath and gently pushed Kanjigar’s hand away  
“thanks. I really….do...feel better hearing that...but...can we please change this? it’s really….beinging up old thoughts and pain and I just want to bury it back down deep deep deep down again so it never sees the light of day. I can deal with it some other time”  
“this is what I was just refering to. You always push off the pain for later, but later never comes. The only way to feel healthy once more is to deal with it-”  
“STOP OKAY. Just….stop….It was only a couple hours ago I had a break down. Please. don’t keep talking okay? I just….i want to go one day without having something inside me break. I just want a single day where I can feel good about myself. Let’s change it okay?” Kanjigar nodded and stopped  
“I’m sorry Jim. I should have known better. I will not force you to speak until you feel like you are able to. I promise to only ask what you’re ready to speak about. Even if it’s only one small fragment at a time. I will only speak to you and ask you questions with what you’re ready with. No matter how slow we go, as long as you’re feeling comfortable. That’s all that matters”  
“GOD. WHAT DID I JUST SAY!?” Jim started to laugh and hit him  
“NO MORE HEART TO HEART!” Kanjigar gave a sad smile  
“alright, no more emotions. Besides, your friend isn’t here to help you, I sho-”  
“OH FUCK TODAY WAS A SCHOOL DAY! OH GOD TOBY!” Jim suddenly grabbed his head and shouted  
“OH FUCK I DIDN’T-well fuck. Too late now. Schools finished. Shit I left Toby on his own.” Jim rubbed his face and groaned  
“if you’d like, we may check on him”  
“YES!”

 

Kanjigar nodded. The vision changed. It was sunny out, Toby and Eli stood in a park, leaning up against a tree talking  
“-I don’t know, she’s just weird, I’m not crazy right Eli?”  
“NOOO she’s totally crazy! Honestly she needs to get laid or something, maybe she won’t have such a stick up her ass” The two laughed together. Jim smiled and felt relived. At least Toby wasn’t upset  
“so where’s Jim?”  
“dunno, he hasn’t been answering his phone”  
“is he alright?”  
“yeah, I’m sure of it” Jim knew Toby’s face though. He knew well enough it was a worried look, even if it hardly showed.  
‘fuck. Why didn’t I tell Toby? Or at least leave him some kind of message. he’s probably thinking I’m hiding somewhere thinking about killing myself. I haven’t in-no. No thinking. No more.’  
Eli looked around and then leaned in to whisper  
“so what’s it like living like a prince?”  
“it’s not as flashy as you think. Trolls aren’t like how human royalty is. Its just kinda like everyone else. Only difference is the guards help you out from time to time with directions. Other than that, it’s kinda just a title. Trolls are pretty chill with each other” Jim smiled. Yeah. Chill.  
“so what’s Jim’s dad like?”  
“quiet and socially awkward. He hardly knows how to interact with others. He’s a total worried mom type. Always afraid for his son’s well being. At least he’s sweet like that. Still, he just...doesn’t know how to openly state things. Well, I won’t get into anything. Cause SOMEONE can’t keep their mouth shut. Eli.”  
“sorry….”  
“learn better! Anyways, I won’t go into anything else also because I don’t want to embarrass Jim. So I’ve been teaching his dad how to do dad stuff, like talking and being less socially awkward. His brother too”  
“so his brother seems….interesting….”  
“yeah lets not talk about him”  
“he’s scary”  
“yeah, but he’s just awkward too. He has a hard time communicating. He just seems scary but is a big awkward guy. Hes nice when you get to know him”  
“awww I want to!”  
“no way! All you do is ask constant questions”  
“buuut no one else gets to be able to ask a troll directly! Well no one around here anyways. So how did you come here if Jim didn’t help?”  
“oh his brother helped. I think he told me earlier that he will be back soon, he wanted to hangout, mostly learn more human stuff”  
“oh so bul-” Jim’s eyes shot open and yelled  
“OKAY YEAH LET’S CHANGE IT, I KNOW THEY’RE GONNA SAY EMBARRASSING STUFF SO CHANGE IT RIGHT NOW PLEASE, RIGHT NOW!” the vision faded right then and there. Jim let out a sigh of relief  
“really worried about your friends?”  
“yessss. You have nooo idea” Kanjigar rubbed his back and told him to go back to what he was doing. He didn’t want Jim to get hurt from training. Jim said okay and went to do his own thing!

 

 

 

Sitting down and tapping on his phone, he wondered why he hadn’t gotten any phone calls or texts. Maybe there wasn’t any kind of signal in the void? Well, maybe because he technically isn’t in the world he couldn’t get a signal. Would make sense. The subject of bravery and cowardly nature came up and Jim just hhaaaaddd to chime in. he was nosy like that  
“ohh fun!” one ghost turned to the nosy half troll and snorted in agitation  
“what would you know?”  
“isn't there something? like, fortune favors the bold, but life favors the cowards. go out, do something dangerous, take a chance. or stay put, live longer and away from danger. Well, cowards live a lot longer, but the bold might actually accomplish something at least” the trollhunter crossed their arms  
“hm...guess...you’re technically correct...” Jim shrugged and stretched, then laid on his back and tapped his hands on his chest, closing his eyes and listening to the atmosphere of the void. Surprisingly soothing. Maybe it was something specifically made to soothe the restless spirits of the past trollhunters

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

Swords clashed, weapons flew from hands and fell to the ground. Shields were bashed, armor was struck against. Jim watched the various fighters train Kanjigar. All of them going against him in different ways. Sometimes more than one lunged to strike him. They congratulated him, mentioning his constant improvement. Jim looked over and clicked his tongue  
“kinda sucks though doesn’t it?” some trollhunters turned to him in anger  
“you DARE insult your masters abilities?!”  
“noo not that! he’s amazing! I only meant sucks he has to train”  
“everyone must train. No one can simply be perfect”  
“EXACTLY!” Jim sat up and crossed his legs, he smiled with a small tilt of his head  
“wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t?” Kanjigar vanished his sword and chuckled a bit  
“i suppose so Jim”  
“passing on wisdom. Somewhat of a hassle huh? Would be nice to simply pass it on”  
“i don’t understand your meaning”  
“imprints!” Jim fully smiled and his eye’s opened  
“hive mind! Possession!”  
“huh?”  
“imagine it. Well maybe none of you could see beyond your own vision and into the future. Thoughts, ideas, connections, colors that can be heard instead of seen. Human creativity! Now then. Imagine this. What if it were a simple library of experience. You DON’T simply learn. You are never taught. You simply are. You pass the amulet around and gain the weapons and armor automatically. Now, what if you can pass off experience? Literally have it! When one trains and fights their whole life. They understand it, their movements and skills. They don’t share wisdom, they simply pass it on. So it’s as if the current trollhunter lived it. You have the collective experience of EVERY previous trollhunter! All combined. The connection simply passes onward. Every trollhunter becoming nothing but a simple book in a grand library. You know it all instantly. You can be ultimate with a simple gain of the amulet. Countless centuries of experience instantly gained, mastered, created, all within that second of gaining the amulet. No more teaching, because you’ve lived those lives. Somewhat like inheriting from your parents. Horns, memories and skills with swords. Eye color, knowing how to tend to your armor and weapons. Skin color, knowing what to do in every single environment and use it to your own advantage. Everything simply done and known. Countless minds all within the single entity. Pretty cool idea huh?”

 

“that is…..creative…...i suppose that would….technically make training obsolete” one trollhunter scoffed  
“bah! Books. There is no reason for such things! One must live and die by the amulet! Earn it for themselves! Not passed on like some family sword” Jim simply shrugged with a small bit of smug attitude added to it  
“just saying. Besides, hive minds would be interesting as well huh? No more damage”  
“what’s this now?”  
“bees, ants, the ability to think and reason as a whole. EVERY mind connected together as one single hive mind. Emotions, thoughts, memories, all being passed around instantly. Communicate with another across trollmarket within a split second. Imagine multiple people trying to move around, if their minds are connected, they could simply plan out their movement, everything in perfect sync. No more bumping into each other. No more needing to talk to one to talk to another to pass along information. Mistakes no longer being made because you can simply communicate it instantly. Everything in absolute order. If everyone was connected like a giant web of minds, it would be easier to live. Thoughts and fantasy’s aside and private moments of course, everything would be perfectly ordered. No more shouting out plans or passing words along. Imagine an army needing to communicate orders during a battle. It is too chaotic and loud to hear one another. If they were all connected within the same mental web, they could do everything in sync perfectly. Plus, if no one speaks of their plans or write anything down, the enemy could never understand or even guess what was going on. No more needing to write in code or be secretive in order to be stealthy. Every gear turning in perfect unison to make the machine move without ever breaking or slowing down. No more confusion or fuss. Everyone knows what’s going on around them at all times. Imagine something catching fire in trollmarket and it obviously needing to be put out. Everyone running around in disorder and chaos, trying to get from one place to another. Imagine everyone able to think in unison and put it out without hassle or wasted time and effort. Sounds neat huh?”

 

The trollhunters were silent and still mentally trying to process what they’ve just heard  
“well, like I said. Human creativity. Might be too hard to foresee and understand it. I’m just saying life would be far easier and less chaotic. No more misplaced or lost information, nothing slipping down into the cracks being forgotten”  
“bah! You speak nonsense!”  
“eh, fine, if you say so. Its the human mind, curious, always taking things apart, putting them back together and looking at various things in different lights and sides" Jim smiled and laid back down. Some trollhunters mumbled to one another about whatever confusing thing Jim just spoke about, saying how he was delusional and crazy. SO more training went by and time seemed to come to a standstill, then again, time didn’t exactly show within the void, so Jim only felt like nothing was passing, meanwhile it truly was. THEN the subject of race came up. Jim had that urge to be nosy and speak once again. The trollhunters spoke about Kruberas being stronger than river trolls, which a river troll trollhunter spoke in anger and argued back how they were far smarter than Kruberas were.  
“wouldn’t it be nice if both were the same?”  
“oh not you again. Take a nap! Kanjigar make your pet silent and nap!”  
“aww but I wana talllkkkk! I have ideas! Genetics!”  
“what?”  
“survival of the fittest, evolution, cross breeding genetically coding, altering life itself. Trolls age far too slowly to understand. Things that are superior live out the weak, survival of the fittest. Imagine if you could take apart certain aspects of certain things and splice them with others. A breed who are slower but smarter, splice them with a species that are faster, so you get the mixture of a create that’s both. Breed out weakness from one thing in order to replace it with something stronger. The Krubera weakness and sensitivity to light, remove it and change it to be abe to withstand the light like a hardier troll. Think of it similar to a half troll. Both aspects of different things. Trolls that can walk directly in daylight with no consequence. Smarter, faster, stronger, more flexible, better senses and thinking abilities. Then again, there is always a price to pay for everything. Half trolls do have the negative things of both species. Now imagine being able to alter the genetic coding. Trolls that can change to match the environment around them, adapt to intense heat and cold instantly, no longer needing to worry. Intense pressure no longer affecting them. Holding their breathe or even be able to breathe underwater like a fish or something similar. Regenerating limbs like an axolotl, they can literally loose their heads and simply regenerate another. Lizards can do the same with their tails. Imagine being able to grows claws to climb things easier. To be able to go without food and water for large amounts of time without loosing your energy. Photosynthesize like a plant in order to gain back whatever you’ve lost. Change your eyesight in order to see everything at any time in any light. Grow spikes on your body to deter anything from harming you physically. Maybe grow multiple limbs on command to aid you in whatever. Maybe grow suction cups like an octopus has to stick to things, maybe transform your very biological material in order to adapt to whatever the situation calls for. Maybe be able to change your height and size in order to fit through something or match an opponent in size. Evolve and overcome instantly! Alright I’m out of steam goodnight!” and with that, Jim fell onto his back, yawed and fell asleep. The trollhunters slowly turned to Kanjigar and looked at him with various emotions. Kanjigar just cleared his throat  
“hes…..unique…...i do not regret choosing him”

 

……………………………………………………………………..

 

Jim was playing with a weapon the trollhunters manifested for him, mostly to just have him be quiet in the corner and not bother anyone anymore. Until he spoke up  
“hey I had a question about trollhunting duties” Kanjigar turned to him and smiled  
“yes Jim?”  
“are YOU the trollhunter?”  
“yes. I am, obviously”  
“but ARE YOU. So, I was thinking about this. Would you not be anymore if another was around?”  
“the amulet will choose the next trollhunter, yes”  
“no I mean, if two at the same time”  
“no, only one is chosen at the same time”  
“yeah but WHAT IF! So, think of this. If someone had the ability to revive the dead, and a past trollhunter came back to life while you are still the trollhunter, could you BOTH use the amulet? They technically were a trollhunter, so could they use it? Would their trollhunting right be given back to them?”  
“huh...that is….a mystery”  
“do you ever think about death?”  
“in what context?”  
“life and death and it’s meaning. I don’t think anyone has the full answer. Think of all the different philosophy's, the ideas, the cultures, religions, so many so different. Most thinking they’re the correct ones and everyone else is wrong. I don’t know if anyone will truly understand the real meaning of life or whatever. Maybe its like one big puzzle. It has 100 pieces. Maybe some people might only get one, maybe 3. maybe two of them stick together perfectly but the third doesn’t, it’s meant for a different part. People try to mash the third piece in no matter how unlikely it fits. Everyone arguing, fighting, going to war, all over their beliefs. Well, hope and belief are what drive humans the most out of anything else so, I guess that makes sense. Well anyways, I don’t know if anyone will ever be truly right or wrong. Well, deep philosophy is something humans always think about all the time”  
“yes, far more than any troll has ever done. We do not concern ourselves with matters such as that. Humans are very…..complicated thinkers”  
“oh yeah they are. there are sayings. one of them is about death. it is the inevitable, the undeniable truth. it is absolute in every way no matter who or what you are. the only difference between any of us is how long someone eludes it. If the grave is the one and only true aspiration one is guaranteed to have granted upon them, then life is a bleak path with little to recommend it. if all is a simple breath away, what compels us forth to live? However that is the gall of such conceit. Tiny forms of life there are which escape the naked eye. they do not demand wherefore and answers of the cosmos. time to die, if life without reason is so loathsome to you, then you should simply die”  
"that is...remarkably wise of your Jim"  
"thanks! also today i learned how to count on my fingers! i can go all the way to 9 now!"  
"ah, there’s my Jim" Jim began to sing  
"entropy is the inevitable to creatures left to their own devices. death is the lot, and the lot of everyone that we hold dear. so think or do not think about the end of your own life, death and fate come for you so take your pleasure while you may!"  
“that is….an….insightful song”  
“once there was a great scholar who asked ‘what is better. To be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?’"  
“that sounds like a very good question, they sound very wise”  
“speaking of wise…..curse here, curse there curse. A curse for he, and she, why care.  
A bottomless curse, a bottomless sea, source of all greatness, all things that be.  
listen for the baneful chants.  
weep with them, as one in trance.  
and weep with us, oh, weep with us…"  
“that seems like a very...somber poem”  
“returned to the ocean.  
A bottomless curse, a bottomless sea.  
Accepting of all that there is, and can be."  
“i...do not understand that poem. Where did you learn it?”  
“ohh nowhere specific” Jim gave a wide smile and became quiet again. Kanjigar smiled back. His half troll truly was something else. He would never want Jim any other way..

 

……………………………………………………………………

 

Jim was playing around with a ghostly spear, swinging it around like a light saber and making little noises. Jim wanted a little chaos, so he ‘accidentally’ let it slip and sung towards Kanjigar, who quickly moved out of the way as the spear planted itself into the ground before vanishing  
“OOPS! Sorry big guy!”  
“you did not harm me. Please be more careful”  
“afraid I’ll hurt you?”  
“I’m afraid you might harm yourself by accident” A trollhunter spirit spoke to him once more. Jim’s ear perked up when he heard about the magic crystals embedded within the amulet. Jim ran over and asked about them, trying to look at the amulet and figure out where they could be. Kanjigar sated his curiosity by showing it to him. He explained that there are many different ones that can be combined. Kanjigar listed off a few of them, a couple Jim gave his own thoughts on  
“if you can walk in daylight, you should totally come with me on the surface! Get food and junk!”  
“i do not need to own any human junk, although the food does sound like a wonderful experience to be had” the next couple of stones were explained and Jim gasped when he heard about one of them  
“you can make duplicates of yourself?! And each a different personality!? Ohhh I want to see fun Kanjigar for the first time! Bring him out!” Kanjigar couldn’t help but laugh at that  
“you think I haven’t shown you my fun side?”  
“well we haven’t set something on fire yet, so yeah! OHH WHAT IF I COULD MAKE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF MYSELF!”  
“that would be nothing short of a nightmare for me. I can hardly keep one of you in focus, let alone multiple”  
“speaking of multiple, I had this amazing idea! What if at will, you could summon different ghosts of past trollhunters! Think about it, summon a legion of all of you at will, take on anyone and anything at a moments notice!”  
“that would be….a sight to behold”  
“what if heartstone could be mended into trolls?”  
“excuse me?”  
“so, you know how Draal has those crystal spikes? Well imagine of hearstone grew inside of trolls! you’d never feel tired or hungry again! Nothing but constant energy to supply you at all times! Literally a walking powerhouse! You could live anywhere at anytime!”  
“that….sounds….interesting” Jim smiled wide  
“thanks for humoring me at least” Kanjigar smiled back and rubbed his head  
“always”

 

………………………………………………………………….

It was late now. Jim was shocked to see just how many hours had gone by! Kanjigar said it was time to go, so they said their goodbyes, Jim hugged Deya one more time, and then they left! Jim jumped and howled in pain and held himself, looking at his body glow and then slowly fade away along with the pain. He really needed to find out what the hell happenes to him and why it does….

 

Kanjigar checked on him, making sure he was okay. Jim hugged him and said he needed t leave asap! He ran off the moment Kanjigar hugged him and said goodbye, Jim ran back home and jumped into Draal’s arms, making him drop a bowl which broke onto the ground. Jim rubbed against him, purred and said his goodbyes. Draal growled and nuzzled him goodbye. Jim was cursing to himself mentally as he left trollmarket and booked it to Toby’s nana’s house, hoping he was there. A quick knock and hello, and of course he wasn’t. Jim said goodbye and called Toby on the phone, nothing. Jim decided he must have just went to the darklands. So a quick teleport and run around asking for help, Jim learned from a guard that Toby was spending time with Bular. Jim felt relived and went to them after getting pointed in the right direction. The three spent the rest of the night together, enjoying one another.

………………………………………………………………………..

 

“hello, welcome to rot guts! How may I h-ohh my trollhunter! Hello hello!”  
“ah hello”  
“how may I help my wonderful and favorite trollhunter? I must say you look very potective on this night”  
“no need for flattery. I heard that you held a tome here. A specific one about half trolls”  
“ahh yes...erm….yes?...let me check to see if it’s even here” the panel closed and Kanjigar waited patiently, hoping they truly did have it. Kanjigar had watched Jim leave in a rush and chuckled to himself. He truly loves his energetic little half troll. He went to visit Vendel for a time, catching up and listening to any new news around trollmarket, nothing out of the ordinary however. In a way, Kanjigar was thankful, at least he gets the rest of the night off to rest. Vendel explained that he heard rot guts might own a book about half trolls. One of the very very few ever created. No one really cared to study them, so not much information was created. A very very old tome, hardly any copies existed in the world, incredibly rare yet so lowly valued, so not many cared and tended to the tomes, let alone keep them. The second Kanjigar heard about this book, he knew he needed to own it right away, perhaps it would give better insight on how to take care of Jim. So there he was, waiting patiently. The panel opened back up  
“here you are, had to find it in the very back, I honestly forgot we even carried it” the Book was pushed through a small opening. A heavily dusty and spiderweb covered tome. You could hardly even make out what it said. Ironically, it was never even used, so the condition on the book after being cleaned off was surprisingly good. Kanjigar thanked them and headed home to read his new material  
‘a half troll and you!’ the book consisted of a good amount of chapters, all ranging from the basics. Half trolls! mating habits, attitudes, diets, courting, ownership. Etc. one passage read  
“if you are in possession and own a half troll, the following chapters will aid you in taking care of it! Congratulations on your new ownership! May they serve you well, along with this information!” the subjects also covered topics of grooming, health problems, various troll species descendants. Kanjigar flipped through and looked for Jim’s. No matter what, he just can't find anything about glorbs  
or glorb history for that matter. He shrugged it off and thought little of it. Jim said his kingdom was well hidden away and secretive. The rest of the night, Kanjigar read through his material and studied as much as he could, letting Draal read it after he had


	47. My brother, My Toby and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> my lovely son, i love you more than all of life
> 
> ohh someones got a crush~
> 
> fight. die. cry. lie.
> 
> creation. here we are now. is it really the beginning of everything?
> 
> pain will never go away, only lessen at times, only worsen too
> 
> GIVE HIM DICK! WHY CAN'T HE JUST GET SUUMM?!
> 
> dam. that guys smooth AF. he has the balls to flirt with jim? AND IN FRONT OF GUNMAR?! he loves flying too close to the son (get it?) doesn't he jim? jim? hey stop drooling! pay attention! and stop looking at his spear! it doesn't matter how big it is!
> 
> my brother my toby and me havin a field day!
> 
> oh nana, you are such a card!
> 
> OH FUCK CLAIRES PARENTS
> 
> hope for our family. wont it happen? or will it die?
> 
> yum. dinner time~
> 
> Toby. i mean. we're well past the point of no return. NOW you're feeling bad!?
> 
> oh. so you feel THAT now?
> 
> welp. pack it in folks. say goodbye to toby
> 
> Toby. calm down  
> TOBY CALM DOWN!  
> someone slap him.  
> thank you jim
> 
>  
> 
> mating dances? well, jim's gonna have to learn how to bust a move!
> 
> oh draal, jims innocent as always, isn't he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not many notes this time folks!
> 
> gunmar falls to the floor, arm out cowering. the sounds of footsteps could be heard. in front of him stood a being of indescribable power  
> "how your eternal night go Gunmar? pretty good it does not seem"
> 
> she sees jim
> 
> "my son now. my little rock child. mommy give you battle ax"
> 
>  
> 
> been replaying the witcher 3, i forgot how gooood that game is! but FUCK is there a shit load of stuff!
> 
> it's 12:45 am as i post this. I'm tired, i thought of uploading it in the morning but, fuck it. I'm done with it, just fucking post it you sleep deprived gay

A half troll walked through trollmarket humming to himself. He ate some food in a basket he carried and headed to his beloved friends home. Nearby and out of earshot, three trolls looked in his direction and quietly spoke to one another  
“that’s the whelp right?”  
“no mistaking him.”  
“is he really what they say he is?”  
“what, are you new here?”  
“yes actually”  
“oh. Yeah that’s him”  
“are the stories really true?”  
“yeah”  
“can’t believe that half troll is the grandson of Gunma-”  
“SHH! No one says that name anymore!”  
“grandson of...him….nephew to Bular and son of Jim”  
“also his second grandfather is the previous trollhunter, who he’s named after”  
“and to think, his father is the current trollhunter”  
“what a mix of history he’s born from. I don’t envy him”  
“grandfathers are a past trollhunter and evil tyrant”  
“his mother the son of gu-him. His father the son of the past trollhunter. Strange combination of blood”  
“hey, does he...you know...eat people?”  
“of course not. That’s just a rumor”  
“but his mom did though right?”  
“yeah, from what’s been said. He eats heartstone now, keeps him alive”  
“does his son do the same?”  
“no, he’s only half gumm-gumm, he doesn’t need to eat it like his mother does”  
“does he have...their blood?”  
“no one knows...people think so...if he does, he hides it”  
“out of shame?”  
“dunno. I would”  
“a half troll half gumm-gumm grandson of...him...i would hide myself as much as possible”  
“well, he never does anything to draw attention. Ironic for who his parents are”  
“he’s a simple half troll. Hardly does anything, hardly goes anywhere”  
“too cowardly to venture to the surface?”  
“no”  
“too ashamed?”  
“no”  
“then what?”  
“well don’t ask me! I know about as much as you do!”  
“no mistaking that’s Draals son”  
“horns and spikes are a dead give away”  
“slender like his mother though”  
“hes taller and thicker than him”  
“deeper blue skin and blue eyes too”  
“horns are longer, curlier and thinner than his fathers though”  
“not as thick”  
“wonder what his nest is like”  
“what why? You have a thing for that omega?”  
“no! I was just wondering because of his spikes! Draal and Jim’s nest must always be torn up, I was just wondering if their son’s would be”  
“well his back spikes are far smaller. Almost like a blue crystal spiked backpack, nest might not be as torn up”  
“i assume it”  
“think he can curl up like his dad?”  
“no, too slender and tall, not round enough”

 

The three watched him until he turned the corner and out of eye shot. Around the corner a small group of younger trolls, roughly the equivalent of teenagers, noticed him and waved him over  
“yo K.J!”  
“hey Kanji!”  
“Kanjigar Jr what’s up my man!” Kanjigar jr smiled and hugged his friends, them avoiding his back spikes of course.  
“hey guys, how’s it going?”  
“you look tired, shouldn’t you be in bed?”  
“just because you’re all trolls doesn’t mea-”  
“oh hello Kanjigar” Kanjigar jr froze up as he heard a deeper voice behind him. He turned around to see a very large troll. 6 eyes, four long curly horns on the top of his head, a thick deeper teal colored mane around his head, 4 large thick arms, and a big goofy smile on his face. His mane had some flowers tied and weaved into it, making him smell like fresh dirt and flowers, although he truly was the type to spend almost all his time planting flowers and literally laying around in the dirt and soil. Others joked about the big hippie troll just being a walking spring meadow  
“h-h-i-hi” Kanjigar jr nervously stammered, suddenly very shy and awkward feeling  
“what’s wrong? You always act funny when I see you”  
“i-i do- well I me-mean I don- well I ca-uh-the we-uh” The troll tilted his head and scratched his mane  
“hehe, you’re funny like always” the large troll pulled Kanjigar jr into a big warm hug with all four large arms  
“you’re always so cuddly! Cuddly half troll!” Kanjigar jr purred and felt in absolute bliss, the mane was so warm and nice, the fresh garden smells all so lovely. Some dirt shook and got onto Kanjigar’s face, although he didn’t care  
“t-thanks” the group of trolls friends watched the little scene, some rolled their eyes, others murmured things  
“geez. He’s so oblivious to Kanjigar’s major crush on him”  
“hes big and dumb like his dad”  
“shit though, he could snap Kanjigar jr in half like a twig if he wanted”  
“Kanji can’t help but love the bigger alphas. Such a size queen”  
“like mother like son”  
“HAHAH!” Kanjigar jr’s eyes fluttered, loving the big hug from his massive crush, literally and figuratively  
“you always smell so pretty Kanjigar!”  
“t-tha-anks”  
“mmmhh like flowers! I love blue flowers, sometimes I love green ones, oh! And yellow too! I saw pretty blue flowers yesterday! Like your color! Ohh I should show you and we can smell them together! They smell so pretty like you! Ohh what if you’re actually a flower! Hahah!”  
“ye-yeah ha..ha”  
“sometimes I follow bees to their hives and watch them go from flower to flower. I always get happy, knowing more flowers are going to bloom somewhere else, everyone should own a flower! Ohh I want to give you some flowers too!”  
“ha...haha….ye-yeah...f-flowers”  
“ohh I should put you down, sorry”  
“NO! I-i mean it-its fine to hug me! However you want! And whenever! And for as long as you want...and….maybe….longer….than...that”  
“haha, so silly!” Kanjigar jr whimpered a bit as he was let go, then pat on the head by each of the four arms  
“haha, silly! Favorite half troll”  
“t-thanks” A few other trolls snickered  
“get a cave” Kanjigar jr felt warm and fuzzy all over. He couldn’t feel more happy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………..

 

 

 

 

Many years earlier……..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

……………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim and Kanjigar stood in the void across from one another. Swords drawn and pointed. They both took their fighting stances and focused. Jim smiled while Kanjigar was serious.  
“come on Kanjigar, loosen up! Have fun! We can really go all out now since I don’t have to hold back or hide myself!”  
“i know.”  
“oh come on! Lighten up and let’s have fun!”  
“this isn’t a game Jim.”  
“we can make it one! Oh whoever gets hit has to tell a joke!” Jim smiled and giggled a bit. Kanjigar’s expression and feelings wouldn’t budge. They stood stoic and sturdy.  
“this isn’t a time to make light of.”  
“why not? let’s have fun!”  
“you know why.” Jim’s grip and focused loosened. His gaze and sword wilted as his head slowly became fogged with feelings of doubt, regret, shame, sorrow  
“I’m….sorry…..you know I am”  
“i...know you are. You had your own personal reasons. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to hide my identity, serve my father as you have. You simply wanted your family’s approval, like anyone would seek out.” the bitter sting of it all. It wouldn’t go away.  
“i….just want things to go back to the way they were...” Kanjigar let out a deep pained sigh. He did too. He wanted to make jokes and laugh with Jim, have fun and enjoy the bright personality of the little half troll. The sting...the pain…..the bitter truth of what Jim is and has done….it wouldn’t go away. From the feel of it, that pain wasn’t going to fade and leave anytime soon. Each time he remembered Jim, he couldn’t shake it. The taint, the blight on his image wouldn’t leave. No matter how much Kanjigar tried. Kanjigar still couldn’t get over it all. Each time he saw Jim, it was just a wretched mixture of emotions. Hate, anger, bitterness, scorn, sadness, sorrow, love, kindness, a need to comfort Jim. Kanjigar never knew how to handle Jim anymore. Jim wasn’t sure how to handle the situation much either. He just wanted to have everything back. He tried his hardest. Still…..it didn’t seem like anyone was moving past it, or hardly mending at all…

“Kanjigar...i….I’m trying...”  
“i know you are Jim. I know you are”  
“i know how you feel, I know you know how I feel. I try to see it through your eyes. I would hate my guts too. I wouldn’t want anything to do with me. I’m a monster. I don’t deserve anything. I know that. But….i...just want everything back. I want to try”  
“you are trying. I know.” Jim felt worse, whenever Jim would put himself down, Kanjigar would always tell him he was wrong, try to pick him back up. Not now. Not this time. Because it was true. And it stung all the more because of it. The only reason he was kept around was because of the baby. At least that’s what Jim assumed. When it’s born….what then?….nothing was preventing Jim from being executed now, maybe except for Draal’s love and wanting to protect his mate, other than that….Jim was too lost in his head now. The sword slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor with a clang, all without him noticing it until Kanjigar told him to pay attention  
“sorry...” Jim solemnly picked it back up and looked Kanjigar in the angry eyes  
“do….you still want….to fight?”  
“do you?” Jim wanted to just go cry into his nest, cover himself up and push out the world around him. He wanted to just not feel anything anymore. Throw himself a pity party. That’s all he’s done recently. Kanjigar has not once tried to cheer him up either.  
“do you Jim?”  
“not….anymore...” Kanjigar nodded and said they were leaving then. Jim was silent and once again felt the immense pain, ignoring it, or at least trying to.  
“start walking.” Jim nodded as he felt the cold shackles placed back onto him. They felt light compared to his own heart. He just wanted his life back. Silent tears ran down his face as the two made their way home. Draal was gone so, no one was their to cheer Jim up, or at least tell him he mattered.

 

Kanjigar couldn’t figure out what he should say and do for Jim. It hurt to watch him cry and hate himself. Kanjigar wanted to comfort him, tell him he wasn’t the monster he thought he was. But in reality, it was nothing but the truth. Then again, like Jim’s always argued, he never asked for any of that. He was just doing what he had to. Then again, he did have a choice not to…..then it all came back around full circle. There was no easy answer to any of this. A part of Kanjigar wanted Jim to suffer more. He deserved every sharp pain he felt. He shouldn’t even be walking around, alive even. Then the memory of Jim, pained and just wanting to live came to mind, only to just as quickly sour and churn into the ugly gumm-gumm he was. Kanjigar hardly spoke to Jim anymore. Anytime Jim smiled or tried to laugh and joke, it just twisted Kanjigar’s own heart. He wanted to slam his fist down and shout at Jim to be silent. He shouldn’t be so upbeat. The other part of it wanted to smile along with him, forget about the past, move on finally, love him like he used to. The two entered their home, Jim simply would slink back to his nest quietly. Kanjigar knew he cried, but he didn’t want to help. He wished things were far more simple. They weren’t. They would never be. Kanjigar sat at a table at ate food, a habit he’s picked up to try and suppress his emotions. Stress eating never helped through. He wanted to slam his fist on the table so hard it would crack and break apart. He wanted to roar out his frustration and leave. Wouldn’t help. Not fully. He has left and taken his frustration out on the forge far too many times to count. It never seemed to let up though. Knowing Jim was alive, hardly being punished. Then again, Jim was breaking down more times than he was stable. His mental and emotional punishments seemed far too intense for anyone to bear. Jim curled up in his nest feeling the cold metal connected on his body. He wanted Toby, he wanted Draal, he wanted his brother or his father. He just wanted someone to hold him close. He hated this pain more than anything else. It was almost unbearable. A few times he would always question if it was worth it to keep going. Those thoughts were snuffed out whenever he remembered why he was alive. Currently his one and only reason for living. He wouldn’t want to harm his child. No matter what. So, he took the pain. He grit his teeth and rolled with it. All the pain would be worth it when he saw his child’s face for the first time. Watched them laugh and smile...

 

It was later now, the two sat across from each other at a table eating in silence. Draal would go to the surface and bring regular human food for Jim. Kanjigar didn’t want Jim going to the surface anymore. Just in case for anything really. Jim swallowed his mouthful and quietly spoke up  
“when...do you think Draal’s coming back?” Kanjigar reluctantly muttered out in reply  
“i don’t know.”  
“do you think we sh-”  
“just. Stop talking.” Jim nodded and tried to eat. He had a loss of appetite though. Kanjigar felt the same way. He didn’t want to make eye contact or be near Jim right now. He wanted to hear Jim’s voice. But it was too much to bear for the moment. So silence seemed to be the only answer he could find. His son would return home soon, he went out to the world in order to do something on Kanjigar’s behalf, something that is-WAS Jim’s job. Now, he wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without supervision. Jim hasn’t tried to do anything once since their talk in the void. Still….Kanjigar just couldn’t find it in his heart to trust Jim.

 

Kanjigar looked up to see Jim eyeing a knife….for a bit too long…  
“i don’t have to put that away again, do I?”  
“no...i won’t do anything….” Kanjigar sighed and set down his food, he walked to Jim and held him close, rubbing his back  
“Jim. I want to love you again. it’s so so so very hard to. I want to get over this, move on. I can’t find it in my heart to do so. I want things back how they used to be. One day. Just not today.” Jim started to weep into Kanjigar unable to keep holding onto his flood of emotions.

 

……………………………………………………………..

Jim rolled his shoulders and felt them crack, he smiled and looked across to Kanjigar  
“you ready?”  
“yes” Kanjigar made his battle stance and gripped his sword tightly. Both were in the void. It was the next day, the two felt better and decided to have a go at it one more time. They both needed the training. Jim, to improve overall, and Kanjigar, to practice against how he and Bular fight, as well as Gunmar. The idea of them training came up from Draal long ago after they discovered Jim’s true nature. Kanjigar wanted nothing to do with it, but between Jim and Draal, they had convinced him. Jim said that if Kanjigar ever wanted to truly kill Bular, his father, or any more powerful gumm-gumm’s, then he would have to learn how to properly fight against one. Jim was taught how to fight like a true pro, the best of the best, so his insight to fighting was far more useful than Kanjigar cared to admit.  
“no holding back!”  
“i will. You need to as well”  
“Aww but that’s boring!”  
“i do not want you to over exert yourself. I know you. You always push yourself too far without slowing down. If you are going to use your fathers blood, then you must listen to me. When I tell you to stop. You stop. Understood?”  
“i do, alright I’ll try not to go too into it”  
“my reason is so I do not hurt you, intentionally or by accident. My main concern however is for your child. If you are harmed or strain yourself too much, it may harm it, or worse”  
“oh...yeah...huh…..okay, I’ll really make sure now...thanks for….saying it...i...was afraid of thinking about it..” Kanjigar nodded in understanding  
“just remember. Do not push yourself too far. You might not feel like it, but I can tell. Remember. Stop when I say so”  
“you got it! Now let me slip into something more comfortable….” Jim pulled out his amulet. It glowed and dark energy rose from it, a sinister glow radiated from it. Evil incarnate. The other trollhunters from the past didn’t even like the abomination from being brought into the void. An object only crafted to kill their kind, being brought into a sacred place, it was heresy of the highest order. It was almost as bad as Bular or Gunmar being within this hollowed ground.

 

The amulet hummed in power as Jim spoke the incantation he created so long ago  
“by dawn and dusk, two siblings who share the same fate. By my will, by my power, I hold the heart of a god!” Black and green flames exploded from the amulet and engulfed Jim. Within the fire, an image of a roaring gumm-gumm battle face formed. The flames snuffed out and Jim’s armor was donned. His voice disguised once more  
“ah, there we go!”  
“Jim. I do not like you looking like this. Too painful for me”  
“oh...right..do you want me to take it off?”  
“for your own safety, no. but I do want you to remove your helmet, show me your face and remind me who you are” Jim nodded and took it off, he tossed it aside to the floor. It combusted into black and green flames and vanished  
“there. Now I can see Jim. Now, let’s fight. First, slow, then build it up”  
“You got it” Jim took his battle stance and slowly made his way forward  
“funny, in a way”  
“how so?” the first gentle clang of swords sounded throughout the void  
“i don’t know...just...seems funny….now that I don’t have to hide my skills and sword and stuff, we can just...do this”  
“hm.”  
“come on, loosen up, roll your shoulders, take a deep breath, and relax”  
“Jim.” Some voices of the past trollhunters spoke up

“he’s trying to trick you!”  
“have you lower your guard!”  
“gumm-gumm trickery!”  
“his stance is sloppy anyways”  
“no it isn’t”  
“yes it is”  
“i could have done better”  
“oh you ALWAYS have to make it about you!”  
“I’m just saying! I could!”

 

Jim’s smile started to fade and his guard lessened. He’s voice started to dip back into sadness  
“i just….i want to have fun with you...like...we used to….except now…. I can….actually be myself...i want to show you what I can do...not...pretend anymore...i...thought this would be a good way to...just...” Jim trailed off and whimpered a little bit. His emotions lessening once more. Kanjigar tried to stifle his own sadness. He needed to focus. Seeing Jim with that armor, with that sword, it just made his spirits dampen. He wished emotions could be so much more simple. Kanjigar just spoke out plainly without true tone or emotion  
“focus” Jim wanted to whimper more. Curl up someplace. Once again, the awkwardness and….well far beyond that really...was overwhelming everything. Even trying to make things right, just felt wrong. Jim sucked in his emotions and tried to numb himself. He just gave a small nod and a step forward. His grip loosened, his will sapping away. In a strange way, he was excited, to finally show what he can do! Go all out and have fun! No more holding back and pretending! To spar and have fun like he would do with Draal, Bular, Arrrg, and Gunmar! Something he can share with Kanjigar! A fun experience! Bonding! But…..this was just….not right.  
“Jim. Focus”  
“yeah..y-you’re right” Jim took a deep breath and steadied himself. He tried to just numb his emotions. He wished he could just shove some fist full of pills down his throat, help push life away. Numb reality and the world around him. Drift off into a blurry thoughtless ocean. He was so tired. He just wanted to sleep…

 

“Jim.” Jim shook his head and snapped out of it. He shoved those thoughts aside. Might as well try to just….make the most of it…

 

The two swords clashed together, Jim’s grip loosened from the sudden pain of a memory that dashed across his eyes for a split second. He pretending to be weak, far back before everything, sparing with Kanjigar in the void for basic training. Jim laughing and smiling, Kanjigar trying to have him be serious. Those fun moments were over. Jim just wanted to bring them back. It really wasn’t so much to ask right? Then again, is he in any position to ask for anything at all. The swords clashed and clanged repeatedly, Jim slowly working himself up. He just never could get over the fun and excitement that was violence. The bloodlust, the sounds, the sensations, the impending pain, it was all just such euphoria. It was his gumm-gumm nature after all. Well, half of it. Jim didn’t notice that his smile was slowly growing back on his face, his heart pumped and he swung faster, harder, more accurately. Kanjigar was steadfast, mind, body, and emotion. He wanted to enjoy this too, as much as Jim did. He couldn’t bring himself to do it. Jim just….wasn’t Jim to him anymore, not entirely at least….he so desperately wanted to bring it back though….

 

He mentally did admit, Jim was far more skilled than he fully believed, still, Jim was rusty, headstrong and rushed things. He may be wise and watch his footing, think a few steps ahead, but his nature drove him into more risky movements, demanding he push forward and draw blood. This violent, blood thirsty nature worried Kanjigar. Jim couldn’t withhold his nature, numb it completely, ignore it forever. There will always be one itch he needed to scratch. That scratch though, would be life risking. In all the years Kanjigar lived, he knew how addicting blood was to gumm-gumms. Jim was no different. Although, at this point he always just mentally repeated things to himself. He knows this. He knows Jim. He just can’t seem to break this mental and emotional cycle.

 

Kanjigar forced himself a silent promise. He would make sure Jim would know how to properly defend himself. No matter what. Train him to at least lessen his blood cravings. Make him less likely to put himself in danger, to fuel his cravings  
“Jim. Calm yourself, you’re working yourself up too quickly”  
“Sorry just….feels good….like….breathing...nice deep breaths after only taking minor ones for so long”  
“i know it’s your nature, but you need to take better control of it. Handle it with more care”  
“gumm-gumm need for blood I know. I try my best to control it” Kanjigar wasn’t sure how to respond. Sure, he could just do some minor back and forth with Jim like he always did, but...this just seemed like a waste of words and breath. So, in response, all he did was nod and make a small grunt of acknowledgment. Jim grow that smile Kanjigar knew all too well. The smile of some self proclaimed clever intent.  
“whatever it is that you’re thinking don-” Jim made a quick side slash across Kanjigar’s chest. The trollhunter easily blocked it and deflected the blade, within that blinking second, Jim had simply vanished. Kanjigar was more than stunned. He blinked a few more times and looked around. How did he just vanish?! He felt a small tap on the back from behind with the end of Jim’s blade. He turned around and saw that mischievous smile he bore  
“Jim how did you d-” Jim’s eyes flashed for a split moment and he vanished silently in a small mist of shadow. Kanjigar heard Jim’s giggle from behind, turned to look for the noise, only to see nothing.  
“Jim. What are you doing?” Jim’s voice always originated from a point where Kanjigar couldn’t see. Each time he turned in that direction, it seemed to simply move

 

“well. I learned a lot of things. You wouldn’t believe what happens when you delve into ancient, forgotten, forbidden things. Things too strong for anyone to use. So, it was purposely forgotten, destroyed, and blah blah you get my point-THINK FAST!” Kanjigar felt his horn be grabbed and yanked to the ground. He swung his arm in an attempt to grab onto Jim’s, only to come up empty  
“neat trick huh? Poof, I vanish out of thin air, literally.” Kanjigar steadied himself. Gripping his blade and shifting his eyes all around, taking in every single detail he could.  
“what are you doing Jim?”  
“i told you. I know a lot of secrets. You need to learn how to fight a pro gumm-gumm. So that’s what I’m doing. With my own little mix to it all” Kanjigar felt another tap, on his shoulder this time. He turned to see Jim vanish once more, wearing that grin of his  
“dark shadow magic, infused with my blood, with some idea and creativity. I know how to poof. Vanish literally into shadow. Just for a second though.”  
“how do you do this?”  
“that’s what happens when you jam a powerful shadow relic into your amulet. Well, the power of one at least. Courtesy of an ancient assassin...” Jim suddenly appeared in front of Kanjigar, pulled his nose ring for a split second and giggled, and vanished again  
“you know, when you mix science and magic together, it creates far more powerful results. Like I said long ago. Two sides of the same coin. Each does something the other cannot. When you put them together, you get something….new. Fun fact. Did you know that white on the color spectrum is what happens when you combine every color, while black is the absence of all color. Meanwhile with art and pigments, white is the absence of all color, and black is the combination of all of them. So, eyeballs see fractions of light in certain ways. So, what happens if you bend light fractions around you to the point where someone can’t physically understand it. Your eyes literally can’t conceive what it’s looking at. It’s like how we are 3dimensianal beings, but we can only view things in a 2dimensional way. I’m just standing around you, I’m invisible in one way. Just by sight. You can still hear me, touch me, taste me, smell me, and well you get my point. I’m just doing minor things that trick your brain into not being able to process the information properly. Brains are interesting huh. Each and every little bit of it controls something. Learn to manipulate that control, and well, you get very….fun results. THINK FAST!”  
Jim swung his blade quickly near Kanjigar’s neck, just grazing it right before Kanjigar could react, Jim vanished once more and suddenly reappeared behind him  
“Jim, how do you move so quickly?”  
“natural. You should know by know just how limber and quick on my feet/paws/whatever. Although I DO have one secret….” Jim appeared in front of Kanjigar, tugged his nose ring and vanished once more  
“what happens when you have the ability to teleport at will, combined with invisibility?”  
“and enemy I cannot strike right away.”  
“oh….actually I was going to make a joke about myself, well either way, you’re correct. THINK FAST!” Jim sliced across Kanjigar’s rib cage and rolled in front of him, Jim murmured something under his breath and planted his hand on Kanjigar’s chest. Jim quickly disengaged and vanished. The hand mark however, glowed and purple veins spread under Kanjigar’s stone skin. He roared out in sudden pain and grabbed his chest. His mind suddenly became fuzzy and everything looked like static. He could hardly hold a single thought together, let alone a plan. Kanjigar dropped to his knees and took slow deep breaths, trying to stabilize himself. Jim appeared in front of him and squat down  
“careful. It shatters concentration and focus, as if it were glass”  
“w-what d-d-did y-you d-do?” Jim licked his hand slowly and then planted it onto the same spot he touched before. The veins quickly vanished and Kanjigar’s head went right back to normal. Everything had become clear once again, going back to the state before it all happened, as if it never did

“spell. Learned it. It’s not anything too powerful. it’s more of a small distraction, something to aid you in disorienting your enemy. It doesn’t last very long. I just wanted you to get a taste of it, so I stopped it before it became serious”  
“t-that wasn’t s-serious?”  
“nope! But it would have only lasted about a minute or so”  
“w-where did you l-learn such a thing?”  
“dark magic. I know you told me not to practice it I know, but it’s something I already learned. No harm done...well...to me I mean. There’s no side effects or anything lingering after it. Plus your body would develop a type of resistance to it, so that spell can’t be used often on someone without it finally no longer working. I did it to myself a lot, not it doesn’t even make me flinch”  
“you self inflicted this?!”  
“yep! Along with a LOT of other things. I would stay in a room, and put pixies into my ears. Over and over and over. Not out of some desire to be tormented, but to simply grow an immunity. I finally overcame them, now I know what’s real and what isn’t. They don’t affect me anymore. I’ve done a LOT of things to myself, make myself immune to things, less vulnerable. The pain is worth it” Jim placed a hand on Kanjigar’s shoulder and gave a soft smile  
“you might worry, but I promise, I’m with you from now on. I’m going to teach you every dark nasty trick gumm-gumms have learned. Make you immune. The pain will almost break you, but I know you have a strong enough will to overcome them. I will help you along with it too” Jim took his sword and sliced his palm, letting his blood trickle down onto the ground  
“blood magic is something I know of too. Like I’ve said before, my blood can twist and manipulate magic, so it works….differently for me. My dad and myself are immune to mind control stuff. I’m going to make sure he can’t take your mind” Jim powered himself up, glowing once again. His eye blazing blue  
“I’m going to share my blood with you at certain times. Help you get stronger. I’m able to control myself, at least a lot more. I know you’re going to fight my dad, so I’m going to help make sure you...well...don’t die. Or at least try my best” Kanjigar watched the golden blood spill down onto the ground, glowing gold and sizzling a bit. Jim extended his other arm, helping Kanjigar back onto his feet  
“you’re palm”  
“yeah, don’t worry, I heal pretty quickly. It will stop pretty soon. Ha, reminds me of the stories about the ‘bad blood’”  
“stories about the ‘bad blood’?”  
“yeah! Oh, duh, you wouldn’t know about it. Its gumm-gumm stories”  
“i didn’t know...they….had stories...”  
“well, all of you might not believe it, but gumm-gumms have our-…….their…..own culture. Stories, poems, superstitions, that sort of thing”  
“the last thing I would expect from a gumm-gumm is that they were superstitious”  
“yeah, like one is having an odd number of kills would bring bad luck”  
“explain please.”  
“so, if you have an odd number of kills, you’d be cursed with bad luck for that many years. So let’s say someone killed 39 others. They want to kill someone else as soon as possible, so they don’t get cursed. Dad and Bular are superstitious too. I know Bular is for sure”  
“THEY’RE superstitious?!”  
“yeah! Like Bular, he has this MASSIVE fear of magic. Like this place, would be his nightmare. He’s afraid of everything magical because he feels powerless against it, same with dad. You can’t kill a ghost after all, so trying to fight one would be pointless. You can’t just swing a sword at some kind of energy blast. So Bular’s always been really paranoid around magic” Jim started to giggle  
“i-i actually used to tease him about fighting trollhunters, that their ghosts would come to haunt him in his dreams. I can tell it did give him shivers if he thought too much about it. Ohhh if he knew about all of this, he’d probably piss himself” 

 

Jim’s giggling died down as soon as he started to notice angry faces of past trollhunters around him. Instantly he remembered  
‘oh shit, Bular killed most of them.’  
“yeah….uh…..anyways…..another superstition is the rebels curse”  
“what is that?”  
“so, waaay back when, there was this rebellion against my dad. Shortly after everyone got locked up in the darklands actually. See, a few of them thought that they WOULDN’T have been defeated if they were led by someone else, dad of course didn’t exactly enjoy hearing about that, so he killed anyone who spoke against him, although he already always did that. Anyways to keep it short, a couple gumm-gumms didn’t piss themselves thinking about fighting him, they rallied others, blah blah, rebellion. So, they had this whole civil war thingy. Eventually all the rebels were killed and order was restored, this all happened when I was a baby, well that’s what I heard at least. Blinky said it wasn’t safe to take me to certain places because of it. So some people think their still are rebels somewhere, hiding or just trying to blend in as if they never were apart of it. The curse part is because their was some rumor that right before they were defeated, they put this huge curse onto my dad and any who follow him. Just the usual ‘horrible fate worse than death’ to ‘terrible painful luck and torment’ that sort of thing. Of course, nothing ever happened so no one really believed it. Well bad things DO happen, so some blame the curse. But things have always happened even before it, so most don’t think much of it”

 

“Jim. What does your father fear most?”  
“loosing”  
“so simple defeat?”  
“no...that’s too simple it’s...loosing…….me….and Bular too...” Jim grew sad and he looked to the ground, his voice growing weary  
“he doesn’t want to loose the ones he loves. He’s always had this huge thing about my mom. Well, you know. So now that...well...yeah”  
“and Bulars greatest fear is magic?”  
“it’s weakness actually. Magic is a big thing, but it’s weakness. He’s always tries his hardest to be the strongest, the best, at everything. He doesn’t want to feel too weak and useless to everyone. He pushes himself past his breaking point to always be better. He’s afraid of failing our dad, not because of some rage or anything, but simply disappointment. To be abandoned and left, being seen as useless and meager. He tries his best to be a better brother and son so no one will want him gone. Like I said, hes a monster, but even gumm-gumms have feelings” Kanjigar gently cupped Jim’s chin and rose his head to have direct eye contact  
“i know they do, because you do. Whatever happens in the future involving….that life…..i won’t force you to be apart of it. You don’t need to fight them or be involved with anything. I won’t make you decide something so awful” Jim shed a few tears silently, wiping them off his face and nodded without a word.  
“let’s get back to the lessons” Kanjigar nodded and resummoned his sword, Jim did the same in return

 

“Alright big guy. Now this is important. With the gumm-gumms. There are champions, and there are hounds. What’s the difference?”  
“they are higher ranked than soldiers”  
“And?”  
“that’s all I know”  
“fun to teach you about my culture-uh...anyways so, champions are soldiers who have risen up above the others, with big feats to really make a name for themselves. The more they do, the more known they become. Hounds are the elite of the elite. Only 10 exist at any given time. Arrrg is the top, nm 1. to get to the top, you have to be the best of the best. The most blood thirsty, the strongest, the smartest, and so on. The main difference you can easily tell, is the fighting style. Champions are far better than any common soldier, BUT they are more offensive, they are far less careful with their own defense. They tend to rush into things head on first and foremost. Try to prove how blood thirsty they are. So well, champions come and go. A lot. Hounds on the other hand, they excel in EVERY tactic. Each hound has made their own. You all know Arrrg is a powerhouse, high constitution and hard to even slow down. Hes always aware whats around him at all times, always making sure to use everything to his advantage. When fighting more than one opponent, he typically uses them against each other. He does this one funny thing where he breaks off horns and jams it into others! Like their eyes and ribs it’s super funny caus-never mind….anyways….other hounds have their own ways. Some use magic to hinder and break their opponent down slowly, some use their opponents abilities against themselves. You ever literally fought your own shadow? Not easy to do. Some use this strange mixture of pixie dust oil that they drench their weapons and armor in, so even coming into contact or getting any of the fluid on you, well you start having a major pixie trip right then and there. There’s a hound, can’t remember who, but they use blood magic in the middle of combat. They literally kill and eat right in the middle of the fight, it makes them stronger, faster, harder to harm, and literally restores their wounds. Hard to fight someone who’s cut heals almost as fast as you make it. Chop them up, their wounds just heal the next second. Not slowing down or getting tired. Although usually the effects don’t last long, so the constant need to consume is their. So any one, be it friend or foe, will become a sacrifice. Certain gumm-gumm soldiers find it an honor to die and feed the hound, others, well they aren’t as willing to go closer into arms reach.

 

Well, my point is. Champions rush, hounds don’t. Looks are deceiving. One thing to note, hounds always make their scars and wounds as flashy and show them off every second they can. They see them as trophy's, spoils of war, sometimes they’re an even better prize than a piece of their enemy. It shows what damage they’ve taken, what they were strong enough to live through. So the more scars, the stronger they are. You see two gumm-gumms. One fully decked out in heavy armor. The other, certain spots are open and easy to notice damage from previous fights. Those are the hounds”  
“good to know. I must admit, I’ve noticed differences in fighting styles and appearances but I have had a hard time understanding which were which and what different gumm-gumm’s there are” Jim smiled and started to chuckle

“different types. Funny. Fighting styles true. But there aren’t, all gumm-gumms are the same. Magic in our blood, tainted it, so now we’re all the same. Share the same blood. we’re all family-ish. Some see it as that. Some say we were destined to align with one another. We’re not related, so nothing like incest, just….the same. it’s hard to say. When compared to regular trolls, it’s a difference like humans and trolls, total opposites. I’m chuckling because I remember Bular used to tell me stories about our kind, our history. Some just legend, others truth, and certain stories, no one knew if they were true or simply myth. He would tell me ‘in the beginning times’ far before gumm-gumms and regular trolls. Far before our wars. There were no humans. Far before humans themselves. There we no differences in trolls. We were all the same trolls. No river, no krubera, no mountain, just the same exact troll species. We were the ultimate. We could do everything with little to no consequence. We could fly and live under the seas. Sleep directly in the sun. We built monuments to our greatness. We could shape mountains and rivers, we could reshape the world to our whims. Then something happened. A great power, cracked our forms into tiny rocks. Those rocks absorbed the energies surrounding us. We regained a fragment of our previous selves, except it was twisted from the magic, cut off from the rest. We changed, we were weak. Sad. Lonely even. Some of us hid from the world and light itself in shame of our new bodies, not wanting to look upon them, going deep under the earths surface where no light was located. Some left to the mountains, trying to grow powerful, regain our sizes. Some left to be within nature, try to be able to tame and shape it once more. Some tried to sink back down into the seas, try to swim and live within our homes deep beneath the waves, no one’s sure if they made it or not. Some took to the skies and tried their best to fly, master the winds once again. We no longer were together anymore. We grew differently. Our bodies weakened and altered to the nature around us.

 

No matter what though, we were all too afraid of the sunlight, being in direct contact with it. Shame would fill our bodies as we could see ourselves clearly, memories of our pure past selves overwhelming us with sorrow. We grew weak without the light, thus becoming unable to enter it. One story suggests that our bodies still hate what they’ve become, and much rather die than be seen, hence why trolls die in sunlight. We all grew into different tribes. Our memories slowly crumbled like the rocks we are, now we’ve all but forgotten our beauty, our power, our true selves”  
“wow. I’ve, never heard of such a thing...that...is remarkably….beautiful”  
“i thought so too”  
“perhaps it is true, perhaps it’s not, either way, it would explain a lot about our differences” Jim and Kanjigar shared a smile  
“oh, one tiny last part. The energy, it never vanished or left. It still existed, it still does. It mixed with our past powers, and thus turned into magic. One part of magic, shaped a small weak creature. It took our ambition, our ideas and creativity. It took some of our most important aspects. It took our ability to look upon ourselves in sunlight, because they had never been beautiful like we were, so they never knew shame or disgust, sadness when looking upon themselves. So they stayed in the sunlight. Those tiny things roamed the surface where the sun would shine, where we couldn’t go. It helped to create them, shape them more and move unhindered. They never inherited every other strength or bodies, so they remained soft and weak. Those creatures were humans”  
“ah, I can see that making sense within your tale”  
“SO! that’s the creations beginning for all tribes and humans! I really love it, I think it’s really amazing!”  
“like I’ve said, I think it’s beautiful as well” The two sword clashed together once again, sparks flew and lit up the dimly lit afterlife. Kanjigar rammed at Jim in a typical bull fashion. Jim just dodged it by a hair and then grabbed a horn and slammed Kanjigar down into the ground, using his weight against himself

“Kanjigar, I knew how strong you are, you’re tactical and blah blah you get the point. You don’t know magic though, THAT’S one of my biggest concerns” Kanjigar rolled and sprang to his feet, swinging at Jim time after time, each time, Jim let the blade slide past him just a hair away  
“I’ve not fought many enemies who use magic”  
“which is why you don’t have experience. Like this” Jim let a swing cut deeply into his arm. He stumbled back a bit and smiled  
“Jim, are you alright?! I had assumed you’d dodge it!”  
“oh, I would have, except I wanted to show you this example” Jim made a few quick steps then planting a hand onto Kanjigar’s chest. Kanjigar’s lungs suddenly burned in agony, an intense pain suddenly flared up within him and spread out through his body like it was his own blood.  
“feel that? That pain? That agony?”  
“pretty hard not to”  
“look at my arm” Kanjigar looked in shock, the wound suddenly closing up a bit. The blood slowing down and repaired itself, only slightly. Suddenly Kanjigar felt intense pain his his own arm. He looked to it, watching as a wound suddenly develop seemingly out of nowhere, as if his body just started to open up for no reason  
“that’s a black magic spell. Equilibrium. Well I call it that. A dangerous thing. It connects two beings. They share the pain. The pain will even out and transfer to one another until both have the same pain. Mine lessened greatly, while your body absorbed the other half of it. It copied the exact wound, which is why your arm is as open as mine is. Everything equal, everything shared. Magic like this, you need to learn how to fight against it. Things like this will surprise you, because you’ve never faced it. The shock will lower your guard, just like now” Jim jammed the blunt end of his sword into Kanjigars ribs before kicking him away  
“spell like this is effective, except if you have less pain. If you had a worse wound than I did, I wouldn’t want to take on the extra half of it like you did mine just then. So if you see someone heavily wounded, their hand suddenly start to glow and they rush out to touch you, ANY PART OF YOU, EVEN IF BY A FINGER, you doge and get as far away as possible within a split second. But if you’re too far away for me to touch you….this happens” Jim made a small hand gesture and mumbled something. Kanjigar felt restraints tighten around himself. Dark hooks and chains, digging into his body and pulling it down, anchoring him to the floor  
“your own shadow, used against you. Your shadow will always be bound to you, so why wouldn’t it bind you to it in return? You feel those hooks? Digging into you as if it were real steel. don’t worry, THAT is just your mind. They aren’t actually hurting your body, it’s just a sort of mental manipulation. The chains will hold you, tighter and tighter the more you struggle. The more you fight it, the tighter and more painful it gets. Relax yourself. Fall to your knees. Accept it.” Kanjigar did as instructed. He relaxed himself and let all tension leave his body. Suddenly the tightness, the restraints, loosened and then vanished altogether. He looked himself over, not a scratch from it  
“like your shadow, your strength is apart of you. There are more than enough magics to fight against yourself, literally. You need to learn to accept things. Let them in. no matter how scary they might be. don’t ignore fear, don’t hate it. Accept it. The more you struggle, the more you fight, the harder it becomes. Always accept your worries. They are apart of you. You can’t fight them. Now, fight yourself”

 

Jim flexed his wounded arm more, then let the blood run into his cupped palm. He put it into his mouth then spat it out towards Kanjigar, mumbling something under his breath. Kanjigar suddenly felt a heavy shift in temperature. Burning hot as if under the sun itself, then freezing cold as if on top of a high mountain in winter. In front of him manifested into a pale version of himself, seemingly plain and emotionless.  
“you know the whole thing of ‘your greatest enemy is yourself’ and all that crap. Well, win this fight” the imitation charged at Kanjigar with an expression of hate. It summoned its own daylight and swung as hard and as fast as it could. Kanjigar summoned his own at the last second, blocking the swing. Kanjigar had to keep on the defense, blocking every strike and blow. It was almost too quick to keep up, until it was. Daylight was suddenly thrust straight into Kanjigar, the blade going all the way through him. He went limp against the imitation feeling more pain that he could have imagined. Was this what it’s like to die?  
“Kanjigar. you’re going to die. you’re fighting yourself. Don’t fight against yourself. Accept the sides about yourself you hate. Everything negative, everything that you want to push away, ignore, deal with later. All your flaws, your weaknesses, your vices, accept it” Kanjigar did just that. He closed his eyes and let his body rest, releasing all tension. Through the immense pain, he took a deep slow breath in, and then out. He felt so tired, the pain was almost numb now. He wrapped his arms around the imitation, going through his entire head. All his regrets, all the sadness and bitterness, all the times he never wanted to look back, lock away in his memory and never deal with them, he let them all come forth within him. He accepted it, he needed to move on. what’s done is done. The years he ignored Draal, the regret and pain still haunted him. He let it go, accepted he wouldn’t get those years back. He no longer clung to it, hold it within himself to go over and over again. He felt the pain lessen up, physically and emotionally. He accepted everything he’d done in his life. Move on, become better, no more self hatred or pity parties. It was time to deal with things, no more putting it aside or locking it away at the bottom of mugs.

His body felt the pain slowly fade away into nothingness. He stumbled a bit as the solid thing he was letting his weight go against suddenly vanished. Jim clapped a bit and smiled  
“great job! Not many people can do that! That, was a physical manifestation of the things you hated about yourself. Literally the side of you that you don’t want to deal with or are too afraid to go near. You really would have actually died, BUT I knew you had it in you. The will to live and the capabilities for self improvement! I was right! Yay you didn’t die!” Kanjigar felt a bit muddled from that experience. He touched where the sword had pieced him, only to notice no wound whatsoever, not even a scratch.  
“that….was…...unpleasant” Jim snorted and laughed  
“yeah, I did it to myself, not fun. Still, it didn’t always…..take…..then again….i am half human. Humans sometimes have a far easier, and difficult, time to let go of things” Kanjigar took a deep breath, closed his eyes and nodded. Well, from this point onward, he would deal with what he needed to. Including what he felt towards Jim….

…………………………………………………………………………..

They decided to take a rest. Kanjigar started to speak to a few other trollhunters of the past. Jim saw this opportunity and turned his back on them, slowly pulling out something from his pocket. He unraveled, and looked lovingly at his token of brotherly affection. He ran his fingers over the surface, tracing the paint lines creating the symbols with his finger. Kanjigar noticed Jim being strangely quiet and looked over to see the half troll having his back turned to them  
“Jim, what are you doing?” Jim gasped and turned around, hiding his token behind his back  
“uh nothing”  
“Jim, what are you hiding?”  
“nothing….”  
“Jim.”  
“it’s...”  
“Jim.” Jim sighed and showed it. It was a medium sized parchment. Painted with blood, were a special design.  
“Jim. Why do you have that?” Kanjigar said in an agitated tone as he walked over.  
“it’s…..”  
“give it Jim. You know you aren’t supposed to have things of this nature.” Kanjigar put out a hand expecting Jim to fork it over. Jim held onto it tighter and backed up a bit  
“wait...i...can explain….this….means a lot to me...”  
“it’s Gumm-gumm Jim.”  
“i know….but…..Bular made this for me…..he painted it in the blood of someone I REALLY HATED. He gave it to me….as a symbol of love. To show he wanted to be in my life more….to….love me more….” The designs on it were of gumm-gumm nature. A large snarling gumm-gumm troll face was in the very center. Around it were large fangs spread out to be violent and bloodthirsty. Around it, were various symbols of violence, hunger for gore, power, war. Gumm-gumm art’s and crafts!  
“i…...i know I have to put that life away...i…..i just…...it means so so so so so much to me. It was something he gave to me. He worked hard on this. He said he wanted to make this, so that every time I see it, it would remind me of how much he loves me. How much he wants to love me….i…..look at it from time to time….it…..comforts me….i…..” Jim started to get a bit choked up. Eyes becoming wet.

 

Kanjigar’s agitated expression softened and started to be replaced with worry and sympathy. This truly was something so meaningful to Jim….but…..it was a part of a negative part of his old life….something that’s supposed to be cut out of his new life….  
“Jim…..you…...you know you need to be rid of that life. Put it behind you, all of it.”  
“i...i know...i….just….couldn’t get rid of this….you all know my family as monsters, but you don’t know the side of an actual father and brother. They’re monsters, but they still love and...uh….” Kanjigar closed his eyes and snorted, putting his arm out further in a stronger ‘hand it over’ gesture. Jim held onto it tighter and backed up a little  
“please...i…..i want….to keep it….”  
“no. Jim”  
“please….i…..i can’t….i need it...”  
“it’s….a memento of your old life. Everything must be-”  
“i know…..please...just…..just this….please….”  
“no. Jim. That’s final. I’m not going to say it again.”  
“i know they’re monsters...but….they’re my family….they….wanted to love me. I loved them. They really started to love me. They were the only people I had”  
“and they ignored you.”  
“i know but they started to really try!” 

 

a few trollhunters started to mumble  
“get rid of it!”  
“it’s vile!”  
“it perverse nature taints our void!”  
“he clings to his old life!”  
“he truly will never change his ways!”  
“he will simply return to what he was-become what he truly is.”

 

“no...no I promise I won’t!” Kanjigar looked into Jim’s eyes seriously  
“give it Jim.”  
“Kanjigar, you know when you had to push Draal away for the longest time? You know how much it killed you, to have to do that. It stung so badly and even to this day you’re still regretting you ever did that. But you finally let Draal back into your life. You get to spend the rest of it in each others lives now. I don’t get that. I don’t get to reunite with my family. I will never be able to see my brother again. My dad. Arrrg and Blinky. I will never see them smile at me or hug me or hear them say how much they love me ever again. This is the last thing I have of that life. The good part. it’s my last reminder. The one final thing I have of that life, the good parts. The parts that I loved. That made me happy. That cheered me up. I gave everything else up, all but this...i….i want to keep it….please….it’s all I have left” Jim started to cry now, hardly able to choke out the last of his words.

“Jim. Give it to me. This is the last time I’m going to say it. Or I will take it away by force.”  
“you don’t care how much this hurts me...”  
“i do care. Which Is why I want to help y-”  
“this will only hurt me. This is my only piece I have left. The last tiny bit in my heart I can look at and remember the good happy times. The times that got me through the darkest parts of my life. The parts that I just wanted to give up and die. It always gave me a reason to live, to keep going. I know the future was going to be better because this showed it. It was physical proof they wanted to love me more. Try harder” Kanjigar reached out and took it, Jim resisted but after a few strong yanks, it was now only being held by Kanjigar. He looked at the parchment. A disgusting piece of filth that represented everything the trollhunters fought against. The very thing that threatened to overrun and take over the world. Kanjigar hated this, not the parchment, but the pain he was putting Jim through. This needed to be done though. He can’t cling onto mementos and past objects, or else he will never be able to move on fully. Kanjigar looked over to the side of the cliff, the lava bubbling and high. Jim watched Kanjigar as he made his way over to it. Jim shook his head no and pleaded to his trollhunter not to. Kanjigar ignored the pleas and cries. Now he stood at the edge looking down. It needed to be done. Like setting a broken limb back into place. It was going to hurt like no other, but it would all be well in the end.  
“it needs to be gotten rid of Jim” Kanjigar flinched as Jim suddenly bit into his arm hard, having his hand open up and release the parchment. Jim grabbed it before Kanjigar could pick it back up. Jim moved a bit away from his trollhunter master. He took one last look at it, before tossing it over the cliff himself. He wept heavier as he saw it burn into nothingness  
“Bular……..dad…..Toby….” that was all Jim could choke out through his weeping. Kanjigar walked over to Jim and put a hand on his back  
“you didn’t have to do it yourself”  
“i had to. It was the only way. I needed to do it myself”  
“I’m proud of you. This truly Is a milestone. I promise, I will never leave you Jim. Draal and I are always going to be here. We are your future, and you will only ever be happy. I want to make sure of it”

 

A few long silent periods of time went by, silent tears running down Jim’s face. Kanjigar pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back, soothing him. Jim just quietly and weakly said  
“life just hurts you so much all the time…..it always makes you sacrifice things you love the most”  
“life will bring so much pain. So much misery. So much sacrifice. More scars than you can count in the end. We give up so much of ourselves hoping we get something better afterwards. No one knows if they’ve made the right or wrong choice until it is far too late to turn back”  
“Kanjigar…..what if I made the wrong choices in my life…..what if nothing good ever happens to me...”  
“you have mad bad choices in your life. But you’ve made good ones too. I promise, between my son and I, we will make sure nothing BUT good things happen. The path is always going to be painful. But the pain is worth the happiness. I know it, I’ve traveled that path for most of my life. It hurts, but there are so many good parts. There are still good parts that are just beyond what we can see. We just have to look forward to them, and enjoy them when they happen”  
“and what do we do when they end?”  
“we look forward to the next thing. No matter how long it takes, no matter what happens, there will always be something good right over the horizon”  
“i don’t want to be alone anymore….i don’t want to hurt anymore….everything hurts so much...it just feels numb now….i don’t want to be numb anymore...”  
“you will never be alone as long as both Draal and I still breathe. The pain will always come, but no matter what, it will always go away. The bright hot painful sun will always set, for the cool wonderful nights to come right after. Then they will be replaced by the sun, and it’s an endless cycle. There will always be pain. But there will always be happiness too” Jim goes tighter into Kanjigar, breath starting to break apart again

 

“what if I become a monster like my dad?”  
“i promise. I will never let you. I will help you so that you never do. You will always be a good person. No matter what you have done, what you do, and what you will do. You will be a good person, because you’ll learn how to be. you’ll have Draal and I by your side each step of the way”  
“you won’t ever leave me?”  
“never. My son will promise the same thing”  
“you’ll never forget me?”  
“never. You will always be held in my heart” a few more long periods of silence, until Jim broke it by starting to weep again. The only sound that echoed throughout the silent void…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in the present…………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the morning, a nice lazy time, relaxing and mundane

“UUUGGHHH I NEED PENIS!” Jim groaned loudly, grabbing his head as he laid in his nest. Toby sitting nearby finishing up some college assignments and grinned turning to Jim  
“you know you CAN help”  
“I CAN’T FOCUS! I NEED COCK!”  
“heat killing you?”  
“come fuck me already!”  
“Jim isn’t Jim without some dick in him”  
“haha that rhymed! And hell yeah! UGH I CAN’T SIT HERE ANYMORE! MY BODIES DRIVING ME CRAZY! I NEED DICK ASAP!”  
“gonna go out and get sum?”  
“where the hell is Drraaaalllllll”  
“in trollmarket, jacking it to the thoughts of you probably”  
“ohhh I loooovvvee that! UGH I NEED DICK NOW!”  
“too lazy to just go to trollmarket and get summ lovin?”  
“yes”  
“lazy horny half troll, sinful stink boy!”  
“mmhmmm, ugh, okay we need to get up and do SOMETHING so I can take my mind off of sweet lovely penis”  
“Bular wanted to hangout with me, you want to come?”  
“ANYTHING to get my mind off dick!”  
“speaking of thick meat, He’s been wanting to eat beef jerky more. So, being the amazing friend I am, I’m going to show him there’s more than one kind. Also he loves the carnivore style pizza, might get some for him”  
“just remind him you don’t have all the money in the world”  
“ohhh I know. Don’t you worry, I make sure to let him know”  
“actually, here let me grab a bunch of cash before we leave, that will help settle Bular down if he gets too hangry. He takes being hangry to the next level”  
“for some strange reason I don’t doubt that”  
“well, time to go see the frolic”  
“I’m sorry the what?”  
“frolic. That’s what a group of gumm-gumms are called”  
“that….is amazing” Toby burst out laughing, grabbing his sides and falling over  
“i know right?”  
“A FROLIC?! THE WORLD ENDING PEOPLE EATING VIOLENCE AND GORE LOVING PEOPLE ARE…..A FROLIC?!”  
“oh yeah! it’s fantastic”  
“I CAN’T BREATHE!”

 

…………………………………………………………………

There they were! The dark prince of the gumm-gumms, and his bestest friendest in the worldest! Standing in the throne room, listening to very, very boring reports. Bular was sharpening his blades, Jim was trying to stop yawning and fall asleep, and Toby was putting notes on his phone to remind himself for future events.  
“so, Jim want to do that?”  
“I’m sorry, I was out of my mind, whatcha say?”  
“mmh whatch-”  
“NO.”  
“alright fine no meme. I said did you want to go t-” Toby stopped as behind the door to the throne room, the highly muffled sounds of chanting and spears slamming against the ground can be heard  
“what’s up with that Jimbo?”  
“huh. Usually when Arrrg comes home after some big kill, the guards have this welcome home greeting. I thought Arrrg was with Blinky though?” without much attention Bular responded plainly  
“he is”  
“then who’s that for? They only do it for him”  
“they do it for Garg too” Toby put his phone away and looked at Bular trying to remember where he heard that name  
“who’s that again? He’s important right?”  
“yes, he’s the second hound”  
“how many hounds ARE there?”  
“Depends. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Very cut throat. Everyone tries to become one. Most don’t live for very long, usually because they’re killed by a rival who wishes to claim their title. There are usually a total of 10. There are only 5 who have truly made a name for themselves. 6 and beyond always end up dead not long after earning the title”  
“wow, real competition then huh?”  
“the highest to earn”  
“so, no one’s just gonna kill Arrrg and have his title? don’t people want that?”  
“they want it as much as anything else. Who would be foolish enough to challenge Arrrg though. He is the TOP hound for a reason. No one who fights him typically lives long enough to tell the tale. Like I said, only the top 5 survive the longest. Anyone is allowed to challenge them, as long as they are lower rank”

 

“so like, the 10th can’t take Arrrg’s place?”  
“not until they’ve worked themselves past the others. One at a time”  
“oh, makes sense then. So how many DO get replaced?”  
“more times than you imagine. Not often someone holds the 10th spot for more than a month before being killed by another”  
“oh yeah, the one guy, Va or something, died cause he challenged your dad, he was the 5th right?”  
“3rd”  
“I’m surprised Arrrg and Garg haven’t tried anything, if they’re so strong”  
“they aren’t fools. They follow and are loyal than most others. Another reason they’ve survived for so long. Power and loyalty are rewarded” The throne doors slowly opened and the sounds of the chanting, and spear slamming suddenly filled the throne room. A single large gumm-gumm stepped through the door. A smile slowly spread across Gunmar’s bored face. He waved off the reporter, a signal telling him to fill Blinky in with the rest of their report.  
“my 2nd hound. Garg”  
“my dark underlord” a smooth powerful voice came from the gumm-gumm. Having roughly the same build as Bular, except slightly larger. Large curled rams horns with spikes coming out of them like thorns on a roses stem would. A thick long zebra style mane trailed down his back to his tail, thicker near the shoulders. A lighter shade of black was his stone skin color, war paint of glossy green decorated his figure, highlighting all the scars hes earned throughout many many years of battle. A surprisingly….adorable stubby tail poked out of his thick war skull adorned kilt. Large long powerful claws and nails, reminding Jim almost of a pangolin. Garg did a small bow at the foot of the throne’s steps  
“my loyal hound. What have you come here for on this day?”  
“a mere visit my dark underlord. As well as see if I could find Arrrg somewhere around here. I had a sudden itch to have a fun playful spar with my superior hound, for your amusment as well, two human skulls cracked at once”  
“you are considerate, albeit a bit too much of a suck up” Garg chuckled  
“perhaps I simply have a proper fondness for my dark underlor-” Garg’s head turned a bit in Jim’s direction. His eyes lit up with an intense desire. His nose twitched and his body grew a sudden lust~  
“ah. I don’t think I’ve ever properly introduced myself to your lovely second son” BOTH Gunmar and Bular’s had a sudden eye raise in curiosity. Gunmar tapped his throne with his fingers  
“no, no you have not. Now have you”  
“i believe only Arrrg has ever had the….pleasure of being by his side”  
“yes. Only he has ever been ever so close with my son”  
“may I introduce myself properly?” Gunmar’s vision focused more, trying to figure out what Gargs intentions were  
“you may. My son, step forward and allow Garg to introduce himself” Jim nodded and came forward in front of the large powerful gumm-gumm. A sudden shiver made its way down Jim’s spine, the gumm-gumm alpha was a lot...bigger up close….

To Jim’s surprise, Garg spoke smoothly for someone so big and powerful looking  
“hello my dark prince. I am Garg. I am the second hound who serves your father faithfully. It is nothing but an immense pleasure, as well as honor, to meet you for the first time” Garg took a knee and bowed his head. Jim’s body felt like it heated up  
“yeah...I’m Jim...uh...well...yeah...” Garg’s head rose and he looked at Jim, a powerful confident gaze, like a warrior looking at a trophy, well earned and rewarded to the proper contender  
“my, you look absolutely radiant. You have your mothers looks, if I may be so bold~” Jim felt a blush and he stammered a bit  
“t-thanks”  
“i truly feel honored to be in your company for the first time. I have heard few stories of you. They do you no justice”  
“uh..um..th-thanks”  
“if some divine creature created anything greater than you, they would have kept it for themselves”  
“uh..um...”  
“my. You have such lovely fangs. I have never seen a set more darling than them” THAT caused Jim’s eyes to go wide and his heart beat faster  
“t-t-th-thanks”  
“may I take a closer look?” Jim opened his mouth a bit wider, a small deep growl cave from Garg  
“i have never seen a more perfect set. You truly are blessed by the highest order. I would make a well placed bet if I were to say how easily they could tear into the flesh of another”  
“t-t-hanks”  
“they look so sharp, what luck a creature must have, when you tear into their throat, to die by any other means would simply feel less”

 

Jim shivered and made a the tiniest whimper  
“so graceful your bites must be. Perhaps I might be blessed to die by them. I imagine very few other ways I would prefer to die from” Jim swallowed and shivered once more  
“it would be far to much to ask you to bite me. To have your fangs sink deep into my own stone skin. Scar me, deeply wound me, give me something to wear with pride and glory. Boast my mark to all who witness it” Jim just mumbled something mindless and meaningless  
“lovely fangs they are~ your eyes, somehow pale in comparison by but the slightest margin. They are far more stunning than looking into the sky itself. If I were to loose my eyesight, I would wish it were right after our encounter, so that my last memories of vision were upon your exquisite form. Your claws and nails, I would cherish the pain they could inflict onto me. I would love for you to dig deeply into me with them, harm me as much as you could. Tear me apart and feast on me. Your fur seems ever so soft and luscious. Your very beauty is far too good for me to ever earn even another moment of your time. This truly has been the greatest pleasure in my long blood soaked life so far. I feel utter shame I had never introduced myself to you before. I am eager to serve you, i look forward to spilling blood in your name more than most others. May i see your fangs more?" Jim mindlessly nodded and opened his mouth wide, letting Garg peer into them

 

“whatever creature you tear apart in a brutal and bloody manner, well, I wish I could take their place within a heartbeat. Oh to see you hunger and vicious, nothing short of divinity itself. You make all heartstone seem like useless common rocks. Your skin is so smooth, truly perfection in every way. Whoever speaks negatively of half trolls, I believe them to be nothing but wasteful fools. They can’t appreciate the beauty that they are. So unique~ your kind should be treated higher than all others. Created from love itself. Is there any other race that could claim the same blessing? I feel like dull dim rock next to you. I bet you’re soft, and equally strong. Perhaps I could one day beg for you to challenge me to a fight, give me more scars than any other opponent. Lovely fangs, claws, nails, your horns too. How could I even go without saying how elegantly smooth they are~ you are an omegas omega. All others should be put to shame next to you. Ah, I fear I have taken up too much of your valuable time. I am thankful Arrrg was not here, I would feel terrible remorse from being distracted by anything other than you. How could I go without basking in your very presence? I would give up every future blood drenching, just to have you notice me~” Garg stood up, fully straight, looking at tall and powerful as he could, he looked down at Jim with powerful, lustful eyes. An intense gaze that melted Jim. He gave a deep growl and smiled  
“call upon my service any moment. I will stop what I am doing and rush to your call. No matter what. It would be nothing but the greatest honor to serve you directly from below or…..from above you. My dark prince. I would beg of you, to let me slay as many in your name as you’d have me be able to. Let me decapitate your most hated of creatures, bring their skulls to you so that you may pick their skull clean and add it to your nest, which I’m sure is nothing short of perfection for such a lovely omega~ I look forward to serving you well for the rest of my life. I am always willing to give you my mind, soul and...body...to aid you in any, and every need. I hope I can preform well for you. I’m quite the excerpt in all categories, be it purpose or.....pleasure. I know what to do, and do it well. So, call on me anytime you have need of my capabilities and i shall rush right over to help cure whatever assistance you require. my firm touch is the greatest within these lands. i can easily prove it, if ever you call me to....aid you in any, and every, endeavor” Jim muttered something, but no one could understand it. Garg gave a small growl and a wink before turning back to Gunmar

 

“ah, my dark underlord, such a glorious creature to have come from your loins. He is far too perfect for all others. Whoever his mate shall be, he will be nothing but the luckiest alpha. I hope he would praise your son as nothing less than a god. I know I would~ worship him in any way. My dark prince, I will bring you any sacrifice you request of me. You tell me who you want ended, I shall bring your their bones to gnaw on for pleasure. Sharpen those lovely perfect fangs of yours. I shall take my leave, Arrrg is not here, pity, but no matter. I shall simply leave to train a bit more. I have the unshakable hunger for blood and...flesh...now. I shall find my fill elsewhere. I take my leave, goodbye my dark underlord, goodbye my future king Bular, goodbye my...dark prince Jim. Use my body however, whenever, In every way, you wish. I can and will always prove, I am far better than all others. A reason why I’m the second hound. I would love nothing more than to show you, up close~ my form is far stronger, and durable than one might think. I have stamina unrivaled. As well as intimate knowledge to stances and battle styles, the likes of few others posses. I’ve had more than a lifetimes worth of practice” Garg winked at Jim once more before taking a deep bow, a deep growl, and turned to leave. Jim was left purring and blinking, trying to calm himself down from what just occurred.

 

…………………………………………………………………………….

 

Jim, Bular and Toby walked across a large bridge. Toby talking about the plans for the day! Mostly simple things to do. Get some food, walk around, maybe do some fun activites/good training for Bular. Jim just had a far off in his head look. Toby finally noticed how quiet Jim was being and turned to him, trying to get his attention  
“hey, Jim, Jim, yo Jimbo! Wakey wakey! JIMBO!” Jim snapped back into the real world  
“oh uh, sorry, lost in my head”  
“what’s up with you? I just made a shitty pun and you didn’t try to throw me off the bridge for it”  
“sorry was just….thinking”  
“you’ve been licking and touching your fangs since we left the throne room, you alright?”  
“yeah...I’m...fine” Jim smiled dreamily and ran his tongue over his fangs once more. Bular stopped in front of him, turning around to look at his little brother, said brother wasn’t paying attention and walked directly into Bular  
“oops”  
“brother. Pay attention”  
“sorry...what were we talking about?” Bular leaned down and looked Jim in the eyes  
“don’t tell me you’re becoming infatuated with Garg”  
“whhaaat nooo! I like-well….no one….but...well I mean….Garg just said...and...well...” Jim licked and fangs again and looked dreamily  
“no one’s ever complimented my fangs before~” Bular turned around and started to walk once more. Toby tried to talk to Jim, who simply went back to la la land. He gave up on the half troll and went to Bular  
“whats with him?”  
“you’re his best friend, why don’t you already know?”  
“never seen him like this, well except with Draa-dang! uh, sorry, I’m being super dumb, obviously he’s out of it from being all googly eyes for what’s his face. So what’s up with the fang thing?”  
“fangs are something that are found attractive. A lovely feature most look for. My brothers has his mothers set, like with most everything else. Fangs are for tearing into victims, a naturally deadly weapon gumm-gumms enjoy. Along with claws and nails. Jim has ones very pleasing to the eye. It’s a very large and almost seductive compliment”  
“huh, kinda like saying someone’s eyes are pretty”  
“a lesser feature to gumm-gumms, but yes a feature still. I haven’t been involved in my brothers personal life, as you know, so as far as I know, I’ve never once seen or heard of another giving him a compliment on his features. Hm. Garg.”  
“so, he was flirting with Jim?”  
“flirting?”  
“talking to someone, kinda in a romantic sense”  
“hm. It appears as if he did.”  
“Garg seems pretty smooth at it”  
“smooth?”  
“very experienced, lovely, attractive”  
“ah. Then yes. He is smooth. Hm. I have never once seen someone ‘flirt’ with my brother before, and in front of our father? Garg is incredibly stupid, as well as incredibly bold. I haven’t seen someone have the gronk-nuks to do such a feat.”  
“is that….bad?”  
“hm. I am...unsure….Garg has always been very professional in everything he does. I have never even heard or seen him fail my father once before. While Arrrg is far stronger and more feral, Garg is more tactical and cunning. Yes, he is ruthless and blood starved as any proper hound would be. One thing I do admire about him, is he’s nothing short of a glutton as I am. Our appetites could easily be rivaled” Bular chuckled at that last bit, knowing full well what Garg looks like digging into a gore feast. The three walked across another bridge, except this time, down below, was a celebration. Jim’s mood suddenly snapped into anger and resentment as he peered down and saw just who it was. Bular heard Jim huff and growl, he turned around and thought  
‘here we go again.’  
“little brother-”  
“NO. NO TALKING. KEEP WALKING. UGH! THERE GOES MY WONDERFUL MOOD. FUCKING DAMMIT. OF COURSE, SOMETHING NICE HAPPENS TO ME IT GETS TAKEN AWAY BY SOMETHING ELSE!” Jim threw up his hands after growling loudly and scratching the ground with his nails, creating deep scratch marks, clearly showing the anger fueling it. He stomped past a very confused looking Toby.  
“uh, Jimbo?” Jim’s only response was a snarl without even turning around. Toby turned to Bular hoping for answers  
“soo...” Bular watched his brother stomp forwards as he replied  
“he heavily resents the champion down there”  
“really? Why?”  
“you already know well enough Jim pushes himself too far, too fast. The champion has done feats Jim has wished to do. Be the first one to do them. The champion comes along and does them. He is given admiration and praise, celebrations in his honor. Jim is jealous of it. Hes wanted to be the one to do them all. he has done minor things, however he doesn't consider them true feats since hes had aid. The champion has done all things on his own without a moment of aid from anyone. Jim wishes he was strong and able enough to do the same, however he is unable to, thus the intense resentment of him. Hes always been like this the moment he learned of the champion. then others constantly speak about his new feat for days, giving him even more hate to form in his heart"”  
“wow th-”  
“STOP POISONING TOBY! KEEP WALKING AND IGNORE HIM!”  
“wow, never seen this side of Jim before. He must reall-”  
“STOP TALKING AND WALK TOBY! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE! YOU’RE MINE! NOT HIS! STOP LOOKING AT HIM!”  
“wow...geez Jimbo, you’ve NEVER been like this. I mean, the wanting to be better than you are now but wanting to do it too quickly make sense b-” Jim powered himself up and punched a rocked hard enough to crack it. He roared out and thrashed around.  
“I HATE HIM! I HATE MYSELF! I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW ME! I WANTED TO BE THE ONE TO DO IT ALL FIRST! IT ISN’T FAIR! EVERYONE ALWAYS SEES ME AS THE SMALL WEAK HALF TROLL. I WANT TO BE FEARED! RESPECTED! NOT BECAUSE I’M MY DAD’S SON! AT LEAST BULAR IS FEARED BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS, THE WHOLE BEING GUNMARS SON IS ALWAYS SECOND WHEN THINKING ABOUT HIM!” Jim feel to his knees, taking deep breathes out of exhaustion. Toby walked over to him and rubbed his back

 

“feel better? Get it all out?” Jim roared and clawed ar the ground until his fingers started to bleed. He roared and spat out in pain, cursing and becoming sad and bitter, shouting at how pathetic he is. How weak and sad to look at. He thrashed around a couple of times, each time having less energy in it, until he finally had to prop himself up onto his elbows and take deep shaky breaths. Toby lovingly rubbed his back again and spoke lovingly  
“you get it all out?” Jim spat and took a deep breath, nodding slowly  
“you want to get up and walk now?” Jim nodded and gagged  
“hey, today we can go up, get a bunch of food, walk around and do stuff, have a nice day away from everything like this. The three of us having fun!” Jim nodded and slowly got up, he dusted himself off and licked the blood off his fingers. He started to walk, making small disgusted noises taking on last look below before the three finally walked away from it all.

 

…………………………………………………………………….

 

Jim sulked into his large ice cream cone. Bular was enjoying all 10 of his. Different flavors and types. He really enjoyed dark chocolate. Toby tried to cheer Jim up by saying dumb puns and terrible dad jokes. To no avail…  
“hey, come on. Cheer up!” Jim just mumbled into his ice cream in reply.  
“come on Jimbo! Remember what Garg said? You have amazing fangs! You can’t show off your fangs if you frown!” Jim felt a bit better about that. The nice fuzzy lovy dovy feeling he had when he remembered the compliment.  
“i love it….just….i don’t know what I’m doing with my life. So many others have theirs planned out perfectly! They know what they’re doing! I don’t! My life is just chaos and all over the place! So are my emotions! I feel like no matter what I do I don’t get anywhere. Like no matter what I do nothing helps to improve it. Hell look at me! I’m a god dam wreck! I can’t even live without you or else I feel like I’m going to die! No one else feels that way!”  
“there are MORE than enough people who need support. They need it their entire lives. There’s a reason support systems and animals exist. They don’t just one day no longer need them” hearing that made Jim feel a bit better, more...normal  
“yeah...i...guess you right...”  
“see? it’s normal for people to need support, some more than others. You need a support human!”  
“yeah but...what happens when you’re not around..i mean like...not around around.”  
“I’m not going anywhere for a looong time. We can deal with the future one day, today, right now, we don’t need to. Right now, we just enjoy our ice cream. That’s all we can do, not kill ourselves worrying for what won’t happen a long long time from now” Jim nodded and took a shaky breath  
“also, no one knows what they’re doing with their life! Sure, you can plan ahead into the future, but no matter what, no one truly knows! Right now, life can change on a dime! You can’t sweat over the future, you have no control right now. So, enjoy your ice cream, your brother, your toby, and yourself”  
“yeah…..yeah….”  
“Are you happy?”  
“huh?”  
“are you happy?  
“right now?”  
“in general”  
“yeah I guess I am”  
“there you go! that’s all that matters! if you're enjoying yourself, if you're happy, that’s all that matters! just enjoy yourself and your life one baby step at a time" Jim smiled and looked at the clouds drift by in the sky  
“yeah, I guess you’re right”  
“You KNOW I’m right”

 

Bular was doing his best to hold back his anger. Ever since Toby’s been teaching them, Bular’s resentment had started to grow.

 

He was beginning to get jealous of Toby.

Each time he helped Jim, it made him more resentful

HE should be helping his brotherly

his brother should turn TO HIM!

Bular had to keep reminding himself that Jim’s health mattered more than some petty resentment. Toby was teaching him. Toby was his friend. Toby meant a lot to Jim. Let it go. Nothing to be upset over. don’t let this thing inside of you grow anymore. Bular started to understand how Jim felt about the champion…

Bular tossed an entire ice cream cone into his mouth in one bite, getting a little fed up with tiny licks. Hardly a tablet of taste. Next time he was going to demand-no. Request. For one of those larger tubs of them. Bular reminded himself to be thankful, unlike his father, HE could actually go to the surface. Spend time doing what human things Jim loved to do. Bular felt bad, he knew how much their father wanted to spend time with Jim, at least Bular could. So he made sure to always remind himself to be thankful, even for the slightest few moments

Toby’s phone buzzed, he pulled it out and mumbled a bit. Jim finished off his ice cream cone and rubbed his hands together to clean off the crumbs  
“what’s up Tobes?”  
“ah, I need to go give something to Claire, would it be cool if we go there real fast?”  
“sure!”  
“uh...Jim?”  
“yeeesss?” Toby motioned his head to Bular sitting next to them, watching a bird fly around while eating another ice cream cone in one bite  
“ah. Big rock monster. Got it. Eh, why not bring him along?”  
“well I mean….I’m good...but….”  
“well, he’s going to behave”  
“alright….well...here goes nothing”  
“hey, if Claire’s parents have come to love me after all this time, they will with Bular too!”  
“hmm….let’s hope. Huh actually, he’s never met nana either”  
“let’s introduce him! Get him to realize what you always mean about her”

 

AND SO THEY LEFT! Going all the long ways and carefully avoiding the sunlight, they traveled to Toby’s home to grab the thing! Bular entered the home with a bit of trouble, but managed to fit. He was hit with the heavy scent of old woman and cat. He didn’t know how to feel about it. He never cared for the elderly, too spoiled tasting, not fresh and alive enough for his liking. Don’t have that frantic energy to run away and struggle like someone in their prime. Meanwhile with cats, he never cared for them. Sure, they tasted good, but he’d much rather fill up on people than waste his time with tiny bite sized food. His stomach always hated him when he didn’t fill it all the way up in one go. It was spoiled like that. He walked in deeper and noticed Jim talking to an elderly woman, both being warm and friendly to each other. She wasn’t the only friendly one to his little brother, swarms of cats rubbed up against him and meowed. No wonder he always smelled heavily of cats, they practically beg him to be eaten.  
“-so, without that left we’re going to Claire’s right after this little stop. Good to know Barbara’s taking good care of you. I’m sorry Toby’s been gone for so long with me”

 

Nana laughed and patted his arm  
“nonsense! its wonderful to know he’s out of the house and doing things with friends. Plus i haven't had this much fun in years! tobypie is such a stick in the mud. He hardly lets me do anything fun anymore when he's around. I might be old, but I’m not dead yet! i still like to have fun! some of my girlfriends and i have been talking about going sky diving sometime. I've always wanted to do it, plus having all this excitement is really putting a pep in my step" Jim can't help put smile the largest hes ever done  
"that’s....amazing"  
"well thank you! oh I'm so glad my Tobypie has you in his life" she pats his head. Jim purrs in response, Nana giggled  
"such a cute thing. oh before you go, would you like some pie? i made some for Barbara across the street, but i think i got carried away and made too many. i always loved to bake, can't help but have fun with it"  
“sure! OH wait before that, I’d like you to meet someone”  
“oh? Who might that be?” Jim waved Bular to come into the living room. He squeezed in and noticed hardly a difference between the separate rooms. Human huts always seemed strange to him. Different rooms for different things. Seemed a hassle and a waste to have to go from room to room to do the same thing.  
“this is my brother, Bular” Nana adjusted her glasses and smiled  
“Well! aren’t you a big one! For a moment I thought my glasses were simply blurry! Such dark lovely stone. In my younger days I once dated a volcanologist, he would always bring me such beautiful stones. Oh and your eyes are darling! Wish I had the eyesight of a troll, it does dampen things when you grow old like I am, my vision isn’t what it used to be” Bular wasn’t sure how to respond. The only compliments on his looks he’s ever gotten were typically along the subject lines of cruel and terrifying, not….lovely. He really doesn’t understand humans.  
“yes...uh...thank you”  
“so yeah Nana that’s my brother Bular, he’s spending the day with us, we really should get going, he’s not very socially inclined, worse than Toby”  
“oh how in the world can someone be worse than my tobypie?!” she laughed and Jim couldn’t help but giggle along. Toby came down and huffed  
“Nana!”  
“oh don’t be such a stick in the mud! I’m only joking! Well off you three go! My show’s about to come on and I don’t want to miss it. A pie is on the stove, go ahead and take it!” Toby and Jim said their goodbyes and left, Bular eating the pie in one go, surprisingly enjoying it. He might want more in the future…

 

…………………………………………………………………

Claire’s parents were unsurprisingly, very, very nervous. Claire’s mother was trying to keep her composure as she was giving a proper introduction to her and her husband. Bular was standing in their living room, a tiny growl escaping his throat as he looked around, his horn bumping into the wall by accident  
“when Jim said he came from a family of full trolls….well we never expected….someone of your...hm...caliber” Bular really didn’t know what to make of that. He wanted to snarl, thinking it was some sort of offensive thing. He was above filthy fleshbags. How dare they try to even think of him in any way other than greater than he is!  
“yeah that’s my brother! Bular!” Jim smiled and hugged his brother, trying to show the ‘he’s really warm and soft and friendly when you get to know him please don’t think less of me!’ style  
“well you...never quite….gave us many details of your family...i….would never have considered he to be your brother” Bular held back a small growl  
“what’s THAT supposed to mean?”  
“HEY BIG BRO IT’S OKAY! They just meant how different we look! See? Try to look at me for years and not knowing what YOU look like, then well, meeting you! They NEVER mean anything negative about you or me! Sorry about his gruff attitude, he’s just very socially awkward! He hardly ever comes up to the surface! He wanted to spend the day with us so I said sure! We want to have fun! We make sure everything is safe and okay! And well, here he is! The big love able troll he is!” Jim laughed a bit too forced and then spoke in troll while holding his complexion  
“Bular please please please be a good big brother and just go along! Be soft and cute! Just, no growling or angry glares, you don’t have to speak or even smile, just don’t look so…..well you. This means a LOT to me, don’t worry about failing, you just have to be nice and relaxed, that’s all. Family meets their friends family, this was going to happen so maybe this was for the best! Point is, these are Claires parents!”  
“ah. Yes. So uh...flesh...uh...human….nenz….you rule this place?”  
“no Bular! he’s silly, just a troll joke! she’s the leader but she was elected! Human political stuff, very complicated, point is she here to help others!”  
“is it effective?”  
“yes! Well let’s not get into that, so how have you two been?”

 

Claire came down holding Noten in her arms  
“so sorry about that, this little guy just woke up from his nap hu-” she stopped when she noticed his face in absolute shock and silence. Hardly moving or blinking. Bular snarled a bit at him. Impure. Jim covered for his brother the SECOND he let out his cruel demeanor  
“HEY! don’t worry everyone! that’s just how trolls greet their kids! Sorta-ish. Kinda like making a silly face! Like how dogs growl and play! Kinda like that!”  
“Bular, did you want to hold him?”  
“NO CLAIRE! Uh I mean, cause...uh….I want to hold him!...haha….isn’t that right little guy?” Noten snapped out of his fear and forced himself to smile and reach out for Jim. Jim was handed the sweet little baby and nuzzled him, then spoke sweetly in troll  
“okay both of you listen up. Bular just TRY to not feel so disgusted by him for 5 minutes at least! Noten try not to look so scared, relax okay? you’re doing great! Just keep it up. Bular try to calm yourself down. You DON’T have to hold him, just relax. Noten, you relax too. There juust like that, go back to being the innocent happy baby you are”  
“Jim, are you speaking troll?”  
“yeah”  
“oh, you don’t have to be embarrassed around us. But if you want to talk privately to your brother, I understand” Claire smiled and made direct eye contact with Jim, who couldn’t help but smile back.  
“i guess I’m just a little stressed...i really want your parents to like my brother...OH THAT’S RIGHT YOU’RE IN THE ROOM! So uh, yeah! My brother isn’t very social and he’s a big troll who doesn’t exactly fit into small rooms. Well you’ve met him, we gave Claire what she needs, alright lets head out before-” Bular tried to adjust himself after feeling too cramped in one spot. His tail knocked over a vase. It crashed onto the floor making one big glass, water, and plant mess. Jim sighed through his nose and groaned a bit  
“that.” Claire’s mother got up and walked towards a nearby closet to get out some cleaning supplies, all the while saying in a clearly strained kindly tone  
“it’s alright Jim, you’re right...your brother isn’t...as...he….well he doesn’t have the same build as you.” Jim quickly spoke and tried to move himself, Toby and Bular out of the home  
“exactly! Alright see you later! Here have your brother back okay let’s go go go!”

 

………………………………………………………………………………….

The three of them walked away from the home, the sun already starting to dip into the late afternoon now. Bular felt disappointed with himself. He had ONE JOB. Just STAND THERE AND NOT SNARL! Yet he failed the most easy, basic, simple of tasks a whelp could master! Jim noticed his gruff exterior and patted him arm, saying with a cheerful disposition  
“hey big guy! don’t worry! I know that look. I know what you’re thinking. No, it isn’t your fault. I mean yeah it kinda is, but you NEVER have met parents before! You did great! No saying anything disturbing, you were caught off guard with-meeting a human baby for the first time, you just need practice!” Bular make a small grunt in response, he DID feel a tiny bit better. Still. He did feel better. A tiny bit. Just a tiny. Tiny. Bit. As the three walked Toby suddenly stopped and went wide eyed. He extended his arm in front of Jim to stop him  
“holy shit”  
“what’s up Tobes?”  
“look!” Toby pointed straight. Across the street, a man was walking  
“that’s the guy I want you to ea-uh….”  
“nah it’s fine if Bular knows….right?”  
“i mean...won’t it be...weird?”  
“why?”  
“i don’t know….just...sorta our private weird thing”  
“well, we can keep it that way”  
“uh….no it’s….fine….” The entire conversation, Bular was looking at them with a mix of annoyance, and curiosity. He had to remind himself, this was his BROTHERS LIFE. NOT HIS. If his brother wanted to withhold information. That was fine. He shouldn’t be forced. That’s what a good brother does. Respect his brothers choice to say what he does and doesn’t wish to discuss.  
“see that guy right there Bular”  
“which? There are many human males”  
“red shirt, black pants. Smells like ax-never mind you wouldn’t know what that meant. It’s the strange perfume”  
“yes. I see him”  
“so. You wana explain Tobes?”  
“uh...sure….well….see…..there’s people I….think would be best if they were gone. Jim can make that happen. so...i….ask him to make certain people be gone and….well...he gets to eat. We both win”  
“yeah, so Tobes points, and I chew! I know I know, I still feel awful about eating people. But it’s taking innocent lives that bothers me, well plus the entire emotional thing about me being a monster-never mind. Look my point is, bad people. I eat them. Toby says he wants him gone. I eat him. If Toby wants someone gone. I eat them. Its as simple as that. That guy, Toby doesn’t want him around anymore. So. I eat.” Bular studied the human carefully. Adult male, healthy. Arrogant by the looks of his walk and style of speech.  
“yes. I see”  
“so, I’m planning on eating him. Hey Tobes did you want me to do it at a certain time or what?”  
“as soon as possible”  
“gotcha” Bular had a small idea form. A good brotherly bonding activity.  
“brother”  
“yeah?”  
“let’s eat him together” Jim and Toby turned to him, Toby with a concerned look, while Jim had a curious look  
“you want to...together?”  
“yes. We can bond over it. Enjoy eating together like we do. We haven’t eaten together in a long while, I would very much enjoy it if we did so more often. If you decline my request, I will accept it without anger. This is your choice. This is your friends choice”  
“sure”  
“really?”  
“yeah, why not. We really haven’t done it in a while….and...getting past my mentality of me hating myself, I just think of the two of us, spending time together, eating something tasty and sharing a good time. Plus one less terrible person in the world. I don’t see it as eating a human, just….an experience, something I want to...well...experience again” Bular smiled, he was looking forward to this. His brother was opening up to him! Toby was right, like he always is  
“when shall we eat? Tonight?”  
“you know what…..yeah...let’s do it. Why don’t we follow him around a bit, watch him from a good ways away. Study him. And then tonight, we have a little dinner together”  
“i would love nothing more. Shame our father can’t partake in our food together”  
“you know what. The three of us need to eat together”  
“father cannot come up here, remember?”  
“i mean together down at home! Families have dinner together at tables. We should” Bular made small growls in his throat as he watched the man  
“should we bring him before our father?”  
“nah, tonight, let’s just have some brother to brother time. We can have a full family time some other time” Jim went a bit stiff and jumped a little when Bular suddenly pulled him into a surprisingly gentle hug  
“i love you brother. I want you to always remember”  
“thanks, love you too big bro. Why the sudden hug?”  
“can’t I give them when I wish to?”  
“you can...just...curious”  
“i wanted to show affection. I’m more than happy you wish to spend time with me all on your own choice” Bular started to chuckle and hold his brother closer  
“when the age of our father begins, we shall feast as a family far more often. We can finally enjoy one another at the same time. I feel remorse that father cannot join us above. He would love to take part in all this. I feel blessed that I am able to. I know how much he wishes to, one day, when his age comes, we will be a true family, forever”  
“when...dad’s age comes...” Jim closed his eyes and imagined it. The three of them, living and laughing. Doing fun things together. Just…..being a family. And ACTUAL FAMILY! He always imagined it as a child. Always pretended his family acted the ways they did in all the stories he was read to by Blinky. Now...that….can actually happen….it….can be real! Jim sniffled a bit, his life long wish was actually foreseeable. It could actually happen! That dream had….died inside his heart...a long….long time ago. He always hoped but….he didn’t want to fully delve into it. It would only bring back tremendous pain. Now…..it….didn’t hurt….it was exciting...like...learning about one of your favorite things about to come out, right around the corner! Not much longer until it begins!  
“i…..i’ve wanted that my whole life….i...cried so much. I wished so much. I constantly, always dreamed we would do things together. All the books and stories, the things I read and Blinky read to me. All those loving families, spending time together, living life, loving each other….it….never happened….now….it really can happen...i…..I’ve wanted it so long, it’s never happened that I just….let that dream die in my heart...now…..it can happen”  
“no. not can. WILL. We WILL make it happen. You, me, father, ruling together. We won’t be separate any longer. We won’t drift apart and be little more than high ranking units. We will be a family” Jim knew that last part was something in Bular’s heart, not his. Jim never thought about his status as some high ranking unit. That was Bular. Bular sounded like that would melt away in his heart, replaced by the same thing Jim wanted  
“alright, alright enough heart to heart mushy crap. let’s go back to having fun, I don’t want to get all emotional and cry”  
“yes, back to our pleasures” The three walked and trailed the man from a distance, watching his every move. Also truly noticing what big of a dick he really is. Toby was right, this guy’s gotta go. Eventually they stopped out of hunger. Jim and Bular wanting to keep their appetites for later. Toby on the other hand wanted to munch of actual people food, not people who are food. Toby had come out of a small store smiling, he tossed Jim a bag  
“hey, check those out”  
“sweet buns?”  
“read them”  
“sweedish cinnamon bon bu-HAHAHAH THAT’S AMAZING! Hey, hey Bular. Look! Wait you can’t read, never mind, This says it’s a sweet treat, called Bullar. Your name’s a sweet bun!” Toby and Jim laughed together as they ate some of it. Bular wasn’t amused. More….confused….fleshbags name a treat after him?  
“here, try some, you taste good!” Bular tasted it, he didn’t care much for it though. Jim took a picture with his phone  
“Bular eating Bullar. This is amazing”  
“i am...confused about all of this”  
“ah, don’t overthink it. it’s just something funny. A coincidence, nothing more. I’d laugh just the same if I saw a food named Jim. So sweet bun brother, let’s keep walking”  
“you aren’t going to keep referencing me like that are you?”  
“what do you think?”  
“knowing you, it’s a high probability”  
“YEP!” Bular sighed through his nose and ate that last of ‘himself’. Well, at least the nickname wasn’t something worse…

………………………………………………………………………..

It was time. The sun was just about to go down, more than enough quite hidden places around. The brothers were hungry. It was dinner time. Toby ‘accidentally’ bumped into the guy. The two exchanged words while Jim and Bular watched from afar. The man started to head in the brothers direction, Toby growing a morbid smile on his face as he watched the man walk to his death. He was starting to enjoy sending people to their graves a bit too much now…..and his list had yet to shorten….

 

The man was oblivious to what was going on around him, he had airpods in and couldn’t hear Jim sneaking up on him. Grabbing the man quickly and dragging him into the forest, mouth covered and flailing restrained. Once they were deep enough, Jim threw the man down onto the ground  
“hi, I don’t care who you are. You don’t care who I am. You might care about him though” Jim motioned his head to Bular who was now towering over the cowering man  
“you remember Toby right? The fat kid you picked on, more specifically, the one who you pelted with rocks, saying you were helping him since he couldn’t help himself. Remember how he said bad things happen to bad people? Well, he warned you. You didn’t listen, now I want you to look at us. we’re the bad things. Don’t worry, we’ll tear you apart slow enough to where you won’t die suddenly. We want you to feel every tiny second of pain last as long as possible. Think of this as universal karma. You were a very bad man, not it’s time to for your punishment” Jim squatted down and shoved something into the mans mouth, then putting duck tape over it, making sure his screams couldn’t be heard. Then grabbed the mans arm and bit deep into it, tearing a large chuck off the bone directly. Jim chewed and smiled. He missed this. He missed this so much. Such a nice feeling of euphoria and relief rush through him. He felt himself become crystal clear, nothing lingering inside of him to weaken him. He swallowed and smiled at his older brother, blood already running down Jim’s mouth. He ran a tongue over it, cleaning what he could off his face  
“oh big brother, time for your bite. Just not too much! He needs to be alive as long as possible”  
“understood dear brother” Bular got onto his hands and knees and started to dig in. the man’s muffled screams could hardly be heard.

 

Meanwhile Toby was nearby, sitting on a bench going through his phone casually. Waiting for his best friend and his brother finish their meal. Toby asked, and Jim promised, he and his brother would be as slow as possible, really drag it out. Toby was satisfied knowing the man got what was coming to him, courtesy of what he now joked about as gumm-gumm justice. Sadly, the man only lasted a minute or two before officially dying, Jim hoped he truly fully experienced every moment of pain before passing on to whatever next life there was. Jim picked the meat off of an arm. Cleaning it with his tongue, making a wet mess of saliva and blood. Bular was happy watching his brother, it reminded him of the first time Jim ate, the cute little face smiling as he ate a human for the first time. Bular stuck a femur into his mouth and growled at Jim. Jim looked up and smiled. He bit into the other side and tugged as hard as he could, playing a small tug of war with his brother over the bone. The bone snapped in half and the larger portion went to Jim. He pulled it out of his mouth and chewed on it. In between them, speaking  
“you let me win, didn’t you?”  
“perhaps” Bular chuckled at snapped off another piece of meat from the corpse as easy as someone would tear paper. Jim licked the femur like a lollipop before tossing it in the rib cage for later chewing. He bent down and tore into the mans neck, ripping off a large chunk of flesh to chew and eat. He was in utter bliss. He could feel his euphoria drive him more and more into a feral eating frenzy. His gumm-gumm nature really blooming all out, like a fresh flower in a rain from fresh spring. Bular growled and chuckled as he watched and listened to his brother in absolute pleasure. The memory of him having his first kill sprang to life in his mind. So young, naive really. If only their father were here to witness it. He would be proud. His sons, his gumm-gumm offspring, being so gore hungry. It would truly make any true father proud. Bular reached into the chest cavity for the mans liver, only to have his hand smacked aside by a growling Jim  
“mine.”  
“oh? What makes that so little brother?”  
“i called it”  
“i don’t see your name on it” Jim growled more with a sly smile  
“Well too bad. Toby wanted him dead, so he belongs to me. My kill, my liver”  
“fine, then I will take the heart”  
“mine.”  
“then what WILL you allow me to consume?”  
“the rest of him. Heart, liver, rest of his arm, and a few of his ribs are mine”  
“oh so suddenly I get your scraps?”  
“hey, I got yours for years, I think it’s high time the tide turned against you” Bular laughed out before tearing into the mans leg. After a few heavy crunches and swallows, he licked his lips and said with a cruel smile  
“my. As far as I recall. I always let you have your own humans. Even if I were the one to hunt”  
“i was younger back then, besides, you know I need the most! I’m a growing gumm-gumm! Don’t you want me to be healthy and strong?”  
“HA! Using that card? Fine. Then by all accounts, the oldest siblings get the first eat” Bular cracked the femur in half in one chomp and ate the splinters like crackers  
“youngest should eat first! They need it the most to grow. You’re already all big and strong! Not fair to deprive me of that”  
“fine. If I can’t have my fill, then I shall simply go on my own hunt”  
“aww but we’re sharing our dinner together!”  
“exactly. Sharing. I think someone’s not being fair”  
“whaaat?! You get the majority! Stop being so butt hurt because I get the fun pieces” Bular laughed as he pushed Jim’s head down back into the chest cavity  
“fine. Eat what you want, then your brother will eat the rest. Consider this a token of my affection”  
“what? Me eating what I want to? Suddenly a ‘gift’ from you? My my you truly are the greatest older brother”  
“i know I am. I enjoy hearing you admit it whelp” Jim chewed on a couple of rib bones, breaking them apart with his sturdy sharp teeth, chewing out the marrow as well  
“hey, Bular. If you had to get into an eating competition with someone else, think you’d win?”  
“is that a challenge little whelp?”  
“me?! Noooo, it would take like, 50 of me to match one go against you! I only meant like, someone who DID have an equal chance against you”  
“hmmm, yes. I believe I would”  
“like I don’t know, Arrrg or even someone like, maybe Garg or whoever….” Jim trailed off and avoided eye contact, chewing on a chunk of spine to stuff his mouth with, a good excuse not to talk. Bular licked his lips. He pulled Jim’s head up by the scruff and forced him to make eye contact  
“does my brother have an affection for the hound?”  
“what?! Me?! No! Why would I?!”  
“everyone heard you make your little noises to him, saw your expressions and reaction.”  
“so….NO! I do NOT have a sudden affection for him! I just met him!”  
“as well as many guards, who then have a sudden stay in your nest for an evening. Most not walking back out alive soon after. Poor little flies, going straight into the spiders web.”  
“can you blame me~”  
“yes. You’ve killed more guards than most things. One day, we’re going to run out of them if you keep this up”  
“hey! We both know EVERYONE will do whatever it takes to make it to the top. You know dam well how many are literally willing to risk their lives just to fuck me. No one has ever said no before”  
“out of fear? Lust? Or respect I wonder”

 

The two shared a dark laugh before hearing a crunch nearby. They quickly turned to see a police officer. He was absolutely stunned by what he saw. He slowly reached for his radio, only to fall forward onto the ground after Toby BASHED HIS HEAD IN WITH A ROCK FROM BEHIND! Toby panicked and looked at the police man in front of him, skull split and slowly bleeding out  
“oh god. Oh god. Oh god. I just killed someone….and….liked it….OH GOD I’M A SERIAL KILLER!”  
“Tobes….what are you doing here? Well Bular, looks like you get a little extra tonight”  
“w-wait! J-jimbo w-we can’t eat him! Well you I mean!”  
“why not?”  
“cause he’s innocent and….uh...um…..fuck fuck fuck okay. Okay Tobes calm down we jus-” the radio went off, doing a regular check in. Toby picked up the bloody rock and smashed the radio into tiny pieces. He dropped the rock and covered his mouth  
“OH GOD. OH GOD WHAT DID I JUST DO!? I PANICKED AND-”  
“Toby. Relax”  
“I JUST KILLED SOMEONE!”  
“well, technically he’s still alive”  
“oh! Okay we can have him be alive!”  
“he’s seen too much Tobes. Let Bular have some seconds” Bular stood up and picked the man up and tossed him down like a rag down next to the other meal. Chow time!  
“Tobes what are you doing here anyways? You know I don’t like you watching me eat!”  
“well, honestly. I don’t care anymore. First time freaked me out, now? I just feel jaded. Go ahead, tear him apart, I won’t flinch. I think I’m dead inside. ANYWAYS SO, I SAW HIM AND...UH”

 

EARLIER!

 

Toby noticed it was getting much later than it should have been. In a classic case of  
‘oh god something went horribly wrong!’ mentality, Toby made his way to their little ‘trap and eat’ spot. He walked along and hummed, too casual for his own liking. Why wasn’t he scared any more?! Freaked out by all this?! Well. He simply wasn’t. Toby slowed his pace as a police car drove past him and slow down  
“hey, sir it’s too late out, curfew started an hour ago”  
“uh yeah! Lost track of time! I swear I’m not selling or doing drugs or anything! Uh why’d I say that now I look even more sus-now I’m talking to myself like a weirdo-I SWEAR I’M NOT ON DRUGS!”  
“kid...just...go home”  
“yep yep! On my way right now actually!”  
“well, be safe out, this area is usually dangerous at night”  
“will do! I have a goooood feeling I’m safe from any danger, not sure about everyone else though! Haha! why’d I make that joke-why am I talking to myself!?”  
“kid. Go home. Goodnight” The car slowly drove off faster. Toby made an awkward wave and mumbled  
“goodnight” his eyes grew larger as the police car slowed down near the trap. The car came to a slow stop. So Toby booked it. Now, the officer was out of the car. Looking in absolute horror for what he’s watching. Toby panicked, he was thinking of grabbing the officers gun, but it would make too much noise. A large branch?! No none around. A….rock…..Toby picked a heavy one up and slowly crept up behind the man. Toby made a silent mental pray before committing the deed. His soul is now dammed.

 

“so yeah that’s what I’m doing here! Please please please hurry and scarf those dudes up! We need to get out asap!”  
“Tobes. First. Calm down. Second, do you want a rib?” Jim joked, breaking one off and waving it enticingly.  
“nah, still pretty full, but thanks for the offer. NOW SERIOUSLY!”  
“okay okay! Calm down. Let me chomp this dudes liver, then Bular will gobble up the rest. No leftovers big guy, no evidence.” Bular chuckled and licked the gore off his lips, then went to town on the sweet new meal in his possession

 

………………………………………………………………

 

“oh god. Oh god. Oh god. What do we do?!” Toby paced back and fourth in the throne room. Bular picking at his teeth. Gunmar didn’t know what to make of the human’s nervous behavior. So he decided to let his son take care of it. He knew his human better than he did.  
“Tobes”  
"we’re going to get caught by the cops! And arrested!”  
“Tobes”  
“we're going to have to hide! oh crap what about school?! our friends?!"  
"Tobes"  
"i can't go to prison! look at me! i can't defend myself! I'm a vulnerable snack!"  
"Tobes"  
"and i HIGHLY DOUBT you'll be their with me to protect me!! do they even let half trolls go to human prisons?!"  
"Tobes"  
"what if they dissect you?! okay okay we can fake our deaths and erase out traces. first we're going to need to do something with our finger prints and medical history, do you even belong to a hospital?"  
"tobes"  
"then! we need disguises! okay, I'll be a french tourist who's currently looking to get a retail job after i get my green card!"  
"Tobes"  
"crap crap! what are you going to do with you!? we can't just hide you! okay, we can get like, a big hat and sunglasses and maybe trim all your fur and uh....you'll wear casts! yeah! and your legs are like that because of an accident!"  
“toby”  
“oh fuck what about Bular?! Okay okay we can say he was uh...a….uh….a black bear! Yeah! Yeah! From somewhere else in California that came here for some...uh...nature...thingy!”  
“toby”  
“oh fuck do black bears even live near Arcadia?! Okay we can-” Jim walked over to the pacing human, turned him around, and slapped him  
"TOBY!"  
“OW! Partial stone! Remember!? That really hurt….” Toby said rubbing his jaw  
“rellaaaxxx. Everything will be taken care of”  
“HOW DO WE KNOW?!”  
“Toby. Bular ate everything. Including bones. The only thing left are the-”  
“FOOTPRINTS! AND MY FINGERPRINTS ON THE ROCK! OH GO-” Jim put a hand on Toby’s face to silence him  
“toby. Breathe. Relax. Everything is taken care of. Haven’t you EVER wondered how things are taken care of?” Toby nodded slowly  
“don’t worry. Dads subjects will clean it alllll up. we’ve never gotten caught, we never will. Now, relax. Breathe. we’ve had a long day. you’re going to go take a nice hot bath since I just took one, we’re going to relax in my nest, and watch funny things. we’re going to sleep. And then we’re going to wake up tomorrow and THEN worry about all this. Okay? Put everything aside, deal with it tomorrow. Okay? Aside. Tomorrow. Aside. Tomorrow. Got it?” Toby nodded  
“I’m going to remove my hand now. I want you to relax. we’re saying goodnight right now. Then you and I are going to go and finish our night how I said we would. Okay?” Toby nodded once again. Jim removed his hand and said his good nights for the both of them. As they made their way to Jim’s room, Toby was silent the entire time. Just breathing and trying to not think about the fact he just killed someone and enjoyed it. Like all this pent up hate and anger in life was finally let out, even if just a moment. His body relaxed as the hot waters soaked him. The did finished off the night like Jim said they would. Slowly, Toby managed to finally fall asleep. Thoughts pushed away for later. He can deal with his apparent new blood thirst later. Right now, it’s sleepy time….

 

…………………………………………………………………

 

ELSEWHERE THAT NIGHT!

 

……………………………………………………………………….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Draal rubbed his chin as he read from the half troll book. He was sitting at a desk, occasionally trying to memorize various things. Kanjigar walked by him, only to stop and see  
“you’ve been pouring over that tome for quite some time now”  
“...mh...hm...AH yes, forgive me I did not notice you. Yes, it has taken my entire interest. For this night So many things I had no idea of, some of the things Jim does and acts has been explained, if only partially”  
“i haven’t had much time to study it myself, I will though soon enough”  
“i promise not to hoard all the information to myself”  
“i will see to it that you keep that promise. So, anything interesting to note?”  
“far far too many. I find this rather amusing though. It says within this…..courting chapter-”  
“oh, well, any specific reason why you’re reading that?”  
“not…...many…..”  
“ha! A jest, loosen your shoulders! Laugh with me, you know I have no true intent on mocking your affections”  
“ha...yes...i...should stop being so….tense about it...yes, well, this chapter speaks about half trolls, they preform a courting dance”  
“HAHA! Trying to imagine Jim doing a little dance, how adorable”  
“my thoughts exactly”  
“so, maybe one day we shall see this dance before our own eyes”  
“i doubt he even knows it….although...it would be….enjoyable”  
“for you, multiple reasons no doubt. Goodnight my son, I’m going to retire”  
“goodnight father”  
“don’t spend all night reading it. Get rest”  
“i swear on my honor I will only read a short bit more”  
“I’ll hold you to that. Goodnight”

 

Kanjigar left as Draal flipped through the next few pages. He yawned loudly and shook his head. he’s learned enough for the time being. Off to bed! As he closed his eyes, letting sleep took him. He wondered what Jim was up to right now

 

“OH GOD I KILLED SOMEONE JIM!”

 

Draal could only guess it was something adorable that he does. Draal smiled and held one of Jim’s pillows close, imagining it to be the actual half troll.


	48. A sappy sitcom! pretty much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things are getting....emotional. this is the eye of the storm. so, enjoy a little breather for the time, until shit hits the fan! soon, SOOOOON! until then, take a breather, enjoy this slice of life! modern day and whatever. just enjoy it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nothing to note rn! OTHER THAN I HOPE MY READERS HAVE A GOOD DAY/NIGHT =D

‘ding dong’

Bular opened the door to see Draal standing there, flowers in hand and a nervous smile on his face  
“hello, I-” 

Bular slammed the door in his face. Jim peeked his head out from around the corner of the kitchen doorway  
“hey, who was it?”  
“no one important”  
“okay, just remember to tell me if I get a package, I ordered something important and I do NOT want to miss the delivery, suuuch a hassle to go down to the post office”  
“don’t worry little brother, I’ll always tell you if something important is at the door” Jim smiled and left back to the kitchen. Jim was heating up some leftovers when he heard his phone go off in the other room  
“hey, can you check that for me?”  
“sure” Bular called plainly. He picked it up and looked to see 2 messages.

The first from Draal  
“hey, your brother slammed the door in my face. Will you come please answer? I have a gift for you =D nothing major” 

The second was from their father  
“son, remind me of what you wanted from the store. I’m on my way over rn and I wanted to make sure I got the correct thing. I love you”

 

“don’t worry little brother, it’s just father. he’s asking what did you want from the store” Jim came into the room taking his phone out of Bular’s hand  
“here, hand me my phone. Watch the stove, I don’t want my food burning-HEY!” Jim looked at his messages and slapped Bular’s arm before walking past him and opened the door. He smiled happily and said in a tone Draal will never get over, The warm lovely soft sweet type  
“hey Draal!”  
“hello Jim” the two kissed and hugged. Draal looked over Jim’s shoulder to see his older brother glaring at him with murderous intent then back to Jim who was friendly and loving, a total black and white between the two siblings.  
“so what’s my gift~ you said it wasn’t major, but….is it something large~” Draal couldn’t help but give a naughty grin, only to stop when he practically felt Bular’s eyes burning a hole into him  
“no, just flowers”  
“aww thanks! Come on in! Do you want any food?”  
“no thank you, I ate before coming over” Jim walked past Bular to the kitchen, shoulder checking Bular and growling  
“be nice” before continuing on. Draal sat down on the couch and got himself comfortable. Bular walked in and sat on a chair across from him. He pulled out his hunting knife and his partially carved wood hunk he had stored in a small box under the coffee table. Draal smiled and initiated a polite casual conversation  
“oh, enjoy wood carving?”  
“what’s it look like.” Bular chipped chunk after chunk off, all without even breaking his glare at Draal  
“you ah...might...cut yourself not paying attention”  
“i know my blades. How to cut. How to slice. How to mold and carve into things.”  
“ah….hm...yes” Draal started to feel a bit uncomfortable. He adjusted himself and smiled  
“so, what do you enjoy carving?”  
“blades. Weapons. Skulls. The occasional flower”  
“ah, flowers are nice”  
“hm.”  
“weapons huh? My father collects swords. He would always tell me about them, their history, what part of the world they came from, how they were created. Really informative on weaponry”  
“hm” Bular chipped one hunk and then brought his block up to his face and blew on it. No matter what he did, he only bore his glare deeper and deeper into Draal. Then, the room grew a long period of silence. The only sounds made were the small growls coming up from Bular’s throat, the knife carving away, and the small pieces of wood that fell to the wooden floor. Finally Bular spoke up killing the dreaded silence  
“so. Why my brother?”  
“pardon?”  
“i asked. Why. my. Brother.”  
“in….what context?”  
“him. Wanting him as a mate.”  
“oh, well he is very sweet and loving. He is cute and we get along wonderfully. We enjoy one another immensely”  
“hm. Why him though? What exactly is your reasoning”  
“uh...um...well I just answered”  
“but why HIM? You could have went after anyone else. Why him though?”  
“i very much care for your brother. I intend on doing nothing but the greatest things for him”  
“hm.”

Another period of intense deafening silence pass before Bular made a very sudden very forceful slice off the wood. Then spun the knife in his hand elegantly and skillfully  
“if I find even a single. Pregnancy test. In this household. My brothers child will be fatherless.” Bular pointed the blade at him then SLAMMED the knife into a wooden chopping block on the coffee table in front of him  
“Are you threatening me?”  
“no. not at all. You might not know this, or you might already. Either way, I want you to know. Our father is a powerful man. A wealthy man. He can make anything happen. Including making things disappear out of thin air.”  
“my father is the chief of police. I don’t enjoy you talking to me in such a manner”  
“how much does he make a year? How many people does he know?”  
“enough. To answer both those questions.” Draal was getting agitated now. He grew an intense glare equal to Bulars.  
“i love my brother. I do anything for him. Even if he doesn’t think it’s good for him. I make sure to take care of him.”  
“as I intend to care for him as well.”  
“I guess we’ll just have to see about it.”   
“do you ever smile?”  
“i smiled once as whelp. I hated it.” Jim came back in the room to see the two bulls sharing intense anger at one another. Jim threw a pillow at both their heads  
“HEY. BULLS. BACK DOWN! Geez. Draal, ignore my brother. Even if he is loud and cranky. Bular, STOP trying to shovel talk him.” Jim came over and kissed Draal, he took his hand and led him into the other room. Bular snarled at Draal who was about to say something, until he was interrupted by Jim forcing him through a doorway. Jim shot a nasty glare to his brother before closing the door. Bular snarled and yanked out his knife forcefully and began to carve again. He stopped after a few strokes when he looked at Jim’s phone. He called out in a gruff tone  
“oh dear little brother. You forgot to tell our father what you wanted!” Bular just heard Jim moan out in response. Bular couldn’t tell if it were real or fake. He doubted Jim would have been ‘innocent’ all this time, still. He could be faking it, just to annoy him. Jim knew how to stab at his nerves when Jim wanted to.

 

………………………………………………………………………………

A couple nights later. Draal and Jim had a wonderful idea, parent meeting! Well, Draal had the idea. And then after a LOT of pushing and sweet talking~ Jim was convinced  
“my dad isn’t...the….softest person to exist, remember?”  
“my father is as warm and friendly as they come, remember?”  
“well yeah, your dad could befriend hardened criminals, still...”  
“everything will be fine my love” Jim sighed and Draal cupped his chin  
“i promise”  
“well yeah. YOU promise. But if I can’t even control my brother...”  
“but that is your BROTHER. NOT your father. The moment our fathers connect will be the moment your brother starts to see me as…..well….”  
“a dumb troll trying to fuck and use me?”  
“i wouldn’t have put it like that...”

 

……………………………………………………………..

SO THE NIGHT CAME! THE BIG NIGHT! THE MOST STRESSFUL NIGHT! Jim was rushing around trying to make everything perfect! Kanjigar was laid back and doesn’t look for perfection. Still...didn’t mean Gunmar didn’t….

 

Bular was leaning up against a wall carving, trying to nag his younger sibling while doing so  
“little brother”

‘chip’ a small wood chunk fell to the floor

“UGH! BULAR! I JUST SWEPT!”

‘chip’

 

“you shouldn’t have agreed to this”

 

‘chip’

 

“BULAR!”

 

‘chip’

 

“yes?”

 

‘chip’

 

“look. Dad and Draal’s dad need to meet. I really, REALLY want them to get along! You said you wanted to be a better big brother. So, be a good big brother AND HELP. ME. OUT.”

‘chip’

“i am. Father doesn’t approve of him. I’m merely saving you from the inevitable heartbreak”

 

‘chip’

 

“well, I am NOT going to just wait around, let dad round up some dudes, and then have me pick which flavor of bull I want”

‘chip’

 

“why do you even like him?”

 

‘chip’

 

“because. he’s kind and caring. Hes strong~those horns too~so impressive, big~ he knows me, he loves me, I love him, we get along GREAT! We have a lot in common, his dad LOVES ME, everything's amazing! we’ve never fought once!”

‘chip’

 

“hm. Too good to be true though?”

 

‘chip’

 

“look. I know. Things aren’t always what they seem-bleh. Whatever!”

 

‘chip’

 

Jim rolled his eyes and yanked the carving out of his hand and tossed it across the room onto the couch  
“go fetch bull!” Bular snorted out in agitation at Jim before stomping of into the living room.

 

‘ding dong’

 

Jim mentally screamed one last time before taking a deep breath, and opened the door, only to see the happy smiling face of Toby!

“hey Jimbo!”  
“oh, uh hey, Tobes?”  
“why the question?” Toby smiled and hugged Jim, who then let him inside  
“What….are you doing here?”  
“uhh duh! To hangout!”  
“Toby. You remember tonight's the big night, right?”  
“i didn’t say hangout with YOU”  
“you’re going to...hangout...with my brother?”  
“well, we HAVE BEEN. Is that so weird”  
“guess not. Look just please take him-”  
“don’t worry. I have the perfect plan. I already know. You and Draal will introduce your fathers, see if they get along, then you two get going to your own little date, your dads have a dad play date meet and greet, all the while Bular and I are going around town hanging out! Besides, this will get your brother off your ass with a nice distraction”  
“hmm….dam you’re too good”  
“i know-”

 

‘ding dong’

 

one more mental scream

 

Jim opened the door to see his new two favorite trolls  
“Jim” Jim hugged and kissed Draal, then got a big bear hug from Kanjigar  
“come in. my dads in his-”  
“in his home.” Jim practically jumped out of his skin as he saw his dad walking over to the door from behind him  
“Well? Invite our guests in. it’s rude to keep someone waiting at a doorway”

 

…………………………………………………………………

Draal and Jim sat right next to each other on the couch, hardly any space in between them. Bular was dragged out the door by Toby who quickly waved and said goodbye to everyone. Kanjigar looked around and complimented on what a lovely home they had. Gunmar was having a blank unimpressed look as he eyed over the other father.  
“so. You’ve had my son to your home. Before.” Kanjigar turned to him and smiled  
“yes, he’s practically a member of the family, if you don’t mind me saying” Gunmar tapped his fingers against his chair  
“hm.”  
“hey, uh, dad, why-” Gunmar gently raised his hand to silence Jim, a clear indicator to let him speak first  
“why don’t you run along with…..your choice….I’ll speak to his father. Alone. Now.” Jim swallowed and then made a small yelp of ‘please let this go good!’ before grabbing Draal’s hand and quickly leaving the home, leaving only the two older bulls alone in the home.

 

“our sons seem to-”  
“before we begin. Let’s do this in a more...mature manner. Come, we shall go to my study.”

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

Kanjigar was fairly impressed by the large room. Every inch decorated with various books, photos, strange items from various parts of the world. Some from cultures Kanjigar was familiar with. Gunmar sat in his large chair behind his desk watching Kanjigar as he looked around  
“impressive”  
“thank you for the compliment.”  
“ah, I’ve read this collection before. When I was a bit younger, when my son was just a small child”  
“yes. Please. Have a seat” Gunmar waved his hand outwards, indicating to sit face to face. Kanjigar sat himself down on a highly comfortable chair across the desk. Gunmar reached over and opened up a small panel, various liquors and glasses lined the inside of it. Gunmar brought out two small glasses and a bottle of ‘the good stuff’  
“care for a drink?”  
“i probably shouldn’t”  
“poor manners to refuse a gift from the host”  
“well, I suppose you’ve talked me into it. Wouldn’t want to be rude” Gunmar poured until he filled up both glasses, then slid one across the desk.  
“now then. Face to face. Let’s speak.”  
“it would be rude to take the first sip”  
“please, I insist” Kanjigar took it and coughed hard  
“woof! That’s some hard stuff”  
“mh. Perhaps my taste is a bit too difficult for you to handle”  
“Stronger than what I’m used to, I’ll give you that”  
“what is your name? Now that we may properly talk and understand one another. Without any form of distraction.”  
“yes, I couldn’t agree more. My name is Kanjigar”  
“hm..where have I heard that name before. ah. Now I recall clearly, you’re the chief of police. Correct?”  
“very”  
“tending to the law. Upholding the standards of civilization. Guarding others from dangers, typically from themselves. Must be difficult. With all the dangers. All the stress. All the corruption.”  
“yes, to most of those. I make sure I have more than a clean and orderly job. No one slacks or gets involved in ‘questionable’ activities. On or off the clock”  
“ah, questionable activities. My favorite” Gunmar took a slow sip and then grinned  
“want to know how I lost my eye?”  
“didn’t want to be rude and bring it up”  
“not at all. I lost it in a fight with an officer of the law. Oh way back when I was young, around my Bular’s age. Ah, fond memories. Do you know what it’s like to kill? For sport of course. That may have seemed like a bad correlation. Allow me to clarify. Back when I was younger, I was involved in some very...questionable activities. Myself, my mate, and a few of my friends. In a fight, I lost my eye. Someone else lost a few teeth, and a horn. We went behind bars for a time. Then came out far ‘brighter’ than ever before hahaha. Went straight after that. I still always held this intense anger inside of me. A deep deep hate. My therapist told me that I needed to put my energy and effort into something a bit more….productive. A proper outlet, something healthy. So I took to killing. From simple things of fishing, to hunting, and a mix of everything in between. The horns you see on the mantle, those aren’t a trolls, worry not. Just a large stag. As I grew a bit older, my mate was pregnant. So we settled down a bit. I commit my energy to more important things now. Mostly, raising my children” Gunmar took a pause and a slow drink

 

“ah. Look at me. Keeping all the conversation to myself. I have yet to even allow you to speak a bit about yourself”  
“not a problem at all” Gunmar lifted up the bottle with a small shake and looked at Kanjigar  
“i suppose one more couldn’t hurt”  
“there. Nice and refilled. Nice to have a drink here and there. Help relax”  
“personally I prefer light reading and passing out on the couch after a long day of work”  
“well, my work has more to do with paperwork and crushing other peoples dreams and ambitions”  
“oh? What are you? A tax collector?”  
“not even I do ‘dad’ humor that horrible. No, I run a small...empire. Bits and pieces here and there. A lot of which is outside of Arcadia”  
“for a man as powerful as you. I’m surprised you have such a modest home”  
“i never intended on living in some manor or mansion. No, my previous mate, Jim’s mother, picked out this area. Good schools. Good neighborhoods. Good area overall and the like”  
“settled down, had a family, happily ever after?”  
“if only it were that simple.”  
“don’t we all think it?”  
“has my son told you anything about his mother?”  
“just a small thing here and there. He mentioned she died at his birth”  
“yes. Sadly. I don’t wish to delve too deep into it, least bring about bad memories of the past. She was the love of my life, Jim is almost exactly as his mother. He is my precious small child. I love him. I want to protect him from everything...and everyone. Although, I can’t help, but simply still see a small vulnerable child. I do feel overprotective of times”  
“isn’t every father? I trust my son absolutely, but a father will always worry about their child’s life”  
“it can be deadly, ruthless, bloody. You never know who’s behind you, about to stab you in the back and drag your body into an open grave. Ah, forgive me. I have a dark sense of humor”

“not a true problem for me in any sort”  
“never married her. Sadly never had the chance. Time goes by so quickly. You always think you have more time. Well, I only married Bular’s mother, but that was many many years ago”  
“soothe my itching curiosity?”  
“perhaps”  
“what happened to Bular’s own mother?”  
“died. Car accident. Nasty business.”  
“ah, my apologies”  
“none needed. Bular was a small whelp when it happened. At least he got to spend some time with his mother. It wasn’t for a long while after that I met Jim’s mother. We dated, then my little half troll came along. My son is stubborn, a brute, gruff, he is just like his father. While Jim, is just like his mother. I truly love my sons. I only want whats best for them. Even if they don’t think it’s good for them.”  
“a father will always know when and what to do and when to do it” Gunmar took one last sip to finish his drink before hitting the glass down onto the table and shook his head  
“always one last bite at the end. Somehow always seems worse than the one at the beginning”  
“this dog has a good bite, worse than its bark”

 

Gunmar opened up a small book and started to scribble into it  
“well. Enough pleasantries. I prefer to be a gentleman about things. But I’m a businessman at heart. so. How much?”  
“I’m not following”  
“how much will it take to make your son go away”  
“excuse me?” Gunmar tapped his pen to his paper  
“how many zero’s need I write, to have you keep your son away from my own”  
“I’m-you-are you, bribing me to keep our sons apart?”  
“should I do 5 or 6 zeros?”  
“that’s-I-mr Gunmar. Listen, i-i truly don’t know what to make of this. I do not in any way wish to be rude, but I won’t interfere with my son’s love life”  
“So you WON’T keep him away?”  
“this is his choice and his alone.” Gunmar made a cruel smile. He leaned back in his chair and relaxed himself  
“so. Out of love and choice? Rather than greed? you’d be surprised. You are the first to deny my offer”  
“I’m the FIRST to decline?! How many before my son?”  
“not many. Very few. I prefer to select proper mates for my sons. My sweet little Jim is….naive...young...so full of life and love...i don’t want to see him heartbroken in any way. It would kill me to ever see him frown. So I always see if that test works. Greed and need of money are two different, but very closely entwined things. I have more than enough. I’ve assured it. So I have just enough patience to deal with….unruly entertainers. I’m not exactly sure how to put it. Well, let me get to the absolute direct point of my meaning.”

 

Gunmar folded his hands together, putting his elbows on his desk, and leaned forward with a serious expression  
“i don’t know you. I don’t know your son. My Jim is very, very happy. Which makes me happy. Like I said, he is naive. He is very impressionable. My biggest concern is that your son will somehow harm him. That would make me very…..unhappy. I don’t like being unhappy. I make sure my sons are provided everything they could want, within reason of course. I make sure my sons know not to be greedy, to be thankful for everything they have. I want my sweet little half troll to be as happy as possible. Your son might prevent that. I don’t want that to happen. My first son, Bular, doesn’t like your son. Although, he isn’t the friendliest, even to our closest friends. So I don’t go on first looks as impressions. I prefer one on one time. Directly. Uninterrupted. I’ve heard about you. Quite the hero of the community. Be careful now. Heroes fall from grace so easily. So many villains, right around every corner.” Gunmar frowned and leaned back into his chair. He closed his eye and took a deep breath then slowly let it out  
“forgive me. I only fear for my son’s sake. I truly mean no rudeness or harm. I simply don’t ever wish to see my son heartbroken. It will happen, I know. I can’t shield him from the world forever. I simply wish to see him as happy for as long as he can. It somewhat feels like it’s the only thing I can do to make up for the fact that he never had his mother in his life. I treat him as if he’s a fragile small whelp, hardly able to lift a finger for himself without being in mortal danger”  
“this entire meeting has been rather…..unique for me. Although, the bottom line, is that it comes to our sons. Actions speak louder than words. And those actions that my son will do, will truly show how much care and love he has for your son. They truly care a lot for one another, they love each other”  
“yes. I’ve never seen my little Jim this happy before. Well, except for this one time I got him this toy he wanted for his 8th birthday. But that is an unrelated story entirely” Gunmar made a small wave motion in his hand, a casual indication of pushing something unneeded out of the conversation  
“well, I can assure you, my son’s intent is pure. He will show it. He will prove my words are correct. I intend on loving them both, your son already means a lot to me. I wouldn’t do anything to stand in their way, as long as it was for their love and happiness”  
“you seem like a good man. I think we should spend more time together, get to know one another”  
“i would enjoy that. You seem like a good man yourself”  
“if I were a good man, then I wouldn’t be secretly poisoning you right now” Kanjigar slapped his knee and laughed heartily, meanwhile Gunmar just grinned as he refilled both their glasses once more.  
“time to down yet more poison, would you care to join me in this?”  
“i don’t think I would mind” The two clinked glasses together and spoke more for the rest of the night

…………………………………………………………………………..

 

Elsewhere…

 

…………………………………………………………………………….

Toby hid in some bushes across the street, using binoculars, scoping out the scene. Bular trying to crouch down next to him, having a bit of a difficult time hiding. He was thankful his stone skin was black, easier to blend into the darkness of the night  
“do you see my brother?”  
“hm...no...not over there...no...not there...ugh this lady won’t move her big hair….no...not the-OH-OH THERE!”  
“where?”  
“next to the pizza parlor!”  
“which one?”  
“yoinkson street one”  
“ah, I see” Toby handed Bular the binoculars   
“soooo, do you love my idea or what?”  
“spying on my brothers date. Yes. I like it. I didn’t take you to be so devious”  
“hey, we’re buddy’s! Plus, I do want to make sure Jimbo’s having a good time. YOU get to watch too, AND have it be proven Draal is good for Jim”  
“hm. I still don’t buy it. he’s too good.”  
“true, very true. Still, there might truly be a good connection to them”  
“hm. We will see”  
“hence why we’re here”  
“so what’s your plan exactly?”  
“my pla-OH yeah! I totally have a plan!-pfft, no need to worry”  
“so you DON’T have a plan?”  
“nooo I do! it’s just...not...totally figured out yet” Bular turned to Toby slowly and made a look of annoyance  
“hey! Quit that face mr! My plan is to just watch and listen to them, spy and see if Draal is legit. Other than that, I don’t have any TINY details figured out”  
“better than nothing I suppose”  
“oh-oh! they’re on the move! let’s go!” Bular grunted in reply as the two moved quietly behind bushes and buildings, making sure not to see suspicious (which was a difficult thing) or get seen by Jim and Draal. The spies watched as their targets went into a building to eat. Bular and Toby made haste inside! Then had to be seated in an actual booth to stay. The scene was….interesting to say the least. One end was the lovely couple, and at the other end was a guy with binoculars next to a large black troll trying to hide himself behind a menu. Their only saving grace was the fact that a good amount of people and trolls occupied the other seating areas. A server came over to them and kindly asked what they’d like to eat, Toby spoke politely to her  
“hi, I want the chicken Alfredo pasta please” Bular snorted and turned to him  
“we’re not supposed to ACTUALLY be eating?”  
“ohh like YOU’RE not hungry?”  
“…….I want anything with steak in it. Surprise me” The woman nodded and asked for the menus, Bular was reluctant to hand his over, but finally did….mostly after Toby whisper shouted for him to fork it over already. The two dug into their food the second it arrived, not even noticing Jim and Draal leave. By the time they did finish, their prey were long gone…

……………………………………………………………………………….

Jim and Draal kissed and held hands as they walked the streets. Draal smirked and gently spoke to Jim  
“you’re brother and friend are watching us from the bushes”  
“yeah, I noticed”  
“guess your brother doesn’t trust me, your friend thinks so too?”  
“well, brother makes sense. He trusts anyone like he would trust a sword. He’s never sure when its going to cut him. So he handles them poorly, which does end up cutting him”  
“ah, I see. Although, this doesn’t apply to ACTUAL swords, right?”  
“no, its just a-” Jim stopped as he looked in a nearby mirror, seeing Toby and Bular sneak closer to them  
“hey. let’s go duck in there” Jim pointed to a place across the street”  
“fairly busy”  
“hey, maybe they might loose us. Plus, this is the part where you treat me to dinner” Draal growled into Jim’s ear  
“Will I get anything in return?” Jim made a small moan in his throat and rubbed Draal’s arm  
“maybe~ BUT not tonight. Maybe some other time soon~”  
“Aww. Boo. Why not tonight?”  
“well, your dads over. My brother and Toby are stalking us. Also my dad will kill you if we stay out too late”  
“ah. All very conniving answers. Come, let’s eat then!” The two quickly crossed the street and made their way past a crowd. They managed to grab a table and slipped into a corner. They looked at their menus only for Jim to start giggling. Draal looked over and raised an eyebrow  
“don’t look. But at the other end. they’re spying on us. Bular trying to hide behind a menu, and Toby having binoculars, not very inconspicuous”  
“well, then let us enjoy our meal. Then sneak out when they aren’t looking”  
“sounds good, as good as everything on the menu”  
“hard to choose”

 

The two ate and enjoyed one another, paid, and slipped away. They made some twists and turns, really making sure no one could follow or find them. After they felt safe, they took a nice long walk through a park. They sat down on a bench after a good amount of time, looking at angry geese chasing a small child, a man spouting nonsense about the end of the world being started by communist reptilians, a few joggers doing baby talk to dogs as the dog walker clearly wants them to go away so they could finish their job for the night, and a couple of teenagers getting high behind a shed. Truly a good night. Draal put his arm of Jim and pulled him in closer. Jim kissed him and tucked his head into Draals neck  
“this is nice”  
“i agree”  
“well. All good things come to an end, we should get going before my dad starts counting every individual second that goes by as you keep me out”  
“yes. That would be for the best”  
“you don’t need to act your absolute best around him. Just be yourself, show him what I fell in love with”  
“if I did that, I’m sure he’d poison me”  
“nah, he wouldn’t waste poison on you…..yet”  
“good. Something to look forward to then” The two kissed one last time before getting up and going back home….

 

The night was nice. Everything was calm. The couple were surprised at how well their dads got along, even admitting they’d want to speak to one another more often. They said goodbye to to one another as Draal and his father left the home. Jim talked to his dad a bit, only being interrupted by a bitter Bular, who wanted to complain that Jim couldn’t be found, BUT kept his mouth shut, or else admit he was stalking his brother. Jim said his goodnight and went to sleep. Not before texting Toby saying he knew they were following them the whole time. Toby said he WASN’T sorry, and he’d do it always, to make sure Jim was happy. Jim said thanks, but also lay off. Jim had one final conversation with Draal via text, saying how they couldn’t wait to spend more nights together. Maybe Jim could come stay over one night soon~ until then, they could wait

 

THE END!

 

 

As a dumb joke a friend and I came up with…

 

………………………………………………………..

B= Bular J= Jim

 

J: heyy big bro  
B: yes?  
J: sooo, like Draal?  
B: you already know my opinion.  
J: well, guess he’s going to be around a lot more. Guess what?  
B: what.  
J: gguuueessss  
B: you’re going to kill him and hang his horns above fathers fireplace?  
J: nope! Guess who bought a pregnancy test  
B: you did not.  
J: mayybbeee  
B: if he touches you. I will end him  
J: huh, wonder what this little + means  
B: your child will be fatherless.  
J: don’t murder my baby’s daddy!  
B: I WILL

 

FUN DUMB JOKE MY FRIEND AND I MADE!

 

J: heyy mate, send me some dick pics  
D: pic sent  
J: no not dik-dik pics! DICK PICS  
D: pic sent  
J: no not dick cheney! DICK PICS  
D: pic sent  
J: okay now that’s just a cactus that LOOKS like a dick  
D: I’M CONFUSED!  
D: I’m sorry for yelling at you  
D: please forgive me!  
J: send me  
J: a picture  
J: of the thing  
J: between your legs.  
D: pic sent  
J: NOT. YOUR. PANTS  
J: you know what, never mind. Come downstairs, dinner’s ready


	49. pain consumes you if you let it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> suffering, it is always inevitable. some people get it far more than others. you blame yourself for what you can't control many many times.
> 
> son, please...they just want to help
> 
> Draal...would you really abandon him if you had to?
> 
> ohh~ well, someone's being a bit too flirty~  
> oh jim, are you so googly eyed? you do have nice fangs
> 
> jim don't...do that. you're just...emotional right now
> 
> just breathe. try to relax. don't let the demons consume you
> 
> toby's willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for jim. it will hurt. but it's whats needed
> 
> jim....you;'re not going to hurt yourself right?
> 
> please come out of your hidey hole! they just want to help!
> 
> HEY, TOBY CLIMBED THE ROPE IN HIGHSCHOOL! ONCE, HE CAN DO THIS TOO!
> 
> everyone has to leave jim, but its going to be okay
> 
> nothing says brotherly bonding like planning for the future and hating yourself for who you are!
> 
> oh~ draal~ those are some....nice plans for the future~
> 
> kanjigar stop making him feel like that. leave draal alone!
> 
> meanie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy crap. over 5000 notes. this has come so far along. almost 50 chapters and TBH...this story isn't even half way done...so...much...more....looking at this now, there very might well be over 100 chapters XD
> 
> saw this king of the hill post. its a guy offering bobby money to break up with his daughter  
> "here's 300 to break up with connie"  
> "save that money for our wedding"  
> and i just LOVE the idea that it's gunmar and draal
> 
> friend and i joked about fusion stuff, then she said "TOBY AND JIM" i said fuck yes  
> ALWAYS fucks with bular, pranking the shit out of him. is A MENACE. ultra hyper and emotional  
> THE ULTIMATE SNACC  
> "I LOVE BEING TALL AND STRONG AND BADASS!" when he starts to feel gloomy, he can cheer himself right up like, that second.  
> i imagine jim would always want to stay fused, just because he feels like he can be emotionally safe and not totally hate himself
> 
> bular and gunmar fusion, just this big black glowing violent looking troll who knows how to just rip everything and everyone to shreds. ultra protective of jim now. also hey, they can get to know jim far faster now at the same time! XD  
> enjoying the feeling of being fused, which i like to think that it feels good, like the feeling of being stronger, faster, better overall and the sense of just, belonging. like you feel good being together with someone else, you aren't alone anymore
> 
> was watching american dad, and there was this one scene where roger was crying. there's a man behind him with a towel around his waist. dries his tears with it then looks at the guys dick and says "good for you" and that is so fucking jim
> 
> for the lady of the lake, if we ever see her, instead of beautiful, enchanting, mystical, and mysterious. i really just want some old hippie woman with a very faded tie dye shirt with one of those old fashioned wizard pictures on it, playing an acoustic guitar by a pond under a willow tree next to some busted broken down bus filled with birds. really crappy cheap lawn ornaments surround her, some old and broken. her listening to comedic podcasts while trying to write her own songs, but she's HORRIBLE at playing. it always sounds like a dying cat mixed with an eagles screech  
> "soo, what do you fellow kids think?!" "its......unique" "thanks! want some butterscotch candy? they've been sitting in the sun for a while on one of the seats, the ones without bird poop on them, but they're still perfectly good!"  
> if they had to go to her to get some magical blade. she just digs around in some big junk pile, then pulling out some cheap 1$ gas station toy sword  
> "here ya go sonny! put it to good use!"  
> "thanks......" "Well! gotta go! its past noon, this is the time where subway tosses out the old sandwhich fixins! gonna go snatch me some grub!"  
> "you......eat from the dumpster?" "what am i a lunatic?! of course not! i eat the ones still wrapped!"  
> but she could still beat merlin and morganas asses at magic  
> "dude, hippie grandma is badass"
> 
> alright, that's all for now! enjoy the suffering!

Kanjigar jr sat on a rock, watching the sunset.   
“Hey” the half troll didn’t even pay attention at the voice behind him, lost in his own thoughts. A troll came up behind him and grabbed one of Kanjigar jr’s long twisted horns and shook it. The half troll snapped out of his head and gasped  
“there you are. Focus dummy”  
“oh...sorry” the troll sat down next to him, joining in watching the sunset.  
“what’s up with you? you’ve been quiet all day”  
“oh….”  
“well? what’s going on?”  
“nothing”  
“ohh that’s a lie. You’re crazy and fun, sassy and sarcastic, and then go all dumb when you know who’s around~”  
“guess...just not in the mood”  
“right mindset. So what happened”  
“nothing...just….some minor thing that shouldn’t bother me”  
“Which was?”  
“just...some trolls...threw stuff at me...called me a freak….the usual stuff….i should be used to it by now though...”  
“hey, no one is going to feel good about themselves when they get harassed like that. Why don’t you tell your mom and dad?”  
“i...don’t want them to worry more...they have a lot to deal with already”  
“aannnddd you think protecting their son ISN’T important to them?” Kanjigar jr just watched the clouds, shift different colors, move around and morph into different shapes  
“hey, pay attention”  
“none of this would have happened if I wasn’t born...”  
“don’t start this again.”  
“it’s true...”  
“All that stuff is in the past. You couldn’t have done ANYTHING. Hell, you weren’t even born when it began”  
“it’s my fault it all happened though..” the troll put a large hand onto Kanjigar jr’s shoulder and rubbed it  
“stop blaming yourself. Nothing is your fault”  
“my mom is always in so much pain because of me...”  
“stop.”  
“it’s true.”  
“stop thinking this. Want me to tell your parents you’re saying this? AGAIN”  
“NO!”  
“then stop. Yes, it’s true all that...stuff….happened. But it was BEFORE you were even thought of or known. None of it was your fault. It never will be”  
“I’m a freak.”  
“stop.”  
“it’s true.”  
“yeah, okay, you are. So what? All those negative people. They don’t matter. You can’t make them happy. You won’t make them happy no matter what you do. don’t think about them. They are not and NEVER will be important. So, you’re a half gumm-gumm, half troll, who’s the grandson of you know who. Nothing will ever change that. The people who DO matter, love you for you. None of that matters, or ever will matter.”  
“Sometimes I wish I would know what it’s like if I wasn’t around..”  
“your parents, along with everyone else, would be devastated. Don’t even think for a second of doing anything. I will have everyone put you on watch so you can’t do anything to hurt yourself.”  
“no! I don’t mean doing….that….i just….don’t you ever wish to see what it’s like if you never existed? Just….see the world”  
“nope. I mean, yeah people think that at times, but I don’t. I don’t need or want to. Your mom was in a lot of pain long before you were born. It isn’t your fault”  
“but...everything only got worse. It never got better.”  
“yes it did. Everything became better.” Kanjigar jr watched the very last lights in the sky snuff out before speaking again  
“when I was little. My parents and I would always watch the sunset together. Dad would put in the sun stone thingy into the amulet, and we’d watch together.”  
“you can still do that”  
“they’re always busy. I don’t want to bother them with something stupid”  
“you’re not stupid. That’s what you think. It isn’t about the sunset. It’s about you.” Kanjigar jr started to silently cry. He rubbed his arm and looked away in shame. The troll turned his head so their eyes could meet. The troll wiped his tears away  
“i want you to talk to your parents about how you feel.”  
“i don’t want to bother them. They have enough to deal with”  
“and? It isn’t fair to them, to hide your pain”  
“my pain doesn’t matter though. What’s more important, people dying, or me crying?”  
“you still matter. There will always be bad things going on in the world. You are the most important thing to them. You make your mom and dad so happy. You in pain like this, it would only make things worse. THIS is the ONLY thing that would make things worse because of you. This is the ONLY thing you actually can be blamed for. You have control over this. So help them, by letting them help you. Okay?” Kanjigar jr just nodded his head in agreement without any words.  
“now, why don’t we go see your big crush, he would pick a bunch of flowers. Just. For. You”  
“he does that for everyone”  
“buuut you’re special to him. It’s hard to tell if he actually knows you like him or not. But he really loves you”  
“as a friend...”  
“or more. I heard him talking the other day”  
“y-you did?!”  
“yeah”  
“well...tell me!”  
“nope! Not until you stop crying, and promise me to tell your parents” Kanjigar jr bit his lip and contemplated  
“alright….fine….but...I’m afraid...it’s embarrassing”  
“sure it is! But it’s important”  
“alright….i...promise...alright now tell me!”  
“hmmm...no”  
“WHAT?!”  
“you talk to your parents first, and then I’ll tell you”  
“UGH. YOU SUCK!” The two laughed together for a good while. Kanjigar jr wiped his face and stood up  
“alright. Lets go. I really want to know wh-WAIT…..you’re just trying to trick me...AREN’T YOU?!”  
“maybe~ maybe not~ hm….i wonder if a certain troll wants to smooch a certain half troll”  
“AHHHH NO FAIR!”  
“COME ON! GO TALK! Then I tell you”  
“UHGGJRFERGBERFER. FINE”  
“how….the fuck did you just say that?”  
“I’m gay. It comes with the territory”  
“makes sense”

 

 

 

 

.………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was about an hour later. Kanjigar jr sat at a table with his parents eating together. Jim was cleaning things up when he noticed his son staring mindlessly into his food as he poked at it with a fork. Jim threw a pea at him to get his attention  
“heyy”  
“...oh, hi mom”  
“what’s wrong?”  
“nothing just...not really hungry”  
“you look tired, everything okay?”  
“yeah just...been having weird dreams, you know how things are….when they...are...weird” Jim could easily see through his fake smile and tired worried expression trying to convey ‘I’m alright’. Jim walked over and kissed his son on the cheek then whispered  
“i know you’re lying. I know you more than you know yourself. Want to talk alone?”  
“no...it’s okay, really, I am just tired”  
“mmmhmm okay, well, want some ice cream? Something sweet to help wake you up?”  
“no thank you” Jim kissed his sons cheek one last time before walking away collecting dishes. Kanjigar jr’s mind was distant enough he didn’t notice the bowl of ice cream slid in front of him until Jim started to rub his horns lovingly  
“well, you know I’m always here to talk, your dad too” The two looked over to Draal stuffing his face full in an absolute messy way. He looked up and said something incoherent from his mouthful. Jim laughed and their son couldn’t help but giggle. Kanjigar jr took a shallow breath before blurting out  
“mom, what was grandpa like?”  
“well, brave, bold-”  
“no..not...the one I’m named after...the…..your...uh..dad” Draal swallowed down his mouthful and wiped his face off, all while looking a tiny bit...disturbed. Jim just looked at his son with a small tint of worry  
“my dad huh? What brought that up?”  
“dunno...just…….the usual….i guess…..people whispering and talking…i hear it...and….start to wonder...” Draal slammed his fist on the table, making the both of them jump a little  
“BUSHIGAL! Who are these trolls who speak ill of my son?! I will remind them-”  
“DAD STOP! I don’t...want any more drama….i don’t need you going around threatening people….again….i….just want to be left alone!” Kanjigar jr quickly got up and left to his room without another word.

 

He closed the door to his room behind him, locking it then slowly sinking to the ground, his back spikes scraping against the door. He hugged his knees and started to cry.  
“i….hate myself...” he sniffled and got up. He walked over to a desk, lifted some various things out of it, then opened up a small false bottom, picking up a small box from under it. He sat on his bed and opened the box. Various medical supplies were contained within. His hand shook as it lightly touched the base of a knife…..

 

 

 

 

……………………………………………………………………………………….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many years earlier

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flash of light. The wretched pain. Jim and Kanjigar once again had entered the void. Jim groaned and held himself. Kanjigar simply walked forward without even giving attention to Jim. The specters of trollhunters flew around angrily spouting  
“why did you bring it here once more?!”  
“you bring the abomination!”  
“wait, you’re more upset he’s a half troll than a gumm-gumm?”  
“yes.”  
“wow.”  
“what?!”  
“you should hate him more because of the disgusting thing he is!”  
“foul creature! Begone from this place!”  
“send him back to the world Kanjigar.”

 

Kanjigar waved them all off, speaking in an annoyed tone  
“my son is busy. So I am watching Jim. I needed training and I don’t want him out of my sight. Hence why he is here.” He turned back around to see Jim, holding himself and ashamed to look up  
“you. Go lay down over there” Jim just nodded and did what he was told, walking past a few specters who harassed and mocked him. He didn’t care anymore. He just wanted to lay down and sleep. And so he did. After vomiting over the edge of the cliff for a few minutes, he stumbled to the softest part of the ground he could find, which wasn’t anything really. He curled up on his side. And closed his eyes. The sounds of the swords clashing and talking slowly faded away. The last thing that was on his mind before sleep fully enveloped him, was him rubbing his stomach tenderly…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

“i brought you another pillow, and a few more blankets, and a heating pad” Draal said lovingly as he brought in the various named items. Jim smiled and laughed  
“Draal, I have more than enough”  
“still, I want you as comfortable as possible. I also found more ginger to soothe your stomach”  
“that, I always need” Draal started to place the begging supplies around the nest  
“Draal”  
“sorry, this is your nest, I should let you fix it how you like”  
“our nest. No it’s not that, kinda? Well, look! My nest is already too big! It takes up almost half the room!” Jim patted a spot, a clear signal for his love to lay with him, to which the Bull did. Draal leaned over and put his head right next to Jim’s stomach  
“hello there. Can you hear me? I am your father. I love you very much already” Jim patted the top of Draal’s head  
“Draal. it’s hardly the size of a sweet pea. It can’t understand you”  
“hm. Yes, still, I want our child to hear my voice”  
“it’s not exactly anything yet. But, go ahead and talk, the only one who can actually hear you is me though”  
“i love you, you and your mother. I can’t wait to see your first kill” Jim cracked up at that  
“i can’t wait to see your first step….or...roll?”  
“ah, if our whelp rolled around in a tiny ball, I would love it. I did as a whelp”  
“guess I can look forward to it. Little blue ball going around, bumping into everything”  
“my sweet little whelp. I don’t care what or who you are. I will love you regardless”  
“even since our kid is going to be half gumm-gumm?”  
“i will love my whelp regardless. That won’t ever factor in. I will love you until the end of time. Same with your mother” Draal moved his head up to Jim’s very own, then shared a loving long kiss. Draal stopped and looked Jim in the eyes  
“i won’t ever stop loving you. I will protect you with my life”  
“everyone hates me. Still can turn back, unlike me”  
“no. I will never abandon you. Even if you weren’t carrying our whelp, I would defend you with my life”  
“and if I were put to death?”  
“i would do everything possible to save you”  
“what if we ran away, hid, made our own lives away from everyone and everything”  
“then I would do so”  
“but, that means abandoning your life. Trollmarket, Vendel, your friends, and your dad” Draal paused completely, having a difficult time contemplating what he just heard  
“Draal I’m sorry f-”  
“i would”  
“what?”  
“i would leave everything behind for you”  
“but...you love your da-”  
“and he loves me, he loves you. If he were to ever hurt you….i….would take you away. We would go off to some far away place, away from all people. I would provide for us, I would keep us safe. I would build us a home. If my father can’t accept you. Then….”  
“Draal that’s too much to ask of you-”  
“no. it isn’t. If you were anyone else...i cannot say….but with you….i know for certain, I would leave everything and everyone behind” Jim leaned in for another long kiss. He put his forehead against Draal’s and whispered  
“i love you”  
“i love you too”

 

 

 

 

Outside, a few feet away, Kanjigar stood behind a corner. He quietly sighed and walked away just as silently. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop. The moment he heard what they were talking about, he couldn’t help but tune in entirely. He didn’t know what to make of it all. He regret he ever pushed his son away. He had been so happy to have him in his life once more. Now...he would run away for Jim? For the gumm-gumm?

But

 

It was Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………………………

In the present

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the evening currently. Jim and Toby walked across a bridge and around a corner, down a hall they heard chanting. Jim drained the blood bag he was drinking currently dry and ate it after, a nice little pick me up to put a pep in Jim’s step! As they walked further down the hall the chanting was muffled by a doorway but still growing louder with each step forward. Before the two turned down another hall, the doors opened up and a large gumm-gumm stepped through it, closing the doors behind himself and licking his fangs as he saw his prize  
“ah. Hello there, my dark prince~” Jim stopped mid step, a shiver down his spine as he remembered that deep, smooth voice.  
“oh uh h-hey” Jim said nervously as he turned around to see Garg kneeling  
“th-thanks but no need to kneel” Garg growled in his throat a bit, standing up straight and tall, looking down at Jim with intense eyes  
“oh, well it appears as though I get the pleasure of once again seeing the prettiest fangs in the world once more~” Jim shivered a bit more when Garg leaned forward and licked his own  
“want to see mine closer?” Jim nodded. Garg opened his maw wide, not even Draal had sharp fangs as impressive as these ones.  
“now, won’t you show me yours closer?” Jim nodded and showed him, Garg growled in the back of his throat deeply  
“my. You are such a joy to see. The rest of you? Somehow gives me all the more reason to kill an enemy, knowing I get the pleasure of killing someone for your father….although….between us….I’d greatly enjoy killing for you more~” Jim wanted to faint right then and there, only trying his best to focus and not look at those muscles...pecs...fangs...battle scars….and everything in between  
“y-yeah...k-kill for m-me”  
“oh~ I will~...what is wrong my prince? My physique not to your liking?” Garg flexed his bicep and watched Jim practically drool  
“did you want to feel?” Jim nodded and reached out, only to instead go for the chest and abs, purring as his hands explored it. Tracing every scar and damage, every line, every carving, every detail.  
“my prince, if you wanted to do more than seeing, then just say the word. I’d wager this kilt of mine is blocking some of the...better viewing...care for me to take it off?” Jim’s eyes went their widest. He tried his best not to undo the belt himself, letting the kilt drop to the floor and see what goodies are tucked away.

“uh...um...uh….yo-u...uh...”  
“may I pet you? Your fur looks so soft~”  
“s-sure” Jim moaned a little as Gargs strong hands pet him, Garg running his claws through Jim’s fur, just hardly scratching the skin, making it all the more tingling. Draal never could do that.  
“so soft~ with fur like this, it must be difficult to tend to at times”  
“yeesssss”  
“i bet you get so many knots in it. I’ve dealt with more than enough knots myself. I sometimes have the thickest, strongest, largest ones in MY OWN mane. Personally I know how stuck they can get, how tight and filling they are. It hurts to tug and pull them out. Sometimes you just have to tease it a bit, pushing and pulling, before…..it suddenly unknots itself...the absolute feeling of immense pleasure from it all at the very end. Do you deal with thick large knots? I could help teach you how to deal with them. If you’d like. In a more personal and….private setting~” Jim was feeling like blushing his hardest, his arousal shot through the fucking roof, and Garg could smell it. Jim hoped his boner couldn’t be seen, and that he didn’t make whimpers of need….although both of those….well….weren’t exactly hidden…..  
Jim just mumbled noises, hardly even considered words. Garg tilted his head and made a deep dominating growl. Jim shivered again. He wanted to rip off his cloths right then and there and just let Garg fuck the life out of him  
“y-yeah..k-knots..”  
“thick ones.”  
“t-thick...o-o-ones”  
“the thickest. Care to see it closer for proof? I never lie, or exaggerate. I always make sure I have hard, solid, facts before saying anything. What’s wrong? Should I have used the term throbbing as a better replacement?” Jim’s entire world was gone. At this point, he simply had to use his full will just to hold still and not jump into the alpha bulls arms and beg to be fucked and knotted.

Toby made a loud throat clearing noise before tugging on Jim’s arm  
“hi, Garg, uh I’m sorry, but Jim and I actually really have to be going” Garg’s attention shifted from the lustful Jim, to the human. He became a tad annoyed. He wanted to speak to Jim. This human was ruining the mood. He gruffed out a simple  
“hm...yes”  
“come on Jimbo, we need to get going, remember?” Jim just muttered something and let Toby pull his arm, leading the arousal drenched omega away  
“goodbye, my dark prince. I hope to see you soon. As soon as can be”  
“y-yeah...b-bye”

 

Garg watched the two walk away and out of sight. He snarled a bit. He was so close to getting with the prince. Well, he has more than enough time. Jim would be his. It would be easier than killing a weak foe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Jimbo. Hey. You hoo. JIMBO”  
“Huh? What Tobes?”  
“you’re not even paying attention”  
“oh...sorry” Toby snapped in front of Jim’s face  
“hey! Troll boy!”  
“yeah?” Toby stopped in front of Jim. The two had walked for a few minutes now, Jim totally in his own dreamland the entire time  
“pay attention!”  
“what’s...going on?”  
“i said, I don’t want you near Garg right now”  
“uh….excuse me? Since when do YOU make the rules?”  
“he’s not good for you”  
“whaaat?”  
“Jimbo, look-”  
“no YOU look. He doesn’t make me feel like a monster! He’s so nice and amazing”  
“Jim. You’re emotions are high, I don’t want you to do something you might regret later down the line”  
“doing Garg won’t be regretful or forgetful~”  
“Jim. Full attention. Thank you. Garg is nice. But right now. You have more important things to focus on than your heat”  
“waaaahhhhtttt ppfffttt nahhhh”  
“I don’t want you near him right now, not when you’re vulnerable” Jim started to have a sudden spike of anger rise up inside of him  
“why.”  
“because he’s not good for you! I don’t know if he’s using you or no-”  
“what? Because I’m a prince? Because I’m my dads son?”  
“yes! You just met the guy, now he’s flirting with you-”  
“and? It feels nice Toby.”  
“of course it does! I’m just worried-”  
“about what? About him making me feel good? About him making me feel like I’m NOT a monster?!”  
“he may be a great guy! We don’t know him though. All I’m sayin-”  
“is that you want me to be safe? Protect me? God. You are JUST LIKE MY DAD. I CAN’T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION, IS THAT IT?! LAST TIME I FUCKING CHECKED I OWNED YOU, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!” Jim shoved Toby hard to the ground, breathing heavily and in absolute attack mode. Toby stayed on his back looking up at his best friend  
“Jim...i just...” Jim blinked a few times, looked around and then at his own hand. He brushed down his fur and started to cry  
“i….i don’t know why I did that...I’m sorry...” Jim dropped to the ground on his hands and knees crying. Toby got up and sat down in front of him, starting to gently pet him and talk in a very sweet soft tone  
“this was all I was trying to say. You drank a lot of blood. You’re in heat. I knew you weren’t in the right mind set for anything big. When Garg started to talk and flirt with you, I could see you going into hump mode. I just didn’t want you to do something that when your emotions eased up, and you could think clearly, you’d regret it. You’re in heat, making everything even more unstable. Heat, plus my blood, plus getting hit on, equals one biiig disaster. Okay? I just wanted us to go somewhere nice and calm and wait all of this out, just until your body settled down more, then the next time you talk to him, it will be easier to think”  
“y-y-y-ou a-are right...I’m...I’m terri-”  
“shh, no you aren’t”  
“i...i shoved you to the ground...i yelled at you...i said I owned you...”  
“well, technically you do. And hey! You could have ripped me to shreds! And all you did was push me, and I’m fine! I didn’t even get a scratch on me”  
“i...i hurt you”  
“no, you just sorta...moved me...in a forceful way” Toby held Jim’s head, letting Jim cry into the crook of his neck.  
“good, let it all out”  
“he….he is using me isn’t he?”  
“well, maybe he is. Or maybe he really is a nice guy. But that’s what I’m looking out for. I want to make sure no one will use you, for being you. we’ve seen it happen to Shannon, and Darci, and Mary has done it to others. Mary is such a hoe”

 

Jim burst out laughing at that. He shuddered and bounced between laughing and crying  
“you’ve met him twice. He already wants to take you to the knoty zone, haha. So let’s just...hold out until you get to know him more. Someone won’t really love you for you, until they get to know you. Understand you. Not just a pretty set of fangs”  
“oh god. He said my fangs are pretty….it felt so nice to hear that...is…..is he using me?”  
“well, we’re not sure. So just wait it out a bit, that’s all. When you’re heat is over and you’ve talked with him more and more, at different times and different places, spent more time with him, you’ll start to know the real him. So will I. And you know daaam well Bular isn’t going to let some rando take you for your position”  
“oh yeah, he’d kill”  
“same with your dad”  
“yeah…..they’re smart enough to tell…..what if I’m stupid enough to fall-”  
“shhh. we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now. let’s just go have some fun, chill out, listen to some music, ironic flirt for a while, watch some movies, eat some tacos, just basic bitch stuff”  
“oh god. That sounds heavenly”  
“i know it does. There, see? Feel better?”  
“yeah...i do”  
“alright, come on, let’s go. Maybe Garg is a nice guy, hell, maybe he’s better than Dra-” Toby stopped himself, mentally wanting to hit himself for even bringing up Draal. He felt Jim tense up  
“oh….god...Draal..i….i didn’t….oh god...what if...i….we...i...can’t love them both….”  
“shhh, hey, no thinking. If you’re gong to think, think of me being the greatest stud you’d ever have” Jim snorted and laughed some more  
“you’re right. Again. Ugh, stop being right all the time”  
“nope!”  
“well, you really are the ultimate lover”  
“only guy who will ever truly satisfy you”  
“alright...let’s go...i don’t want to stay here anymore...i...need to get somewhere else. Just...breathe and be safe”  
“nest we go!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………………………………..

 

 

 

 

 

Jim sighed peacefully, feeling the various pillows and blankets around him, warm, fluffy, and straight out of the dryer. After a nice long clean and switch from earlier that day, Jim finally rebuilt the nest perfectly and now laid in it, happier than ever. He opened his eyes and purred as he looked at Toby next to him skimming through things on his laptop  
“so, my Jim feeling better?”  
“ohhh...sooo much~ I just want to lay in here with you for the rest of the night”  
“then let’s”  
“safety of a nest. With you in it. The only thing that could make me feel safer is if Dra-” Toby cut into Jims sentence before he could even finish  
“so anyways yeah!” Toby cuddled closer to Jim, pulling his head onto his chest and petting it  
“well, time to get my scent on everything! So let’s spend all day in here and roll around like pigs in the mud!”  
“I’d love that” Toby sighed and looked down at Jim  
“I’m prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for you”  
“ohhh what’s that?”  
“I’m…..going to watch scary movies with you. I KNOW that will cheer you up”  
“HAHAHAH REALLY?! FUCK YES THAT WILL CHEER ME UP!” Toby took a deep breath and got comfortable with Jim, he turned on a scary movie and prepared himself to have a heart attack…

 

 

 

 

 

A few heart killing hours later, after they finished watching a few movies, Toby was laying there, trying not to go over what he just experienced. Jim nuzzled, cuddled him and purred, happy and content as can be.  
“hey, Jimbo?”  
“hmmmm?”  
“i...need to leave” Jim suddenly became nervous and held onto Toby tighter  
“no….no...you...can’t leave me”  
“come on Jimbo, I just-”  
“p-please...no!...i...” Jim gripped him tighter and started to whimper  
“owowowo claws! I only meant I need to go pee!”  
“oh….I’m...sorry for being clingy...”  
“it’s fine, I like the cuddling, but let me go please” Jim felt a cold emptiness inside of him when Toby left, even for those few brief moments. His mind started to race and panic, this is what it’s going to feel like when Toby’s gone. He knew Toby had to go back home eventually, this….this terrible feeling would linger forever. Jim’s breathing started to become rapid as fear overtook him. All the pain, the darkness, the lonely cold emptiness, he was going to be alone. Empty. No one to talk to. No one to help him. No one to hold him. Jim’s breathing became heavier, his eyes started to tear up, he curled up and started to rub his horn  
“alright! I’m back! I was thinking that we should totally go to the movies sometime soon, they have this one new movie coming out about this haunted spaceship thing, it’s some-Jim what’s wrong? Heyy, come here” Toby pulled Jim closer, almost getting the air squeezed out of him as Jim held onto him tightly  
“what’s wrong?”  
“you’re going to leave me”  
“I’m not”  
“yes you are. You have to go home eventually. you’re going to die.”  
“both of those won’t happen until much much later”  
“BUT YOU HAVE TO GO HOME EVENTUALLY! YOUR NANA CAN’T KEEP LIVING BY HERSELF!” Jim started to cry into Toby’s shoulder, Toby started to pet the back of Jim’s head in an attempt to soothe him  
“true. But we can come across that bridge when the time comes. I promise. I won’t go anytime soon. I won’t leave you”  
“BUT YOU WILL”  
“yes, I will. But not now, it’s alright” Jim groaned heavily   
“why am I like this? Why am I suddenly so reliant on you?! Why am I such an emotional wreak?! This NEVER happened to me before!”  
“well, emotional wreak is partly to blame because of your heat, plus my blood, plus you have been emotional in the past”  
“yeah okay, that’s true. BUT WHY EVERYTHING ELSE!? I never panicked if I was alone! I never got upset over my brother and dad and shit! I just…..i was so normal before….”  
“the reason you’ve changed so much, is because your life has. The past few months have been more dramatic than your entire life so far. So much has happened. So much has happened to you. People change. Life changes. You’ve HAD all this pain and emotion in you the entire time, it’s only recently that things have caused them to come out. You’ve always had this pain, it’s just that now, it gets to come out, be dealt with instead of bottled up deep down inside”  
“UGH I HATE THIS!….but why do I feel like I’m dying without you?! I’ve never been so clingy before! Or needed anyone like this!”  
“I’m your support human, you’ve always had a connection with me, you’ve always come to me for help, even if it was tiny. Now with everything going on, you rely on me more. It’s alright, I like it. Not sure what analogy I could make, but the bottom line, you need someone to help you through all this intense emotional struggle. You’re dealing with things you’ve been afraid of your whole life, now it’s coming out and you need the support you’ve always had that you could rely on, me. You need me more intensely because the pain is more intense”  
“i hate that I feel like I’m dying without you though.”  
“like I’ve said before, some people need emotional support animals to help cope. They don’t one day wake up not needing them. They will need them, it doesn’t just stop” Jim let a heavy breath out. He pulled Toby closer to him, almost too tight for the human  
“i….I’m tired….i...just want to sleep. Sleep and never wake up. I’m tired of feeling so many things at once. I’m tired that my life became so complicated. I’m just….tired. I don’t want to keep feeling anything anymore.”  
“Jim, it’s good to rest, everyone can only take so much. Some days you can handle more than others. Sometimes you just get drained faster during certain things. No one can just overcome all their problems in one afternoon. You can’t just heal a broken leg in a week. It takes time, proper, slow healing. The right way, or something might go wrong. It’s okay to sleep, but if you’re thinking about doing anything to hurt yourself, I will tell the guards along with your dad and brother that you need to be put on a watch. We all love you, we want you safe”

“nooo I’m not going to hurt myself”  
“or take pain killers? Sleeping pills?”  
“no. I won’t. I promise. I just don’t….understand. I want this to just go away”  
“it won’t. Not now, not anytime soon. But it will, far far down the line, it will. It takes years to overcome things. Like someone who’s an addict, they take years to recover at times, and still, sometimes they want to use, it’s still in them. Some people have an easier time ignoring the voice in their head, others don’t. One step at a time, one day you’ll feel better, but right now, you don’t. So let’s have a nap. A nice emotional and mental reboot” Jim quietly nodded and tried to control his breathing, calm himself and feel stable….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………..

 

 

Toby snorted and shot up mumbling something. He groaned and rubbed his face.  
“ugh...am I still dreaming? I had the weirdest fucking weird….shit it scared me awake...Jimbo?” Toby turned to look for Jim, seeing nothing but an empty nest.  
“Jim?”

 

………………………………………………………………………...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bular and Gunmar walked the darklands together. Going about daily business and regular maintenance to the armies. Making sure everything is in proper order. Bular came to a stop as he started to sniff the air, Gunmar noticed his son’s distracted nature and turned around to look at him  
“what has caused you to halt?”  
“hmm...i...smell Toby”  
“yes, he is around enough to catch his scent on the wind from time to time”  
“no….closer…..distressed….”  
“perhaps hes simply watched more of those...moovees that he fears”  
“i don’t smell Jim though.”  
“hm. Perhaps he became lost” Bular started to walk, following his nose to where the human was located  
“son, where are you going?”  
“i would be put more at ease if I found and aided him myself. It would also show I’m improving” THAT caused a small spark to go off in Gunmar. A chance.  
“i shall aid in this as well”

 

 

……………………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

Toby strained and groaned, he stepped on his very tippy toes and stretched his arm out as far as he could to get a hold on an edge of the wall of stone. He was talking to himself, as if to help focus  
“almost….got….it” he jumped a bit and wiggled even. He was so close!  
“almost…..got...IT!” without him noticing, Gunmar and Bular both approached him from behind, wondering what was happening. Gunmar looked at the human, and then at the steep cliff in front of them. He asked in a small curious growl  
“Toby, what are you doing? Or trying to” Toby yelped and fell on his butt with a thud. He groaned and rubbed it as he stood back up  
“I’m...trying...to...c-climb!” he huffed out in his strained voice as he made yet another attempt. Bular and Gunmar looked at one another in an ‘in what fucking world is THIS kid going to be able to climb this wall?’  
“why are you trying to climb? Your efforts are….hm….strenuous”  
“Jims….up….in that….little...hole….tucked….away….in….wall!...gotta….get….to...him! Get to….his...hiding...hole!” The two bulls looked up at the small tucked away entrance. Something easily unnoticeable without really searching for it. The entrance was far too small for either of them to enter it, but just big enough for Jim and Toby to enter  
“i don’t believe you have the capabilities of climbing this on your own”  
“i…..managed….to...climb…..rope in….highschool….and...ring….the...bell….i...can...climb this...if...i….believe….hard….enough” Bular tried his best to hold back a laugh, all he could spit out was  
“Well….he has faith in himself” Gunmar grunted in agreement.  
“why is my son up there?”  
“he’s….sad….gotta…..help” THAT snagged the two gumm-gumm’s full attentions  
“why is my son upset?”  
“emotional….problems….sad about….me….dying…..and….leaving him….all…..alone….eventually...feels….cold….and empty….and….UGH STUPID CRACK IN THE WALL! STUPID SHORT STUBBY ARMS!” Toby gasp and felt unstable as he suddenly felt lifted up. He looked to see Bular lift him upwards and enough to where Toby fit into the hiding hole. He crawled inside, leaving Gunmar and Bulars view. The father and son heard Jim’s voice shortly after  
“What the-TOBES!?”  
“hey Jimbo”  
“how did you get up here?!”  
“i climbed”  
“BULLSHIT YOU CLIMBED. WHO HELPED YOU?! WHICH GUARD?! WAS IT SCHMORG? OR SLARG? OR GARGLEAB?!”  
“none of the above. Is it so hard to believe I climbed it?”  
“YES”  
“hey! I climbed the rope in high school AND wrung the bell!”  
“yeah, you managed to climb it ONCE”  
“HEY! ONE IS STILL ENOUGH TIMES TO RING THAT STUPID BELL!”

 

Gunmar and Bular turned to one another hoping the other would know what all of this was exactly. Then they looked back at the hole, trying to figure out what exactly the two were discussing.

“WHATEVER. GO AWAY!”  
“no! No crying and feeling sorry for yourself in a cold little dark miserable place. It makes it even worse since you LITERALLY found one to wallow in”  
“kinda the point”  
“come on, let-”  
“NO! I want to be left alone! I just want to stay in here.”  
“no”  
“yes!”  
“no”  
“yes!”  
“no”  
“yes!”  
“no”  
“tobes. Swear to god, I will push you out”  
“and have me fall into the abyss right under us?”  
“YES!”  
“come here-”  
“NO! STAY BACK!”  
“let me hug you!”  
“no! No touching”  
“LET ME LOVE YOU!”  
“NO! THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE I BELONG!”  
“in a little cave. Hell, not even a cave, a crack in a wall”  
“yes! Now leave! I want to rot in here until I can’t feel anything anymore!”  
“this isn’t healthy to deal with it this way”  
“you’re going to die! Every one who knows me is going to die! I’m going to be alone and cold and miserable! Why not get it fucking started already!? Why wait for the inevitable!?”  
“Jim. Please come out”  
“NO! I'M SERIOUS! I WILL KICK YOU OUT INTO THE DARKLANDS! YOU WANT TO PLUMMET TO YOUR DEATH?!"  
“do it. i dare you to."  
“....dammit Tobes...GO AWAY”  
“coward”  
“fine. I’ll kick you out and just go find another hole to crawl into! it’s the fucking darklands! it’s nothing but those!”  
“so you’re just going to go into hole after hole JUST to stay away and die alone?”  
“YES!  
“THEN I’LL CLIMB THOSE TOO!”  
“NO! THEN I’LL CLIMB TO THE HIGHEST ELEVATION!”  
“THEN I’LL FOLLOW YOU!”  
“you mean get someone to help you?”  
“WHATEVER! Anyways it isn't good to be hiding from everything and everyone, just to make yourself suffer…….and I climbed on my own"  
"let me suffer in peace! is that so much to ask?"  
"yes"  
"i do technically own you. i command you to leave!"  
"we both know that won't work"  
"I COMMAND YOU TO LEAVE!"  
"ohhh noooo oooOOOOoooo i suddenly feel like I'm going to blow away in the wind. probably a really strong one" Jim giggled a little bit at that  
“AHA! someone’s giggling”  
“STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL GOOD! I just want to be cold and empty and alone and dark and quiet and just fade away.”  
“come on. Let’s go back to the nest. We can cuddle and bury ourselves in blankets like you like”  
“no. now go away or I'll eat you!"  
“fine. take a bite. do it"  
"god dammit Tobes just leave!"  
"no, i am technically your emotional support human NOW LET ME LOVE YOU"  
"get off! don't try to hug me!"  
"let me love you!"  
"No! i want to suffer and cry alone!"  
"no! no pity parties!"  
"yes! all the pity parties!"  
"okay. if i leave and let you have one for 20 minutes. will you come out after?"  
"....make it 20 years."  
"technically you do have that kind of time which is like what, a day in your lifespan? i don't have 20 years to wait around for! I’m going to be balding and middle aged and have really creepy uncle humor and I'll end up wearing socks with sandals and a tropical shirt!" Jim suddenly started to laugh at that  
"you want me to be like that jimbo?! huh!? you want me to be like that, you made me look like this!"  
"stop making me want to be happy and laugh! i want to be alone and cry until i die!"  
"over what, 700 years of crying? that’s a lot of tears"  
"i know, now leave!"  
"hm....well let's see. i can stay here and bug you to death-"   
"or i eat you"  
"-true, or i could leave-"  
"do that"  
"-and not help you, which wouldn't me being able to do my job, the one thing I'm kept around for-"  
"and future nourishment!"  
"-true for both. so if i crawl out of here-"  
"which you will do"  
"-and leave you alone-"  
"yes, do that"  
"-then I'd have to go back to your dad and say 'hey i failed to do my job by the way' and then he'll kill me for not helping you"  
"eh....I'll get a new best friend...i think it's time to give Claire a promotion"  
"hey! you promised this would be MY LIFE! no one else gets to have it!"  
"leave and let me cry!" 

 

a few moments of silence pass until Toby casually says  
"alright"  
"…..wait….really?"  
"yeah"  
"just…..like that?"  
"just like that"  
"....what's the catch"  
"no catch"  
"nooo there's something going on"  
"nope"  
"don't lie to me!"  
"I'm not. I'll see you later"  
"wait! come back! tell me what you're going to do!"  
"i told you, I'm not going to do anything"  
"stop lying and get back here! hey! Hey! I command you to come back here!” Toby’s body manages to squeeze out of the hole and suddenly fell down quickly, only to be caught by Bular in his arms, cradling him almost like a baby  
“thanks, for a second I really was afraid I was about to fall to my death”  
“you have yet to finish teaching us. We cannot let you die from anything other than old age” suddenly the three turned back towards the hole as Jim suddenly shouted  
“OH MY GOD TOBY DID YOU JUST FALL!? OH GOD TOBES I DIDN’T MEAN IT! OH GOD OH GOD! OH-" Jim poked his head out and looked around, desperately trying to find where Toby could have fallen to. He stopped and turned his head when he saw three beings at the side of his eyes. Toby made a small wave and said casually  
"hi jimbo"  
“w-what? Toby?!”  
“yep, it’s me”  
“why did yo-” Jim suddenly truly noticed his brother and father stood there. Jim felt awful and quickly retreated back into the hole. Toby called out  
"they heard everything by the way. oh and yeah your brother helped me up"  
"I FUCKING KNEW IT! BULLSHIT YOU CLIMBED UP HERE!”  
"Jimbo, you gonna live in there from now on?" Jim doesn’t say anything in reply, nothing but silence comes from around them. Toby continued  
"i mean, we can fling burritos into your cave every now and again" still no reply was given. Toby smiled and said to the three of them  
"well this is going great!" The other two looked at him in confusion, Bular being the first to ask  
“what are you talking about?”  
"easy! he's not sad anymore! my plan worked"  
"plan??"  
"yep! i couldn't cheer him up, so next best thing, i make his sadness go away by making him feel something else, something stronger. this time, it's embarrassment"  
"what?"  
"well, when you act like that and want to cry and stuff, you don’t want your family to hear you, it's embarrassing! so now he's feeling that instead of being sad"  
"so...this..is better?”  
“mhm!” Gunmar and Bular looked at one another, as if trying to see if the other one had the correct answer to this confusion  
“welp, we should leave now”  
“my son is still in distress, yet you want us to leave his side?”  
“yep!”  
“i...cannot see the reasoning to this…..is this perhaps another lesson?”  
“i suppose it could be. you know the whole 'fight fire with fire', well the reason for that is because fire needs oxygen to burn and thrive. when a second fire is there, the two compete for said oxygen to continue to survive, because both eventually run out of it, they snuff each other out. So to sum up. he’s sad. i made him feel something else. eventually that will pass, and bingo! Jim’s stable again. Just between us, i do this a lot. I’ve learned how to control him like a puppet, know how and when to interact with him in certain ways....NOT IN A BAD WAY! i mean like to help him! like now. I swear I never use him for anything! I’m just saying how I know how to handle these situations properly”  
“hm….i...will trust you in your words. so...now what do we do?"  
"leave"  
"leave him here to suffer?"  
“in a way, yeah. he'll want to come out soon. he's not going to want to see either one of you out of embarrassment. so, we leave him alone. Eventually he crawls out, and then he can be dealt with afterwards” Bular and Gunmar looked up one last time at the hole, before turning to leave. Bular growled out in frustration as they rounded a corner   
“i do not understand this. Nothing makes sense”  
“this is a hurdle. Sometimes you need to use something that doesn’t seem like it may not work, in order for it to work. Yeah that…..doesn’t really make sense but….trust me, everything will be alright in the end. It always is….well until something else happens-you get my point”  
“i do not like leaving my brother alone in his time of need.”  
“another thing to always remember, give him space when he needs it”  
“how do I tell when he needs it or not?! You say to stay by his side when he’s upset, now I’m to ignore him”  
“it’s...complicated. Human emotions are very difficult to understand. Don’t worry, by the time I die, I’m going to make sure both of you are total pros at taking care of Jim”  
“pros?”  
“it’s short for professional. I guess after death, this is my way of helping Jim out, through teaching you both on how to help him when he needs it”

 

.…..……………………………………………………………..…………

 

Jim laid in his nest. Holding himself, curled up on his side, buried under pillows and blankets. He wanted to just block out the world, his thoughts, his emotions. He just wanted everything to be quiet and peaceful again. Everything hurt. Nothing felt right. Toby outside of the nest to Jim  
“hhheeeyyy mr self hatred. You want to have some fun? Go to the movies? Get stress ice cream? Cry into your Tobes?”  
“i….want to die...”  
“come on, you don’t mean that”  
“i….want to die Tobes….I’m tired of being in so much pain, always. I just want it all to turn off.”  
“you don’t really want to die. You’re in a lot of pain, but hurting yourself won’t do anything good, especially to yourself”  
“you’re going to die….I’m going to be dead inside...” Toby shuffled around in the nest until he managed to find Jim. He pulled Jim’s head into his chest and started to pet him, rub his horn, and talk in a soothing soft warm voice  
“I’m going to help make it all go away”  
"I’m so scared Tobes...."  
"I’m always going to be here"  
"no..you won’t…..I’m scared of being alone..."  
"you've got me right here Jimbo"  
"I know but, not ALWAYS. I think of all our laughing and fun and everything and….it hurts"  
"am...i making you...feel bad?"  
"yes-WELL NO! I….i….when i think about you and all the fun, i get happy, then i remember. I’m going to outlive you. i wont have you in my life. my greatest friend and biggest rock. Gone. I’ll...be so scared….i won’t have anyone to help me..."  
"hey that’s why I’m helping to teach your brother and dad. And one day you’re going to have a husba-uh…..and a ki-you’re going to meet new friends! I won’t be the only one you’ll end up loving! Hey, maybe in my next life we’ll end up meeting again! Me and my fat ass will be best friends with you again" Jim snorted and let out a shaky breath  
“You’re not that fat….you’re...husky”  
"musky husky"  
"do NOT go there”  
"yeah you’re right. You’re the one who needs to wash his fur suit”  
"okay first of all, this is my body, and second, I’M ALWAYS CLEAN!”  
“first of all, YOU'RE THE FURRY! Second of all-YOU’RE THE FURRY!"  
"I’m a half troll bitch!"  
"anything non human is a furry and we both know that"  
"oh god i am a furry!" The two giggled together, Jim felt his emotions lessen and start to ease up  
"see Jimbo? THIS is what you need to remember when I’m gone. moments like THESE. i know how much you're going to miss me, i do. Which is why you need to remember moments like these. moments where i comfort you. when i can support you. even when I’m gone, you know dam well what i would be doing if i were with you, and that’s what you need to remember, I’ll comfort you always. even my ghost! even if you don’t know it"  
“comforted by a ghost? That sounds weird AF”  
“hey! Ghosts can help!”  
“well, I’ll always remember you’re watching over me, even if I don’t know it”  
“ghost love, protection and guidance!” Jim is wiping his the tears from his face and eyes  
"thanks tobes"  
"no problem, thank YOU for having me in your life"  
"i should be thanking YOU"  
"I’m more thankful"  
"no I’M more thankful"  
"I’M WAY MORE THANKFUL, I’M LIKE A 100 TIMES MORE THANKFUL"  
"I’M LIKE 1000 TIMES"  
"I’M LIKE A MILLION"  
"I’M A BILLION"  
"I’M INFINITY"  
"I’M INFINITY PLUS ONE" they laughed at their stupid ass nature. The two turned on some mindless things to take their attention away from all the emotional stuff. Toby had gotten out of the nest, and came back with snacks!  
“got some food! And, here, I know this is what caused your emotions to go haywire, BUT this will also help clear your head up. At least this can help keep your head above the water. We just need to focus on the good stuff, nothing negative” Jim took a couple of his ‘snack packs’ from Toby and started to sip from them. The sweet red nectar filled Jim up with a fresh, clear feeling that made him more awake and aware. A nice little refresher for his battery.  
"i love this. just....this....nothing special...just...us....hanging out.....its so mundane but....it makes me the happiest"  
"me too Jimbo, me too. Come on, let’s go to sleep. We can deal with emotions tomorrow”  
“that….sounds nice”

 

……………………………………………………………………………..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was the next day. Gunmar wished to be taught by Toby, and so, off they went! Bular wanted to join them, but instead, decided this would be a perfect time for some brotherly bonding! Currently the two walked across a bridge, chatting about various things. Jim did a hand stand on the very edge of the bridge, balancing and walking forward  
“dear brother. Stop that at once. You will fall to your death”  
“I’m good!”  
“no you’re not”  
“i ammm”  
“must I force you back to my side?”  
“ohhh and how are you going to do that?”  
“with force, since voice doesn’t work”  
“hey, maybe I WILL pay attention and ‘do as my great lord commands’ ONLY when you take the throne” Bular chuckled and snatched his brothers leg, holding him up as they continued to walk  
“oh i can see it, you sitting on the throne, me sitting right next to you, talking and nagging at you. trying to distract you ever second so you can't hear others" Bular just gave a dew more deep chuckles  
"i guess I'll just have to gag you. i can look forward to that day.....if....it ever happens..."  
"hey don’t be sad. its just fun to pretend is all, even if I’m not here to see my big brother on dads throne. like its funny to imagine my kid running around here, playing with everyone, maybe playing with your kid or kids" Bular smiled at the thought, considering it surprisingly….adorable  
"that would be a fairly adorable sight. Our whelps running around the throne room, much like you did as a small whelp"  
"exactly….do you ever think about having kids?"  
"haven't we discussed this already?"  
"i mean i know, but...i dunno...just been thinking about it"  
"is this because of your heat?"  
"nah not that….well….maybe…..its more...just comes to mind, just a passing thought when i think of my future. like 'who’s my kid gonna be like, me or my husband, will i raise them right? will i be a good influence?'"  
"knowing you, yes. You have a kind heart and a good will. you will be an excellent mother to your child"  
"mother huh, hm. I hope so. what about you?"  
"i hope to be an excellent father. raise them correctly as father had for me"  
"well..."  
"i see your point already. don’t think I haven’t thought of it. still, they will be strong, ferocious, powerful, hardened."  
"juuuust make sure they know how to smile. we may be gumm-gumms, but everyone likes to laugh and smile from time to time even you laugh and smile"  
"that is true"  
"ohhhhhh! i didn’t even think about it, but when i have my kid, you're going to be an uncle! my little kids going to run around and totally bother you like i did!"  
"oh good. i look forward to that. ugh." they both chuckled together, Bular putting Jim down. Jim being a bit woozy from all the blood going to his head.  
"oof, head….hmmm, don’t worry, I’ll make sure they love you, i want them to see you with love and excitement and react 'uncle Bular is here! quick climb all over him!', i don’t want them to resent you or hate you"  
"i suppose i could tolerate the climbing in exchange for affection"  
"huh, Jim the uncle, when you have your kids. OHHH OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE COUSINS! my kid running around playing with yours. Ohhh its going to be soo cute! little gumm-gumms, running around. AND GRANDPA GUNMAR! haha, that’s amazing!" Bular couldn’t help but smile, seeing how excited and entertained Jim is from the topic  
"you suddenly planning on having your whelp soon?"  
"nahhh, just thinking, like i said. Aww, little cute gumm-gumm kids. going to make their parents and grandpa all proud.....hey....do you think I’ll have a half troll or a full troll. i kinda want a half troll, only because i would know how to raise one, since, hey, I’m me and I’m living the experience"  
"hmmm....that is a good question.....i think it depends on your mate. perhaps he is strong and virile enough to spawn a full troll with you. Or perhaps your body would only take his seed and produce a half troll"  
“hey, think my kid will get dad’s blood too?”

 

Jim suddenly slowed down, his expression changing to a quiet sadness. Bular noticed this and suddenly thought it might have been HIS fault for causing his brothers sudden mood change  
“brother, have I...upset you? I apologize if I have”  
“no….not….not you”  
“may I know what did cause this? I would like and make an attempt to aid you”  
“it’s just….thinking about dad’s blood….you deserve it..not me….i wish I could just...give it to you….i don’t deserve it….i don’t do anything but be a joke, slow everyone else down, sleep around with guys, and just….contribute nothing.” Bular walked in front of Jim, putting a hand on his brothers shoulder  
"i don’t know how many more times I’m going to have to say this, more if need be. YOU have fathers blood not me. this is YOUR gift not mine. i would lie if i said i wouldn't accept the offer if it could happen however"  
"i wish i were more useful. Puled my weight around here. Did something...helpful…."  
"shhhhh. you are. now be silent...er....those thoughts...unless you cant, then you may still speak to me"  
“i don’t do anything that helps. You’ve fought and won a lot of times, you’ve helped everyone out, you’ve been a proper warrior, a proper son. I don’t do anything. You do. You can do. I just want to be bett-” Bular got down on one knee and looked his brother directly in the eyes  
“shhh. No more of this talk. Killing yourself just to improve won’t improve anything except hasten your own demise. You’re already improving yourself every day. It took me my whole life to become a warrior. Yes, I am a full troll, but the point Is, it takes time. No wish will ever suddenly grant you the power you desire.”  
“yeah but YOU have helped dad! I wish I could. I wish I could help him get out of her-”  
“shhhh. close your eyes. now imagine it. our father has waited centuries to return. Everyone has worked tirelessly to return him to the surface world once more. You killing yourself will accomplish nothing, it will help in absolutely no way. You will never free him by yourself, you will never free him at any one random time. Yes, perhaps you will find the proper way to do so, you have the wits to figure it out. Now I want you to take a deep breath and let it out. Now imagine. Once he does, he will claim all of the world, above and below. all will belong to us and only us. imagine your own kingdom, you, the absolute ruler of it all. the ultimate authority. you will literally get to do what you what, when you want, and wherever you want to may help out and tend to whoever you wish. Your efforts will be rewarded beyond belief. There will be no restraints for you whatsoever. Well, as long as father as well as I don't have any say against it. imagine it. your kingdom. flourishing. thriving. everyone living peacefully within it. you, tending to them all. You, preserving the humans, as well as the half trolls, the most wanted thing, and the...ugh....impures.

 

imagine your kingdom, the first ever half troll one in history. your kind, safe, together, building your own culture and society. to no longer feel like abominations, outcasts, freaks. you will become the new normal. you will get as many playthings as you desire, be it sexual or not. you've spoken about corrupt politicians, world greed and lust for power, hate against one another simply because of slight differences, pollution, weapons that can destroy the world, all gone. You will be the one to end all of it. you will be the one to save your slice of the world. imagine how PROUD father will be! all the love he has for us but enhanced so greatly you can't even imagine it. think of our future together. like you said, our whelps running around playing. our family  
growing and being connected now and forever. no more loneliness or distancing one another. imagine father coming to visit you. looking at all your hard work and wishes come into life. imagine our whelps learning from him. imagine them having a safe, loving, family environment, something neither you or I had. Toby being your adviser, standing by your side helping you rule. making everything fun and joyful, colorful and exciting. everyone living peacefully and happily together, where the only difference will be how much everyone loves each other more. All this will only, ONLY ever be accomplished if you take your time, and help in your OWN way. We all do different parts. No one gumm-gumm does everything in every way. You will do as you can, and you will succeed. I have no doubt in my mind and heart that you will truly fail. Yes, you may fail in some ways, but overall, you will accomplish anything and everything you put your mind to. This is your blood, your gift. Use it. Master it. it’s yours and no one else’s. I am bigger and stronger than you, yes, but that is my gift. Not yours. You will be the strongest of the strong, EVENTUALLY. Until that day comes, you must be patient like father has been. Good things come to those who wait, train, practice"

 

“wow….thanks Bular….i….never would have thought you’d have all that in you”  
“I’m not a complete idiot. I can think past my next sword swing, my next meal, my next time that I awaken” Bular took Jim into a big tight hug  
“i love you brother, my love is as endless as fathers is. I don’t care how many times I will remind you, but I will always be here for you. Now, until the very day your bones turn to dust. When you pass, I will always remember moments like these. Moments that cause me joy. I will make as many of these moments as I am able to. I will have an entire lifes worth of memories with you, so that when you are gone, I will always remember. When you pass, I will tend to your whelp, and you whelps whelp. They will never feel alone, betrayed, lost. From my lessons now, I will remember for them too”  
“wow…..thanks Bular this…..really helps….and...when I’m gone...i want you to teach everyone…..how much better at fighting I was than you” Jim’s smile formed across his face as he wiped his tears away. Bular’s own smile formed as well as a deep chuckle  
“there’s my brother. I will always tell them how much of a pain in my side you were”  
“that’s all I ask”  
“i love you, my brother”  
“i love you too”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

………………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

Draal walked through trollmarket alongside his father. He aided him here and there, making sure to spend as much father son quality time as they could  
“father, when I have a whelp, I know you will be nothing but the greatest grandfather” Kanjigar stopped mid step, turned and grined  
“my son, what brought this up?”  
“when we passed by a family, their newborn...it just….made me think of my future”  
“with Jim?” Draal looked at the ground and nodded a bit shyly  
“ha! My son, why must you feel shy about this?”  
“because I….have this terrible worry deep within my heart...that….my future is uncertain if we are to be with one another”  
“he has the most affection for you, as you do him. I have very little doubt in my own heart that you two won’t be mates. When you do have your whelp, I WILL be the greatest grandfather” Kanjigar patted his sons shoulder and laughed  
“you will be an excellent father, far better than I ever was”  
“yes, I know….uh...i...only meant-”  
“i understand. Trust me. I do. We are past that, I wish for it. I wish for us to be with one another, no matter what stands in our way. We are a family. And soon, Jim will be too, along with a cute little whelp running around” Kanjigar patted his shoulder once again and winked before turning around and continued walking, Draal following right by his side  
“we both know he wants to bear it. You’ve only to wait….then plant your seed. Jim will be a loving mother. You both will be devoted to one another no doubt. Now, let’s go clear a few fights up before going back home”  
“yes, that sounds good”  
“and on the way, why don’t you imagine the details of your wedding” Draal suddenly felt the emotion of blushing  
“w-wedding?”  
“yes, of course! Do you NOT plan on wedding Jim?”  
“I DO! Uh, I mean...yes...the fear in my heart...i….just do not wish for all this hope to come crashing down around me if something were to ever happen...”  
“nonsense. You and Jim love one another that much more when you two see one another. It is eventual, I can tell. So, do you plan on wedding him before or after impregnating him? Always good to plan for the future” Draal felt the blushing sensation once again and had no idea how to respond. Kanjigar laughed heartily  
“come now! Have you never imagined breeding him? I know how much it stirs your heart, as well as your loins. I was the same way with your mother, and I have no doubt you don’t own the same fantasy”  
“i...erm….uh...um...”  
“fine, feel awkward about your sexual imaginations, I won’t force it out. Now, I already see a fight down the street. Lets go break it up”  
“as….well as a possible few bones?”  
“if we weren’t supposed to, it wouldn’t be fun”


End file.
